Mastering Behavioral Questions: The STAR Method for UN Competitive Exams
Competitive examinations for the United Nations often include behavioral questions designed to assess your competencies, such as teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership. The STAR method is a structured approach to effectively answer these questions, providing concrete examples of your past experiences.
What are Behavioral Questions?
Behavioral questions typically start with phrases like "Tell me about a time when...", "Describe a situation where...", or "Give me an example of...". They aim to understand how you've handled specific situations in the past, as past behavior is often a good predictor of future performance. For UN roles, these questions will likely relate to competencies such as integrity, accountability, professionalism, communication, and working with others.
Introducing the STAR Method
Breaking Down the STAR Method
Let's explore each component of the STAR method in detail:
S: Situation
Set the scene. Briefly describe the context of the situation you faced. Where and when did it happen? Who was involved? Provide just enough detail for the interviewer to understand the background.
Situation. You should aim to set the scene and provide context for the experience.
T: Task
Explain your responsibility or the goal you needed to achieve within that situation. What was your objective? What needed to be done?
A: Action
This is the core of your answer. Describe the specific steps you took to address the situation or complete the task. Focus on 'I' statements to highlight your individual contributions, even if you worked in a team. Be detailed and specific about your actions.
The 'Action' component is where you demonstrate your skills and problem-solving abilities. Think about the specific behaviors you exhibited. For example, if the question is about teamwork, describe how you communicated, collaborated, or resolved conflicts. If it's about problem-solving, detail your analytical process and the solutions you proposed or implemented. Use strong action verbs to make your contributions clear and impactful.
Text-based content
Library pages focus on text content
R: Result
Conclude by explaining the outcome of your actions. What happened as a result? Quantify your achievements whenever possible (e.g., "increased efficiency by 15%", "reduced errors by 10%"). Also, reflect on what you learned from the experience, especially if the outcome wasn't entirely positive. This shows self-awareness and a commitment to continuous improvement.
For UN competitive exams, always connect your results back to the core competencies required for the role. How did your actions and their outcomes demonstrate integrity, collaboration, or effective communication?
Applying the STAR Method to UN Competencies
When preparing for UN exams, identify the key competencies listed in the job description. Then, brainstorm specific examples from your past experiences (work, volunteer, academic) that demonstrate these competencies. For each example, structure your response using STAR.
| Competency | Example STAR Question | Focus of STAR Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Teamwork | Tell me about a time you worked effectively as part of a team. | Situation: Project context. Task: Team goal. Action: Your collaborative efforts, communication, conflict resolution. Result: Successful project completion, positive team dynamic. |
| Problem-Solving | Describe a complex problem you faced and how you solved it. | Situation: The challenge. Task: The objective to overcome the challenge. Action: Your analytical process, steps taken, innovative solutions. Result: Problem resolved, lessons learned. |
| Integrity | Give an example of a time you had to uphold ethical standards. | Situation: Ethical dilemma. Task: The requirement to act with integrity. Action: Your principled actions, adherence to rules/values. Result: Ethical standard maintained, trust preserved. |
Tips for Effective STAR Answers
Practice is key! Rehearse your STAR stories aloud. Be concise and avoid rambling. Focus on positive outcomes and lessons learned. Tailor your examples to the specific role and the UN's values. Ensure your examples are relevant and demonstrate the required competencies.
Quantifying results provides concrete evidence of your impact and makes your achievements more measurable and impressive.
Learning Resources
Official overview of the core competencies assessed by the United Nations, crucial for understanding what to highlight in your STAR answers.
A comprehensive guide from The Muse explaining the STAR method with practical examples and tips for structuring your answers.
Glassdoor's explanation of behavioral questions and the STAR method, including common pitfalls to avoid and how to prepare.
A LinkedIn article offering insights into answering behavioral questions using the STAR method, with a focus on professional development.
A video tutorial that visually breaks down the STAR method and provides examples of how to apply it effectively in interviews.
Indeed's guide to the STAR method, offering clear steps and advice on how to prepare and deliver compelling answers.
Princeton University's Career Services provides a helpful overview of behavioral questions and strategies for answering them, including the STAR method.
Carnegie Mellon University's career services page detailing the STAR method and offering tips for crafting effective responses.
Another practical video tutorial demonstrating how to use the STAR method to answer common behavioral interview questions.
A straightforward explanation of the STAR method, its benefits, and how to use it to your advantage in job interviews.