Successful resumes, cover letters, and interviews will include details about specific situations. To prepare for the job search, develop a list of accomplishments and situations you might use to respond to interview questions. Mine the following settings for stories: work, education, volunteering, extracurricular activities, group memberships, and so on. For each of the topics listed below, write 12 ideas/specific situations. This will help you develop situations to use with the STAR interviewing method.

1. Ways you have worked effectively in a team

2. Problems or challenges youve overcome and how you overcame them

3. Accomplishments you are most proud of and why

4. Ways youve demonstrated leadership

5. What motivates you?

6. Failures and/or weaknesses and how you managed them

7. Communication and/or conflict resolution skills

8. Your greatest strengths

9. Honors, accomplishments, praise

10. Any other stories/situations that may be useful in answering interview questions