Many of us have experienced the dreaded “Tell me about a time…” questions in interviews. This type of interview (known as behavioral interviewing) requires you to share anecdotes to give the hiring manager insights into your past behaviors and competencies.
After all, your past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, so before making an offer, employers want to know how you would act in certain situations.
Although many interviewees find these behavioral interview questions particularly challenging, they become more straightforward to answer with some preparation. And they can even provide you with an opportunity to wow your prospective employer.
One particularly effective technique to use for behavioral interview questions is the STAR method. Keep reading to learn how you can use this method to shine in your next interview.
What is the STAR method?
The STAR method is an effective technique for answering behavioral (also called competency) interview questions. STAR is an acronym that stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result, which are the essential components of an effective answer to behavioral interview questions.
Situation
Like every great story, you’ll want to ensure you’re setting the scene at the start of your response. Providing context early on will help ensure that your interviewers have an understanding of the general situation. An example of describing the situation concisely is: “While working for ABC Company, where I held the role of HR Assistant, I once dealt with our payroll system crashing.”
Task
Next, you’ll explain what your objective was or what task you were responsible for in the situation mentioned above. An example of this would be: “I was responsible for processing payroll, so the situation became a little stressful. I had to deal with it, otherwise our employees would not be paid on time.”
Action
Then you’ll describe the action you took that solved the problem or helped you overcome the challenge. You’ll want to focus on your actions more than the actions of your team. An example would be: “After contacting the system administrators, I learned the payroll system wouldn’t be back up for a few days. Therefore, I processed all payroll by hand.”
Result
This is your opportunity to really impress the interviewers by showcasing the impact that you made. If possible, try to quantify your contribution so that it is more impactful and memorable. For example, you could say: “I worked an extra three hours’ overtime to ensure that the payroll was processed and that all 100 employees were paid on time.”
When to use the STAR method
The STAR method can be used for questions that prompt you to share a specific anecdote from your past. Each question will typically assess a specific competency or type of behavior. Some competencies, or behaviors, that are commonly assessed are problem-solving skills, initiative, customer service, leadership, creativity and teamwork.
A good indicator of whether the STAR method will work for a particular question is whether the question follows one of the below formats:
- “Tell me about a time when…”
- “Can you provide an example of…?”
- “Describe a time when…”
- “Have you ever been in a situation where…?”
20 questions to prepare for
Below, we have listed 20 common questions you can expect to hear during a job interview. All of them can be answered effectively using the STAR method!
- “Have you ever dealt with a customer making a very unreasonable request? Describe how you handled the situation.”
- “Describe a time when you had to correct a colleague or manager on something. How did you communicate to them that they were wrong?”
- “Give me an example of when you set a goal at work and managed to accomplish it.”
- “Describe a time when you had to work under a really tight deadline.”
- “Have you ever failed to meet a client’s expectations? What was the reason, and how did you navigate the situation?”
- “Tell me about a time when you had to juggle a few urgent projects at once. What was your method for prioritizing them and managing your time?”
- “Give me an example of when your interpersonal skills, such as communication and empathy, helped you resolve an issue at work.”
- “Tell me about a time when a colleague wasn’t collaborating well with you and how you handled it.”
- “Describe a project you worked on that you enjoyed. Can you share what your role was and how you contributed to its success?”
- “Tell me about a time when you had to collaborate with someone who had a very different personality to you. How did you make it work?”
- “Tell me about a time when you experienced a sudden change in the workplace and how you navigated it.”
- “Describe a time when you went above and beyond at work. Why did you take that initiative and what was the outcome?”
- “Have you been met with a situation at work that forced you to think on your feet? Describe it for me.”
- “Tell me about a time when you found yourself in conflict with a colleague. How did you resolve it?”
- “Can you describe a situation at work that you wish you had dealt with differently?”
- “Work can sometimes get hectic, especially during busy periods. Can you describe a time you felt overwhelmed and what you did about it?”
- “Talk me through your process of ensuring your work gets delivered on time, giving an example.”
- “Have you ever had to motivate others while working as part of a team? Describe the situation to me.”
- “Tell me about a time when a client requested last-minute changes. What was your response?”
- “What is your process for addressing and fixing mistakes at work?”
Tips for using the STAR method
Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with the STAR method, you’ll want to make sure you use it to really shine and stand out from other candidates. Below are 10 tips to help you succeed when using the STAR method in your next interview.
1. Understand the question
In order to properly answer the interview question, you want to make sure you fully comprehend it. Therefore, before answering, take a moment to consider what you’re being asked. If you aren’t sure, you could always state the question back for confirmation, or ask the interviewer to repeat themselves.
2. Use specific, quantifiable examples
Being detailed and specific in your answers will help provide your interviewers with a clear picture of the situation and your role in it. If you have figures that could enhance your story, it’s a good idea to provide those as well. For example, instead of saying “I increased revenue significantly”, you could say “I increased revenue by 10%.”
3. Focus on your contribution
If you’re someone who is team-oriented, it can be tempting to use the term “we” when discussing past work situations. However, the interviewers are interested in the impact that you made. Therefore, particularly when discussing the action and result parts of your story, try to focus more on your role as opposed to the actions of the team.
4. Prepare in advance
When you’re under pressure, thinking on the spot can sometimes be a challenge. This is why interview preparation is key! A good way to prepare is to make a list of certain situations that stood out to you while working or studying, such as achievements, conflicts or challenging moments.
Try telling the story out loud a few times for practice. However, avoid memorizing it word for word, as you don’t want to sound scripted.
5. Use relevant experience
Although competency interviews typically assess your behavioral fit for the role, as opposed to your technical fit, it’s a good idea to keep your stories as relevant to the role as possible.
For example, if you’re applying for a job as an entry-level accountant, your voluntary experience as treasurer for the university club may be more relevant than your customer service experience while working in a clothing store. Try to use examples from your past that are most suited to the job so the interviewers can really picture you in the role.
6. Stay concise
A common problem that many jobseekers struggle with during interviews is rambling. Sadly, this can be seen as a red flag by the interviewer. So, you should take steps to try and demonstrate organized and clear thinking instead.
One way to stay on track and be concise during your interview is to pause and take a breath before answering. This will give you time to gather your thoughts and put you in a better position to form an answer that’s more to the point.
7. Highlight your achievements
Interviews are one of the few social situations where it’s okay to brag about your achievements — the trick is to not go overboard. You want to ensure that the interviewers are aware of your past accomplishments and talents without coming across as arrogant.
One way to sell yourself without overly boasting is to simply state the facts. As opposed to saying “I’m an accomplished sales representative”, you could say “I consistently overachieve on my targets by 10%.” This way, it isn’t coming across as bragging, but simply stating the facts.
8. Be honest
Honesty is always the best policy, particularly in interviews. So, if you’re ever asked a question for which you don’t have an anecdote, be honest with the interviewer. You could offer to share another experience that displays that competency.
For example, “I have never come across that situation specifically, but I have another example of a time I displayed problem-solving skills that I could share.” The interviewers will always appreciate your honesty.
9. Keep it positive
People like to work with coworkers that have a positive attitude and disposition. Therefore, while it’s important to be honest, you do have the option to leave certain information out if it could portray you or your past coworkers in a bad light. It’s important to make sure you never speak ill of previous coworkers or managers, and to keep the tone positive.
10. Be relatable
Oftentimes when telling stories, the goal is to entertain or impress. However, in interviews, the goal isn’t always to impress, but to show that you’re the right person for the role.
Therefore, don’t trick yourself into thinking that your achievements and experiences must be out of this world. You’ll get more far by showing your human side and that you’re the right fit for the job and company.
Check out and save this infographic for some quick tips:
Example answers
Below are three common behavioral interview questions accompanied by sample answers formed using the STAR method:
“Can you give me an example of a time you took initiative?”
Situation: “In my previous job as an events assistant, I was responsible for managing large conferences.”
Task: “Normally, the conferences were in person, but I was tasked with managing an online event. It was my first time managing an online event and I wanted it to be a success.”
Action: “Therefore, I took the initiative to do extensive research on event software and best practices for virtual event management and compiled my findings in a report.”
Result: “I presented this report to my supervisor, and we were able to make an informed decision about the virtual event. The event went off without a hitch, and I was formally recognized for my initiative.”
“Can you tell me about a time you had a conflict or disagreement with a colleague?”
Situation: “While I was working as a project manager in my previous role, I was working on a new software development project with a coworker in my team.”
Task: “We had an important deadline coming up for the project, and I noticed that my coworker was falling behind. Therefore, I approached him about it, and he became very defensive and wouldn’t give me a clear answer or status update.”
Action: “Even though he didn’t seem happy with me approaching him, I knew we wouldn’t make the deadline. Therefore, I asked what the issue was and if I could help. He told me he had another project and was overcapacity. So, I suggested we go to our supervisor and prioritize the workload to ensure the deadlines were met and adjusted accordingly.”
Result: “Our supervisor adjusted the workload so that we were able to meet our deadline and my colleague was satisfied with the proposed solution.”
“Give me an example of a time you set a goal for yourself and achieved it.”
Situation: “At my previous company, I was working as a sales representative and was consistently meeting my targets each quarter.”
Task: “I decided that I wanted to not only meet my targets but also set a goal for myself to exceed my targets by 10% in the third quarter.”
Action: “I created a plan where I broke down tasks by week and by day. For example, I would contact a specific number of prospects per day and ensure I was meeting the weekly targets I set for myself.”
Result: “By the third quarter, I exceeded my targets by 20%, which was even higher than the goal I had set. My manager was so impressed that I received a promotion to senior sales representative.”
Key takeaways
Job interviews can be some of the most stressful events in the course of a person’s career. However, there are certain techniques and tips you can use to better prepare and increase your chances of making a good impression and landing the job, and the STAR method is one of those techniques that all jobseekers should have in their back pocket.
When using the STAR method, it’s important to keep a few things in mind:
- Be specific and concise, and use quantifiable examples.
- Focus on your own actions and contributions by using “I” instead of “we”.
- Be honest, positive and relatable.
By using the STAR method and above tips, you can enter the room feeling more confident, knowing you have what it takes to ace your interview!
Do you have any additional advice to share with fellow jobseekers? Tell us your thoughts and insights in the comments section!
This article is a partial update of an earlier version originally published on June 23, 2022, and contains contributions by Electra Michaelidou.