“Tell me about a time when…” Those words alone can put a knot in the stomach of job seekers during interviews. A time when you’ve failed, a time when you had workplace conflict, a time you overcommitted, fill in the blank. As an ag job seeker, it’s crucial you know how to answer these interview questions strategically if you want to land your dream agriculture job.
Thankfully, there’s a technique to help you ace these common interview questions. The STAR method is used to guide you through answering behavioral interview questions, or those that ask for a story. It is step-by-step instructions for how to answer efficiently and effectively.
So, if an ag hiring manager instructs you to, “Tell me about a time you demonstrated leadership,” instead of saying, “I supervised my team when my boss was out of town,” your interaction may go a little more like this.
Explain the situation. In other words, set the scene. When, where and why is this story about to take place? While they don’t need to know every detail - rambling is really easy when you’re nervous - give them enough to understand the position you were in at the time so you can take them on a journey of overcoming the challenges it brought.
“In my previous role as a marketing director for a seed company, we were launching a new product when my boss had a family emergency and had to take a leave of absence the week before the product officially went on the market. It threw the whole team for a loop, and many were feeling like we couldn’t do the job without her.”
At some point in this story, there should be a task to complete or some kind of problem to solve. If there isn’t, you should probably pick a different scenario. Here is where you present that challenge. So, in our example, what task was at hand that created an opportunity for you to lead?
“As someone who was very familiar with the product and had gone through a launch alongside my boss in the past, I felt it was my responsibility to step up to keep the project on track and morale high. My goal was to continue our progress in a direction that would ensure a successful launch of which each member of the team could be proud.”
Now that you have identified the problem, it’s time to describe what you did to solve it. What action did you take to turn around the situation and complete the task? This is your time to shine, so don’t be afraid to add details here. Give specifics about the part you played in the scenario.
“So, I organized a team meeting where both concerns and ideas could be addressed, then we used that discussion to outline final tasks and ensure they were taken care of by the team member most qualified to handle them. We agreed open communication, leveraging our individual strengths and supporting each other would be the best way to keep us on track. I set up daily check-ins with each team member to see how progress was coming and ask how I could help them. I also coordinated communication between our marketing, communications and sales team to make sure they had the information they needed for their parts in the launch.”
How did it all turn out? Make sure the results are a direct correlation to your own actions. If you were commended for it, include that. If you learned from a success, include that. Especially if you learned from a failure, include that. The results portion is the place to describe how this situation helped you grow as an employee, and how this experience makes you a better candidate for the ag job for which you’re interviewing.
“As a result, each team member and department felt prepared for the launch, and it went off without a hitch. We had positive feedback and our sales numbers reflected the campaign’s success. Upon her return and review of the launch, my boss personally thanked me for stepping up, and I grew closer to my teammates throughout the process. The whole experience taught me the importance of communication and the value of teamwork, which I’m excited to implement in my next role.”
In that short time, you’ve told the ag recruiter about your experience, how you handle stressful situations, that you work well with others, and so much more. Think about how that answer compares to, “I supervised my team when my boss was out of town.”
Now that you know what the STAR Method is, there are a few things you can do to make it even more effective for you.
Do your research. Read the job description, and identify scenarios from your past that exemplify your qualification for the ag job you’re pursuing. In the case of our example, maybe one of your responsibilities is leading a team. The story you told is a perfect example of why you’d be great at that.
Last but not least, be prepared. Have a few stories in your back pocket that can answer this question while also showing off your best qualities. And since it’s often hard to share failures, have one of those examples handy, too. Then practice telling them using the STAR Method, and ultimately sharing how you came out of those situations a better employee.
Now that you know how to crush those behavioral interview questions, visit AgHires.com to find who’s hiring and ready to interview you for a new career in ag!
For more interview tips, check out our Career Advice Blog.