How to create a STAR method resume with examples

There are many kinds of resumes out there in the world of recruitment. You may have read about most of them through our career advice blog. We have discussed everything under the sun about the different types of resume formats out there, such as the chronological resume, the functional resume, and the combination resume. Today, we will talk about another type of resume: the STAR method resume.

STAR is an acronym that stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. This little acronym can help you a lot when you want to showcase your amazing achievements on a resume with a structural approach. Without using the STAR method, there is a great chance that your resume's bullet points will somewhat ramble.

Without further ado, let’s look at how you can start creating your own STAR method resume.

First, you must start with a strong opening statement

Your resume must feature a strong resume summary statement at the very beginning to ensure that the reader is impressed with your skills and is intrigued to read further. A lukewarm resume headline or summary will lead to your resume being rejected by hiring managers during the six-second resume test. The resume summary section is the place for you to emphasize your experience and qualifications and paint a compelling picture of the value you bring to the employer. Here’s an example to help you along:

“A seasoned recruitment professional with over 10 years of experience managing human resources for Fortune 500 companies. My passion for data-driven decision-making and HR strategy creation has helped me lower the employee turnover rate by 70% for my previous employer.”

Understand how to structure your experience using the STAR method

STAR method bullet points are not structured similarly to other sentences. You will have to invest quite a bit of thinking time to ensure that your bullet points come out strong. Here’s a guide on how to structure your STAR Method bullet points for each of your accomplishments:

• Situation: Give some context to the reader about the project or task you completed. Was there a problem to be solved?
• Task: Specifically state what your responsibility was for the project or task.
• Action: This is usually the most detailed section of a STAR bullet point. Describe how you solved the problem. Mention the specific actions you took.
• Result: Finally, you should mention the outcome of your actions. Quantify your achievement using real data and figures to make your STAR bullet more impactful.

You must tailor your STAR bullet points to suit the new role

Just like any other resume, your STAR method resume must be specifically tailored to the job you are applying for. When you create your STAR bullet points, be sure to use phrases, keywords, and terms that the employer has used in the job description. Remember, incorporating the right keywords into your resume will increase your chances of getting noticed by a hiring manager.

STAR bullet points taste great when coupled with action verbs

Action verbs are the perfect condiment for your STAR bullet points. They will make your bullet points sound more impressive and compelling. Dynamic and engaging bullet points have the power to make a potential employer want to read your resume from start to finish.

Finally, let’s look at an example of a STAR bullet to get you started on yours

• Situation: Our website was experiencing a lack of traffic.
• Task: I undertook the task of boosting traffic by developing a new content strategy to spike engagement.
• Action: I planned and developed a comprehensive content calendar and collaborated with content writers to generate more compelling blog posts.
• Result: I drove up the website traffic by 70% and the sales by 25% after 3 months of implementing my new strategy.