STAR Interview Technique

Interview Preparation
#1

The STAR interview technique helps you to provide a logically structured answer. It’s a way to give the interviewer an answer in the form of a story. STAR is an acronym for a Situation (S), your Task (T) in that situation, the actions (A) you took in that situation, and the Results (R) of your actions. The STAR technique is perfect to answer behavioral interview questions that require you to provide the interviewer with a real-life work example.

Behavioral interview questions often start with:

Tell me about a time when
Describe a time when
Below, the STAR acronym is broken down into steps with more information on what you can include in your answers.

  1. Situation
    When you give your answer to the interviewer, start by setting the stage. Provide context around the situation or challenge you were facing. Also, make sure to provide relevant details. When the interviewer asks you questions about challenging situations or projects you have worked on, ensure that you provide all the details necessary for them to understand what you were up against.

  2. Task
    After you describe the situation, talk about your specific responsibilities and what your role was. It’s important that the interviewer gets an understanding of your task during that specific situation.

  3. Action
    Then, talk about the actions you took to resolve the challenges you were facing while under stress. Provide the interviewer with a step by step description of what actions you took.

  4. Result
    Finally, talk about the outcomes of your actions. Make sure to take credit for your behavior that led to the result. Here you answer questions such as What happened? And What results did you get? Also, provide the interviewer with information about what you learned from the situation. Make sure to focus on positive results and positive learning experiences.