Job interviews are intense. These are high stakes situations – especially if you really want the job!
It’s wise to expect to feel stressed going into these conversations and take time to prepare to reduce your anxiety. While you can’t anticipate every single question, you can thoughtfully practice responses to a number of common interview questions.
The STAR Method
One of my favorite tools for autistic job seekers is the STAR method. STAR stands for situation – task – action – response. Here’s a STAR example to answer the question: Tell me about a time that you took initiative to accomplish your professional goals.
Situation: Describe the situation relevant to your story. Be brief!
I wanted to start a business to help my neighbors with their gardens. I saw so many neglected spaces that could be incredible gardens with effort and care.
Task: Explain what your role was in the situation.
Since this was a brand new business idea, I needed to get the word out to find my first clients.
Action: Share the steps that you took in detail.
I decided to draft a personal letter to the neighbors on my street to let them know that I was interested in helping make our street more beautiful and colorful. I also talked to a few neighbors personally and asked them to share with their friends.
Result: Outline the positive results and outcomes.
I just finished my 5th garden project and all of the homeowners have been incredibly pleased with the results. One neighbor even asked me to come back and do a larger space in her backyard when she saw my attention to detail and consistency in caring for her new plants. I might even need to recruit a friend to join with this many projects!
Practicing Your STAR Answers
Those stories can be used to answer a variety of questions. For example, if you have a great example about a time that you thought of a unique and novel solution to a problem that a company was facing, you can share that story as a reply to:
- Tell me about a time that you faced a new challenge.
- Tell me about when you used creativity to solve a problem.
- Tell me about a time when you spoke up to share your ideas.
One story can be used to answer a variety of questions. Just be sure you have 5-7 great stories prepared so you aren’t repeating the same one over and over again.
How STAR Helps Autistic Job Seekers
Almost all of my clients are nervous about interviews in large part because of “tell me about yourself” questions. My clients are more comfortable talking about their experience and skills. They aren’t always comfortable talking about themselves. They may be afraid they’ll talk too long or get into the weeds when describing a situation. They worry that they’ll struggle to come up with examples on the spot.
As a result, I always encourage my clients to think about these questions and possible responses in advance. But without a “recipe” for how to think ahead there is STILL anxiety. The STAR method provides a great recipe.
If career guidance is a priority for you now, I’d encourage you to explore the Career Guidance section of our resources page. or check out our Greenwood Career Assessment Package.
And be sure to connect with us on LinkedIn for up-to-date tips and tools!