How to Use the STAR Method in Your Interviews
Master the art of answering behavioural and competency questions with real-world examples and expert guidance.
The STAR method might be your key to interview success. Most job interviews have sections which assess your behavioural and competency skills. To the inexperienced, these can sound very scary, but don't worry, the STAR method is here to help.
Successful candidates know and apply the STAR method in all of their interviews, but what is the STAR method and how do you actually apply it? Well, let's find out.
Key Takeaways
- The STAR method is a technique for answering behavioural and competency questions in interviews consisting of four steps: Situation, Task, Action, and Result.
- Preparation is key to using the STAR technique effectively by preparing a story bank and studying the job description carefully.
- The 'Action' part of the STAR method should be given the most attention, as this is the part that proves your competency to interviewers.
What is the STAR Method?
The STAR interview method is a way of answering tricky interview questions using a simple structure. The word 'STAR' is an acronym standing for Situation, Task, Action, Result. The purpose of the STAR method is to tell a story, with each letter representing a different part:
Situation
Set the scene and describe the situation you found yourself in.
Task
Define your personal responsibility in that situation, in other words, the goal you had.
Action
Provide details about the actions you took to achieve that goal.
Result
Explain the result that occurred as a result of your actions.
The STAR Method Flow
Situation
Set the scene
Task
Define your goal
Action
Steps you took
Result
Your outcome
Follow this structure to craft compelling interview answers
How to Use the STAR Interview Method Effectively
Study the Job Description
The job description is your best source of truth when applying for a job, and you can pretty much predict what behavioural or competency questions might come up at an interview by studying it. We recommend preparing STAR questions based on the skills and experience listed in the job description. Some employers might put more emphasis on certain skills, so make them a higher priority during your interview prep!
Start Building a 'Story Bank'
Success with the STAR method depends on you having stories to tell during an interview. The most common concern we see when speaking to students and recent graduates is how they can showcase their experience if they've never had a job before. This is a common thing every student worries about when it comes to interviews, but don't worry, you have more experience than you think.
To start building a story bank, think back to the times at university where you felt the most stressed and under pressure. These situations are perfect for proving your capabilities. If you do have work experience such as a summer internship, think about the things you did and achieved. It's important to have a list of actual STAR questions in front of you when doing this (see below), and map these experiences to each one.
Practice Rehearsing Your Stories
You know what they say: practice makes perfect. And it's true. Rehearsing your STAR method stories will help you be extra prepared on the day of your interview. You can either rehearse alone in a room or have a family member/friend sitting across from you pretending to be the interviewer.
Rehearsing several times will ensure you know exactly what to say and make you less nervous on the day of the interview.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using STAR
Spending Too Long Setting the Scene
Setting the scene is important, but avoid spending an excessive amount of time on it. The interviewer wants to know how you dealt with the situation and the result that came from your actions. Interviews do have time limits, so spending too much time providing context can waste time and doesn't allow you to showcase your value.
Vague Actions
There's spending too much time on context, and there's also not giving enough detail on your actions. The interviewer wants to know the specific actions you took to solve a problem, so be as detailed as possible while making your answer easy to understand.
To be as detailed as possible, think about the following questions when forming your STAR answer:
- •Did I use any tools?
- •Did I get assistance from anyone else?
- •How was I feeling during the process? (feelings convey a sense of emotion and can make your answers even more impactful).
The perfect STAR answer is detailed, but also straight to the point. Understandably, it's a hard combination to get right, but don't worry. We have some example answers later on to give you some inspiration.
Missing the Result
Picture this: you're in an interview running through your perfect STAR answer that you rehearsed 20 times at home. The interviewer is smiling, they are clearly engaged with what you are saying. Then, the nerves kick in and your mind goes blank and, as a result, completely forget to mention the results of your actions. This happens to a lot of people – students, graduates, and experienced workers alike – and can make a great answer turn into one that is less impactful. But don't worry, even if this happens by accident, you can still impress the interviewer by going into detail about your actions.
STAR Method Examples
Before you start crafting your own STAR answers from your previous experiences, let's run through a few examples of common questions so that you can see how a STAR answer should be structured.
Tell me about a time where you had to go above and beyond for a customer/client
It was the run up to Christmas and my client told me that they wanted us to send all of our work by the middle of December, something that we normally don't do.
My task was to work out a plan of delivery for my client to ensure they received all the work on time.
I immediately checked who was on my account team for December and looked at how many hours they had to complete the work. I then made an hours plan and used my previous experience to figure out how much time each task would take. After this, I sent a message to my account team to communicate the urgency of this work and scheduled all of the tasks in our task management system with clear time limits and deadlines. This ensured that myself and the account team could work to clear deadlines and prioritise work for this client over less urgent deliverables.
In the end, my rigorous planning paid off, as we got all of the work sent across to the client 3 days early, something they were very happy about.
Tell me about a time in which you adopted an official or unofficial leadership role
During my final year of university, I was part of a team tasked with creating a fully functional mobile app. The team was great, but we had some organisation issues.
My task was to lead and deliver the project within a 10 week deadline, something that was initially quite stressful.
Upon starting the project, I knew that we were very unorganised and needed better communication. I set up a weekly meeting where each member of the group would list three things they had completed that week. I also set up a task board using Trello, so that we could clearly assign tasks and work to realistic deadlines.
As a result of my organisation in the team, we delivered the project 1 week ahead of schedule, which allowed us to focus on polishing our code. We also received the highest mark in the class and got some great feedback from our tutor.
Give me an example of a time when you had to think on your feet
In my current role, I am responsible for leading on several client accounts. One day, one of my clients told us that they had been in contact with another agency.
My task upon hearing this news was to put together an emergency slide deck outlining the results we'd gained so far and what we had planned for the future.
I immediately got to work setting up the deck and asked my team members for any templates or slides that I could take inspiration from. After I had gathered some useful slides, I set to work inputting data. Building a narrative was very important here, and quite stressful given the fact that I only had 1 day to pull it together. I used previous monthly reports and activity to populate the relevant information, always remaining focused on the narrative throughout.
I managed to finish the deck within a few hours, sent it to be QA'd and received outstanding feedback from my senior team member. We then presented it to the client the following day and they decided to stay with us.
Common STAR Interview Questions
Below are a selection of questions we see employers asking again and again during interviews. Take note of each one and prepare an answer using the STAR method.
| Question | Key Themes |
|---|---|
| Describe a time when you faced a difficult moment at work. How did you solve the problem? | Problem-solving, Resilience |
| Share about a mistake you made at work. What did you do about it? | Learning |
| Tell me about a situation where you had to make a split-second decision. How did you do it? | Adaptability, Problem-solving |
| Explain a time you had to break some bad news. How did you do it? | Communication |
| Share about a time you set a specific goal and achieved it. | Ambition, Problem-solving, Organisation |
| Tell me about a time you failed. What lessons did you learn? | Learning |
| Tell me about a time you were under immense pressure at the workplace. How did you handle it? | Adaptability, Resilience |
Test Your STAR Method Knowledge
Test your understanding of the STAR method and how to apply it in graduate interviews.
Scenario:
As a recent graduate preparing for an interview, you're structuring your STAR response.
Which part of the STAR method should you focus on most in your answers?
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