Are you preparing to look for your next job opportunity but struggling with how to update your resume? How should you write about your work experience in your resume to highlight your strengths and qualities? This article shares how to use the "STAR principle" to write your resume. By putting yourself in the recruiter's shoes, you can understand the keywords and content that HR wants to see.
This approach helps you clarify your work experience and achievements, assisting you in maximizing the advantages of your educational and professional background when writing your resume or during interviews. Ultimately, this will help you find the most suitable job opportunity for yourself.
Content:
- STAR Principle: What and Why
- Avoid THIS When Using the STAR Principle in Resume Writing
- To Create a Good Resume: Use Yourator
STAR Principle: What and Why
STAR is composed of the initials of Situation, Task, Action, and Result. As with the principle used in interviews, it involves organizing past experiences through the STAR principle, breaking them down into orderly, structured narratives to present in your resume.
Describe the background. In your resume, what was the context of this experience? What problem did you face? What conflicts or difficulties did you encounter with people or events?
▸ Task:
Given the situation, problems, or difficulties you faced, what solutions did you propose? What tasks were you assigned? What were your main responsibilities?
By describing the Situation (S) and Task (T), you allow HR to gain a broad understanding of the entire context.
If your previous job was at a company that isn't globally or nationally well-known, briefly introduce the company's products or services in this section. This helps HR quickly understand the industry and type of your previous job.
▸ Action:
Based on the aforementioned situation, proposals, and tasks, how did you specifically execute them? What actions did you take or what skills did you apply?
▸ Result:
After carrying out the above tasks, what outcomes did you achieve? What benefits did you bring to the company or clients? As most resume writing tips suggest, "quantifying" the results and achievements and "presenting them in business terms" can better demonstrate professionalism and differentiate you from others.
Using STAR to share your past experiences during job searches allows interviewers to gain a more structured understanding of the candidate's characteristics and abilities. Besides interviews, this method can also be applied to resume writing!
➤ Avoid These 3 Common Mistakes When Writing Your CV/Resume!
Avoid THIS When Using the STAR Principle in Resume Writing
When using the STAR principle in your resume DO NOT try to include all your past experiences and skills. Doing so might blur the focus and make it difficult for HR to identify key words, potentially leading to your elimination.
Remember to carefully consider:
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What are the common business terms in this field?
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What does the job description for this company say?
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What qualities do they value, and what skills do they need?
If the questions above are to vague, it is also helpful to think from HR's perspective:
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What do I care about?
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What keywords convince me that you’re suitable for this company?
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How have your past experiences helped you?
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What value can you bring to the next company?
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Can this mutual benefit take both parties to a better place?
When preparing for interviews, these values and directions will become clearer and more evident.
To Create a Good Resume: Use Yourator
Following the digital transformation driven by the post-pandemic era, the demand for digital-native young talents has rapidly increased among businesses. Using the STAR principle allows you to clearly and structurally showcase your unique value in your resume, successfully securing an interview opportunity, and subsequently increasing your chances of landing a job.
Yourator has designed a resume builder specifically for digital industry recruitment. Hurry and update your resume, so you can find the most suitable job position for yourself amidst the wave of digital talent demand!