The S-T-A-R response method gives you a tried and true framework to use with behavioral, or competency-based, interview questions such as “Tell me about a time you solved a problem.” Because these questions are basically asking you to tell a story and most interviewers can only listen to a couple of minutes without losing interest, it is critical you use a model to help you tell a good story while staying focused and concise. The S-T-A-R method suggests that every answer, or story, you give should have four elements — a Situation, a Task, an Action, and Results.
Let’s break these down.
Situation
Start by giving the context to the situation you were in — such as what your job role was at the time, what company you were working for, and why you were working on this project. Give just enough detail so the hiring manager can understand, but not too much that she gets impatient or bored. Spend about 15 seconds on explaining the situation.
Example: “During my Analyst internship at Dell, my manager was considering using a third-party CRM system instead of the in-house system the company had been using for the past 10 years. However, she was getting a lot of pushback because of the amount of work it would take to replace it.”
Task
Next, describe your role in the situation, or in other words how you were going to contribute to the project or solution, and the challenge you took on. Spend about 15 seconds on describing the task.
Example: “My manager asked me to do a cost-benefit analysis of implementing the new CRM system.”
Action
You then need to explain how you handled the situation or solved the problem with enough detail to showcase your competencies. Remember this is a way for the recruiter to learn whether you can do the job, so focus on exposing only the competencies the recruiter cares about. The trickiest part will be to not lose them to boredom, so only give relevant details. Only spend 60–90 seconds on explaining your action.
Example: “I first figured out all of the stakeholders who would be directly and indirectly impacted by implementing a new CRM system and met with each to understand their concerns in detail. From this exercise, I learned that the legacy software we were using…”
Result
Lastly, describe the outcome of your efforts. If possible, use data to explain what you accomplished so that the hiring manager can have a clear understanding of what you contributed. Spend about 30 seconds on sharing the result of your contribution.
Example, “My manager thought my analysis was thorough enough that she used it to present to the general manager and other stakeholders. The data I presented helped ease most of their concerns and they agreed to move forward with a new CRM system, which should save Dell about $10M every year.”
Some Parting Tips
Keep your S-T-A-R stories specific to professional achievements.
Remember, the recruiter is trying to understand whether you can do the job. If you don’t have work experience, use class assignments, internships, or extracurricular activities that are relevant to the job competencies the recruiter is looking for.
Don’t summarize your story at the end of your answer.
After you finish your story, let the recruiter continue with the interview. You might be tempted to explain ‘everything’ you learned from the experience you shared, but if you followed the S-T-A-R method you will not need to do this. The story will stand by itself and the recruiter will have all the information to be satisfied. If they want to learn more, they will ask follow up questions.
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