Interviews are one of the final stages of securing a job, and that can be scary. You’ve made your CV, researched the company, and gathered your best interview clothes, but now you need to stick the landing.
There are many unknown variables in interviews, but the more prepared you are, the better you’ll perform. That’s where the STAR technique comes in handy, as it helps you prepare for any potential questions.
In this article, we’ll break down the STAR technique to help you ace your interviews. Let’s take a look at where this comes in handy and how to get your answers ready.
What is the STAR technique?
Preparation is everything when it comes to a successful interview. Employers can quickly identify applicants who are unprepared, which shows a lack of genuine interest in the position.
The STAR technique is a way to prepare and rehearse your answers and demonstrate your skills and expertise.
STAR stands for:
- Situation: Set the scene. Describe the context within which you performed a task or faced a challenge at work.
- Task: Explain the task you had to complete and your responsibility in that situation.
- Action: Detail the specific actions you took to address the situation.
- Result: Share the outcomes or results of your actions.
Originally developed for behavioural interviews, the STAR technique is one of the most common methods in the recruitment process. When interviewers ask behavioural questions, they’re looking for specific examples of how you’ve handled situations in the past.
If you use the STAR interview technique it will help you show your previous experience in a structured manner, providing clear actions and results.
Benefits of using the STAR technique
The STAR interview technique is about preparedness and helping you boost your performance in any interview you attend. This includes face-to-face, telephone, and video interviews.
Here are some of the benefits you can enjoy with the STAR method:
- Structure your answers: The STAR method helps you organize your thoughts and present them logically, making it easier to follow your story.
- Highlight your skills: By telling your interviewer a story, you can better define each part of your answer. It helps you better showcase your skills and how they apply to the job you’re seeking.
- Boost confidence: Knowing you have a reliable method to answer questions can reduce anxiety and increase your confidence. When you know what to say and how to say it, you’re more likely to impress the interviewer.
- Demonstrate problem-solving abilities: The STAR technique allows you to show how you’ve tackled challenges and achieved positive results.
Using the STAR interview technique makes your responses feel more engaging and informative. It shows you have a good understanding of your skills and will help you prepare questions to ask your interviewer later on.
Breaking down the STAR technique
Attending an interview prepared means understanding each step in the STAR technique. Everything needs to come together into a coherent story that explains what you did and what the results were.
So, let’s take a look at the S, T, A, and R in the STAR interview technique:
Situation
The Situation is the set-up for your story. It explains the context in which you performed a task or overcame a challenge. You should try to choose a situation that’s closely related to the job you’re applying for. Try to pick examples where you played a significant role so you can share important details.
When picking your example, try to avoid scenarios that are too simple, as this may not demonstrate enough skill and experience. You should also avoid complex scenarios as these are harder to explain and understand.
Example scenarios
- “While working as a project manager at ABC Company, we faced a tight deadline for a major client deliverable.”
- “In my previous role as a customer service representative, we encountered an irate customer who had received the wrong product.”
Task
The Task component focuses on what you need to achieve in the situation you described. It’s about explaining your specific responsibilities and the challenges you faced.
You should be concise about your role but include important specifics like what challenges were present. Use the task to help set up the actions you took by tailoring your task description.
Example tasks
- “My task was to coordinate with various departments to ensure we met the deadline.”
- “I was responsible for calming the customer down and resolving their issue quickly.”
Action
The Action part of the STAR technique is where you detail the steps you took to address the task. This is your chance to showcase your problem-solving skills and initiative. Talk about your thought processes and reasons for your decision-making. Position yourself as a leader in the story and discuss the steps you personally took to overcome a challenge.
Example actions
- “I organised daily stand-up meetings to track progress and identify any roadblocks early.”
- “I listened to the customer’s concerns, apologised for the mistake, and offered a replacement product with expedited shipping.”
Result
At last, we come to the result part of the STAR technique where you’ll discuss the outcome of your actions. This is where you show the impact of your efforts and quantify your achievements. You should be underlining how your actions affected the results positively.
Example results
- “As a result, we completed the project two days ahead of schedule, and the client was highly satisfied with the deliverable.”
- “The customer was pleased with the swift resolution and left a positive review, enhancing our company’s reputation.”
Applying the STAR technique in interviews: Preparing for the interview
Preparation is everything when applying the STAR technique in interviews. Here’s how to get ready.
Start by researching common questions for the roles and industries you are applying to. Many businesses will use the same kind of framework for their interviews, so it’s easy to find information about what you’re likely to be asked. Then, start practising your STAR responses based on your findings.
You should also review the job description and note the key skills they’re looking for. If you can design your answers to showcase these skills from your past experiences, you’ll make a memorable candidate.
Practicing your STAR responses
Practice makes perfect. Rehearse your STAR responses to ensure you’re confident when talking about them. It may be a good idea to practice with a friend so you can iron out any issues. Alternatively, try talking to yourself in the mirror as this can be a good way to build up your confidence.
Customising STAR answers for different interviews
It may be that you’re recycling your core experiences for different interviews, but you should still take time to tailor your STAR responses to each role. If there are relevant industry-specific skills, make sure to highlight these. And if you can, include job-specific terminology that can demonstrate how knowledgeable you are. Here’s how to tailor your responses.
- For technical roles, focus on your problem-solving process and technical skills.
- For behavioural questions, emphasise your interpersonal skills and teamwork.
- For situational questions, discuss how you would handle hypothetical scenarios using the STAR framework.
Examples of STAR technique answers
To better understand how to use the STAR interview technique, let’s look at some practical examples for common interview questions.
Question: “Can you describe a time when you worked as part of a team to achieve a goal?”
Answer:
- Situation: “In my previous role at XYZ Company, our team was tasked with launching a new product line within a tight deadline.”
- Task: “My responsibility was coordinating between the marketing and product development teams to ensure timely completion.”
- Action: “I organised weekly meetings to track progress, facilitated communication between the teams, and resolved any conflicts that arose.”
- Result: “As a result, we successfully launched the product two weeks ahead of schedule, resulting in a 15% increase in sales in the first quarter.”
Question: “Tell me about a time when you had to solve a difficult problem.”
Answer:
- Situation: “At my previous job, we faced a significant drop in customer satisfaction due to a recurring technical issue with our main product.”
- Task: “I was assigned to identify the root cause of the problem and implement a solution.”
- Action: “I conducted a thorough analysis of customer feedback, worked closely with the technical team to pinpoint the issue, and developed a step-by-step plan to fix it. I also communicated regularly with customers to keep them informed of our progress.”
- Result: “We resolved the issue within a month, which led to a 30% decrease in customer complaints and a 20% increase in customer retention.”
Question: “Can you give an example of a time when you demonstrated leadership skills?”
Answer:
- Situation: “In my role as a team leader at ABC Corp, we were behind on a crucial project.”
- Task: “I needed to motivate the team and devise a strategy to get back on track.”
- Action: “I held a meeting to understand the challenges each team member was facing, reallocated resources where needed, and set clear, achievable milestones. I also implemented a reward system to boost morale.”
- Result: “The team’s productivity improved significantly, and we completed the project on time. This not only impressed our client but also led to a 10% increase in repeat business.”
Mastering the STAR technique for interview success
To become a master at the STAR technique you need to be prepared and practice often. Make sure you’re using the job descriptions from Recruit Ireland’s job board to find out what experiences you have that match the role you’re applying for.
Practise the STAR technique by describing your experiences to a friend or in the mirror. You should record yourself so you can review the footage later and adjust your answers.
Remember to stay calm in the interview and be authentic in your responses. Make sure you’re using your real experiences and speak about them confidently to leave your interviewer impressed.
If you’re heading to an interview soon and want to be prepared, head over to Recruit Ireland’s advice centre, where you’ll find plenty of resources to help you ace your interviews.
