Simplifying the STAR Interview Technique for Your Next Interview

SOARA method, CAR technique, SAO question, STAR interviewing technique—the variations keep pouring in. Whatever you prefer to call it, these techniques refer to quick and efficient ways to prepare for an interview. You might have rehearsed your career history and have your goals and aspirations ready on the tip of your tongue, but many interview questions choose to shift the focus from what you know to how you behave instead. STAR interview questions are tools that interviewers use to explore your situation-based reaction style. This information helps them predict how you might behave in the future as well. Let’s explore the secret to getting these STAR method interview questions right every single time.

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What is the STAR Interview Technique?

The STAR method of interviewing refers to situational questions interviews frequently ask, where you are asked to describe your response style in specific scenarios. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. These four words provide the framework for you to plan your response to these interview questions efficiently while also leaving room for any elaboration the interviewer might need. 

STAR interview questions cover a broad spectrum of topics that might be general behavioral questions or field-specific. Your response should demonstrate your ability to give a clear response, but more importantly, it should convey your grasp of difficult situations and your problem-solving abilities in response to them. The STAR interview technique is a very useful tool for interviewers but it is also quite easy to prepare for if you put your mind to it. 

Understand the STAR Method of Interviewing

It is useful to understand the components of the STAR interview technique a little better before we begin preparing for the actual questions. Let’s break down the four components of the STAR behavioral questions.

Situation

This component refers to the context of the question and the expected response. Sometimes the interviewer might be very specific about the context they want to discuss, such as “a time when you disagreed with a manager or senior” or “when you failed to meet your sales quota.” Other times, the context might be open for you to choose the direction you would like to take it, for example, “What is a challenge you’ve faced” or “When you felt satisfied with your results.”

Whatever direction the interviewer provides, the STAR interview technique requires you to be prepared to describe the situation efficiently. If you take too long to set the stage or summarize the context, it can convey a lack of understanding of the situation. Too many external details can distract from your point. Your action and results take priority so spend limited time on the situation by being specific and mentioning only relevant details to help the interviewer understand the context.

Task

The task component of the STAR method of interviewing focuses on what you perceive as the focal point or actionable element of the situation. The STAR questions dry out behavioral responses so with the context in mind, what element did you decide to act on? 

If you are answering a question about managing conflict with a manager, you can describe the citation of the conflict and then shift to the task—what did you see as a resolution point? You might choose to state that your task was to communicate your perspective more delicately, or that you intended to find common ground with the manager. Your task could also reflect the process of identifying where and when the conflict started. You have complete freedom to describe your task at hand but ensure you can clearly convey your intention to the interviewer.

Describe the task you had selected for yourself, and in a line or two, explore why this angle felt right to you.

Action

The core of your response to these STAR interview questions should be made up of your action plan. This component focuses on the steps you took after deciding what your task or goal should be. By understanding your actions, the interviewer is likely to understand your behavioral response and strategic thinking abilities. 

The interviewer will likely focus on a few angles: How relevant was your plan to the situation? How did you break down what you needed to do? Do you have an overt or covert approach to problem-solving? Do you perform well under pressure? Even if the end results do not match up to expectations, these details will allow an interviewer to estimate how you will fit into their workforce. 

Ensure your responses clarify your thought process behind your actions to give the interviewer a chance to track your logic with each move.

Results

The final component of the STAR interview technique is to wrap up your narrative in a simple manner—did you achieve what you intended to do? Ideally, your results should show a successful outcome from your plan of action but this does not always happen. If you are able to provide a situation where your results meet expectations, choose to respond with that. If you do not have such an example, your results can also reflect your learnings.

In the example of the conflict with a manager, maybe you were unable to find a solution with the manager but you can still mention what you would like to do differently next time or how you still feel you did your best with the resources you had. The STAR behavioral questions explore your response patterns and showing the interviewer your self-awareness and willingness to adapt will always work in your favor. 

Sample STAR Interview Questions That You Can Prepare For

Now that you understand the purpose and components of the STAR method interview questions, you can prepare for an interview more efficiently. There is an extensive array of questions that you might be asked so it’s impossible to prepare for them all. However, it is possible to prepare for popular STAR interview questions that you can use as a template or adapt to suit the question that is asked. Let’s look at 30 STAR behavioral questions you can expect during your interview.

1. Did you ever have to handle extreme pressure at work? How did you go about that?
2. Describe a time when your client did not like the project results and how you worked through it.
3. Have you ever had to work with multiple different departments? Were you able to manage to keep everyone on the same page?
4. Have you ever faced any challenges with managing a team? What did you do?
5. Have you ever had to handle multiple deadlines? How did it go?
6. Tell us about a time when you made an error and what you did next.
7. You mentioned having some disagreements with your colleagues at your last company, can you tell us more about that?
8. Have you experienced any conflict of interest in your role? How did you handle it?
9. Describe a situation where you had to adapt to a major change in your project or within your workplace.
10. Tell us about the achievement you are most proud of in your career so far.
11. Describe to us the most creative contribution you’ve made to a project you’ve been involved in.
12. Have you ever had to deliver bad news, for example, fire an employee? How did that go?
13. Give us an example of a time you overcame a challenge. It could be work, personal life, anywhere.
14. Have you ever worked in a diverse team? What were some of the challenges you faced?
15. I’m sure you’ve had to make many tough decisions at work. Give us an instance of what you’ve experienced.
16. What has been your biggest contribution to the company culture at your previous organization? 
17. Give us an example of any situation where you had to communicate complex information to a non-technical audience.
18. Have you ever received negative or constructive feedback in a performance review? How did you respond to it?
19. Describe a situation where you’ve had to take on a leadership role and what that was like for you. 
20. Has there been any customer feedback you are particularly proud of? Tell us what happened.
21. Are there any major risks you have had to take in your work or career? Can you elaborate on it?
22. What has been the biggest roadblock to your growth so far and how have you been navigating it?
23. Delegation is an important skill, have you ever had to be in charge of delegation in your team? What were some of the challenges you faced?
24. Describe an instance when you have had to provide feedback to a team member or junior. How did you do it?
25. What has been the biggest learning of your career so far and how did you arrive at it?
26. Are there any regrets you have about how you’ve handled a project in the past? What would you like to do differently next time?
27. Explain to us how you came to this shift in your career and some of the learning moments that got you here.
28. Have you ever had to speak out against a senior team member regarding a project or otherwise? 
29. How has your certification in [area] helped you with your work? Can you give us an example?
30. Describe a situation where you had to negotiate with a colleague, client, or vendor. How did you approach it?

Key Tips to Improve Your Responses to the STAR Interview Technique Questions

While preparing your responses to these interview questions, keep these useful tips in mind so you can master the STAR method of interviewing.

• Review the company and the job role: Gathering data from all the relevant sources will let you know the key values a company prioritizes so your answers can reflect the same.
• Make a list of landmark moments in your career: A list of positive and negative career experiences will give you a mental database of experiences to draw from quickly.
• Be concise: Prepare answers that are to the point and do not over-explain your perspective or exaggerate your contributions. 
• Be honest: It is best to stick to the truth rather than get caught in a lie. Try and adapt your experiences and learnings to answer the question that is asked rather than bending the truth.
• Practice answering questions: Use the STAR interview technique to practice your response. You might think you know what to talk about but structuring it should not happen during the interview.
• Prepare for follow-up questions: Consider what kind of questions they might have from your responses so you can understand your perspective better and also be more prepared to answer.
• Be calm: You know yourself best. Try to remain calm when confronted by these questions. Take a moment or two if you need to, so your answer is coherent instead of rushing to respond. 

With a renewed understanding of the STAR method of interviewing, you should now be able to prepare for these interview questions very easily. All that is left now is to prepare your answers for such STAR interview questions, and you will be able to ace your interviews with ease.