Do the words “Tell me about a time when ..” send you into a panic and fill your head with white noise making it impossible to think of any time? You gave your answer, but you know it was weak. See the opportunity and stop the panic by using our favourite strategy, the STAR technique, to answer these questions. 

The technique.

Introducing the STAR Interview Technique.

The STAR interview technique gives you a recipe to answer any behavioural interview questions.

What is a behavioural interview question? Any question that has these words or similar upfront;

Have you ever

Give me an example of 

Describe a

What do you do when 

Tell me about a time when 

Your first step is to think of an example and one that is compelling. But then you need to explain the situation and give the interviewer confidence that you have the skills, the experience is yours, all without losing your audience along the way. 

The STAR interview technique is a well-practised method that allows you to do all of that. In other words, it’s a framework to help you tell a story using previous work experiences that is compelling. 

STAR is an acronym that stands for:

Situation: Set the scene. Give as much information as you need to do this. 

Task: Describe what your role was in that situation.

Action: Explain the process you took to work through the problem.

Result: Finish with the outcomes your efforts achieved.

Using these four ingredients to tell your story gives you the format to answer the question, so it is easy to follow and lets the interviewer know if you have the strength to do this role.

Answering interview questions using the STAR technique.

Now that you know the steps read on to find out how to use them.

1. It starts with an example. 

Thinking of an example is generally the part that sends us into panic mode. It’s impossible to know what questions you will be asked in an interview, but you can work out most of the competencies needed in a job by reading a job specification or advertisement. 

Either of these documents will provide you with a list of necessary skills to succeed in the role. Write the competencies down and take some time thinking about a scenario that helps you explain your ability. That way, you’ll be prepared with all the topics you need to get you through an interview. 

If a question comes up that you weren’t expecting, ask for a minute and give yourself a little time to come up with an example. Generally, the first one that comes to mind is the best.

2. Introduce the Situation 

With your example selected, it’s time to introduce the situation. Focus on the sample and give as much detail as you need so that a layman understands you. 

Keep your story relevant to the question. Paint a clear picture of the situation and discuss its nuances or complexities, so your result is tangible. 

3 Emphasise the Task

Tell the interviewer what your role in the situation was. 

4 Discuss your course of Action.

Now that you’ve given the interviewer a sense of the situation and your role in it, it’s time to explain what you did. Discuss the steps you. took, 

5 Close with the Result

This is your time to close the deal and shine. Show how you made a positive difference. 

Don’t overcomplicate the simplicity of the STAR technique. It’s powerful because it’s simple. Answer in one, maybe two sentences for each letter of the acronym.

Let’s say you went through the job spec and decided adaptability was a competency necessary to do this role successfully. 

Adaptability can be described as 

Maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work

tasks or the work environment; adjusting effectively to work within new

work structures, processes, requirements, or cultures.

The key actions you want to get across are;

Your ability to understand what changes have been made in a situation.

Your ability to approach the change in a positive manner. 

How you adjust your behaviour to deal effectively with the changes in a work environment. 

The example you might come up with may include

Adapt successfully to significant changes in administrative procedures.

Maintain effectiveness when working closely with people of diverse cultures or backgrounds.

With your chosen example, practice building your story using the four ingredients in the STAR technique. 

Make sure you discuss the actions you took and not what the team took, a common mistake that doesn’t give the interviewer an indication of your strengths. According to the feedback we get from interviewers, the second most common error is that candidates forget the last step in closing with the result. Whilst all four steps are essential in your storytelling, failing to discuss the impact of your actions is like trying to sell without completing the sale. You do all of the hard work and then let the buyer walk away at the last step.

Remember, interviewers don’t only care about what you did. They also want to know why it mattered. Make sure you discuss the results of your work.

Here’s a question-and-answer example for some added clarity.

The competency is tenacity.

Tenacity can be described as staying with a position or plan of action until the desired objective is obtained or is no longer reasonably attainable.

The question is, “Tell me about the longest time it took you to conclude a deal with a customer.”

Your Response:

Situation: “In my previous sales role, I was given an industry sector to focus on, and one of the biggest clients in the sector was XXX company. The bank had provided XXX with one or two products in recent years, but the relationship was weak.

Task: “The goal was to become a trusted provider of financial services to all financial needs, including cash management, trade, corporate finance, and advisory. We had to find an opportunity to get on their panel of bankers. 

Action: “To do that, I had to find relevant opportunities to build relationships with all of the key decision-makers in the areas we could provide a product. Over two years, I built my understanding of their business and the pain points in financing and banking their business. 

Result: “After two years we got our first invitation to provide a service. With the knowledge I had gained, we won that deal and became a panel provider for all their needs a year later. As a result, XXX is now one of our top 10 clients, has added 3.2 million to our revenue, and we are working with our branches in the region to provide banking products in more countries. The income from this client put me at 160% of my targeted revenue last year. I also became the number one sales director for the bank. 

Now that you understand the process for answering questions using the STAR technique, it’s time to put it into practice. Get comfortable with building a story. 

Prepare some questions and ask someone who knows you to help you with a mock interview or if you don’t have time for that, answer them aloud. It will help you cover all 4 points, which are essential in getting your message across. 

Give yourself a little time to prepare, and you’ll see behavioural interview questions give you the perfect opportunity to showcase your skills and competencies. Use this guide to think of experiences demonstrating your skills, so you’ll have plenty to talk about in the interview.