How to Use the STAR Method for Interview Questions

When it comes to interviews, you may have heard about the STAR method interview. While you want to stand out (like a star!) in your job interview, the STAR method isn’t so much an interview style, as much as a technique for answering behavioral-based interview questions.

Common interview questions like, “What are your strengths?” and “Why did you apply for the position?” are fairly easy to prepare for, especially since you’re anticipating them. But it’s more difficult to prepare for a behavioral interview question since there’s almost no way to create a single answer that works in every situation.

Almost is the critical word here. Using the STAR method for interviews can help you create a response that not only answers the question but also helps the hiring manager see why they should hire you.

What Is the STAR Method?

“The STAR method is a technique that can be used to respond to interview questions that might be described as behavioral, situational, or competency-focused,” says Amira Hernandez, assistant director of career services at Oxford College of Emory University.

STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. The acronym helps you remember the critical elements you should include when answering a behavioral-based interview question.

Here’s how it works. When you hear a behavioral-based interview question, remember STAR to include each of these elements as part of your response:

Situation: Describe the situation you faced

Task: Discuss your responsibilities or what you needed to accomplish

Action: Explain what you did to complete the task or meet the challenge

Result: Talk about the outcome, accomplishments, or what you learned

As an example, if the interviewer asks you to talk about a time you had to deal with an angry customer, you would start with why the customer was angry (they didn’t get their package). Then talk about the problem you needed to solve (you had to calm the customer down). Then talk about what you did (tracked the package, offered a refund, sent an expedited replacement) and what the result was (the customer was satisfied).

Using the STAR method of interviewing helps you tell the interviewer a story about a time you used your skills in a situation that’s probably similar to those you’ll encounter on the job. Your answer can help them better understand how your skills fit the role and what you’ll contribute to the company.

How to Use the STAR Method for Interview Questions

While you know you’ll probably encounter some behavioral-based interview questions, it’s highly unlikely you’ll know exactly which situations the interviewer will ask about. This makes it difficult to prepare and rehearse an answer before the interview.

But while you can’t pre-plan your answers to behavioral-based interview questions, you can prepare for them using the STAR technique.

Review the Job Description

Start by reviewing the job description and identifying the skills that are either called out in the posting or you think might be relevant for the role. For example, if the job description says you’ll have a lot of customer interactions, it’s safe to assume you’ll need excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Identify Your Unique Strengths

After reviewing the job description, identify the strengths you possess that you’ll likely need in the role. If you’re stuck, think about which of your skills are versatile and used in all situations. A broad skill is a safe bet (like communication), but you can also use your transferable skills (like adaptability). Behavioral-based interview questions often ask about overcoming challenges and difficulties, so try to identify the skills you might use in those situations.

And don’t only focus on one skill. Often we use multiple skills to overcome barriers and face challenges, so it’s OK to highlight several in your answer.

Take a Breath

Unlike other questions, this isn’t one you’ll necessarily be able to answer immediately, so don’t feel rushed into blurting out an answer. You’ll probably need a few moments to think of a story that best answers the question. It’s OK to buy yourself a bit of time to think.

Feel free to take a breath while you think. Or, repeat the question back to the interviewer and say, “That’s a good question,” while you consider your answer. It’s also OK to be silent for a moment or two as you contemplate an example.

>>MORE: 15 Entry-Level Interview Questions

The situation may feel uncomfortable, but it shouldn’t be. The interviewer will (hopefully) appreciate that you’re taking a minute to come up with a good answer that illustrates how you use your skills on the job instead of saying “something” just to answer the question.

Stay Focused

Because you’re answering in the moment and you’re in an interview, your nerves may get the better of you, meaning you might lose focus as you answer. The STAR interview method can help you stay on topic. Keep each point in mind as you speak to ensure you tell the entire story without rambling.

But don’t feel you need to limit the story, either. Answering this kind of interview question may take longer than other types of questions, and that’s OK. You’re telling a story that highlights your abilities, and some stories are longer than others.

It’s also critical to remember that your story doesn’t need a lot of drama and conflict. Great fiction has a lot of action and excitement, but your answer probably doesn’t need it! Sometimes a simple answer is your best bet.

What if You’ve Never Experienced the Situation?

Depending on your experiences, it’s entirely possible you’ve never encountered the specific situation the hiring manager is asking about. In that case, it’s fine to say, “Well, I’ve never encountered X, but here’s how I would handle it,” then talk about the skills you would use in a similar situation.

Likewise, it’s possible you encountered part of the situation but not all of it. For example, if the employer asks how you handle angry coworkers, you may have never had to deal with that situation because you recognized what was happening and used your de-escalation skills. In that case, you’d start with, “Well, when I see things are getting heated, I…” and explain what you do to keep the situation from getting worse.

Bonus: Use the STAR Interview Method on Your Resume

Here’s a bonus STAR method tip from Hernandez: “The STAR method can also be employed when developing strong citations for your resume. Just as in an interview, when used as a writing technique, it will help you develop concise, measurable, and impactful descriptions of your experiences.”

Instead of listing your job tasks, describe them using the STAR technique. For example, when describing your job at summer camp, instead of saying:

• Co-counselor in charge of 10 kids

You could say:

• Collaborated with co-counselor to create weekly educational and engaging arts and crafts activities for a group of 10 children

In this case, the situation was you had to keep 10 kids happy and entertained. Your task was keeping the kids occupied, and the action was planning the arts and crafts activities. The result was you created weekly activities that were educational and engaging.

STAR Method Interview Questions and Answers (Examples)

While your answers will be unique to you and your abilities, here are two sample STAR method interview questions and answers to help you see the STAR interview method in action.

STAR Interview Method Example 1

Question: Tell me about a time you couldn’t meet a deadline.

Answer: 

Situation: We were in the middle of a sprint and had to ship a lot of code in a short period of time. 

Task: This project had a lot of moving parts and was part of a major overhaul of the website. What the client wanted wasn’t impossible. It was just more complex than we realized at the beginning. We could complete the project, but not by the deadline.

Action: Once I realized what was happening, I explained the situation to the project manager. She asked me to join the meeting telling the client we wouldn’t make their deadline. While they weren’t happy at first, once I explained all the details, they understood why we couldn’t make the deadline, but the client still needed a revamped website by that date. 

Result: We agreed that we would drop some of the more complex features and roll out the new website in two phases, with the “easy” stuff ready in time for the launch. It was a decent compromise, and the client was satisfied with how the site ultimately turned out.

STAR Interview Method Example 2

Question: Explain a time when you used data to make a recommendation.

Answer:

Situation: Our website experienced a drop in traffic. As a result, we weren’t selling as much of the product anymore, and revenue was falling.

Task: There hadn’t been a core update, so we had to figure out what else could be causing the traffic drop.

Action: I started analyzing traffic patterns and user acquisition and discovered two things. First, our pages weren’t loading as quickly as they needed to. This was partly due to some tracking pixels we inserted but also because we started adding more complex graphics to the pages. Second, some of the information hadn’t been updated in a few years, and the data was outdated (and flat-out wrong in some cases).

There wasn’t much I could do about the tracking pixels, and after talking to the writers, there also wasn’t much we could do about the graphics. However, we created a long-term plan to update the older articles and set up a timeline so I could track when each post was updated and monitor performance.

Result: After about three months, traffic to those pages started to tick up. And as I monitored those pages, I also learned that the more internal links we included, the more likely people were to stay on the overall website, which helped boost our positions. As a result, people learned more about our products and were 10 times more likely to purchase them.

For more guidance on the job application process, explore our Job Application Basics series below. This five-part series will show you how to increase your chances of getting hired. Start with the intro, then check out all five parts:

Check out these tips and tricks to help you prep for any kind of interview:

• How to Answer: ‘Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?’
• 15 Entry-Level Interview Questions
• Interview Questions, Answered: ‘What Are Your Salary Expectations?’
• How to Answer: ‘Why Do You Think You Are Qualified for This Position?’
• How to Answer: ‘What Motivates You?’ in a Job Interview
• How to Answer: ‘What Are Your Reasons for Leaving a Job?’
• What Is a ‘Good’ Weakness for a Job Interview?
• What Is a Panel Interview and How to Succeed in One
• One-Way Interviews: What They Are (and How to Master Them)

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