How to Prepare for Job Interviews Using the STAR Technique

In this difficult job market, it helps to stand out from the crowd during job interviews. Following the STAR method (or PAR method) may help you do that. Using this technique, job candidates give complete answers to interview questions. You are more likely to impress job interviewers with detailed and specific answers, rather than general, vague answers. If you are being interviewed using a behavioral interviewing technique, you must use the STAR method.

Behavioral Interviewing is a job interviewing technique that is becoming more common. The idea behind behavioral interviewing is that the best predictor of future job performance is performance in previous jobs. Interviews focus on experience, actions, knowledge and skills from previous jobs. You will not be successful at this type of interview if you give incomplete or very general answers.

The acronym STAR stands for:

S = Situation
T = Task
A = Actions
R = Results

You may sometimes see references to the PAR interviewing technique. This is the same thing, with P for Problem.

Listen to each question carefully and then give a response that covers STAR, even if it is a closed question you could easily answer yes or no to. Your response may involve either a situation or a task. For example, if you are asked a question about dealing with a difficult coworker you can describe a similar situation in the past. If you are asked a question about how you would go about cutting costs, you could describe a similar task that you did in the past.

Imagine a candidate interviewing for a management job in a fast food restaurant. He is asked the question “Have you ever had to deal with a difficult customer?” The job candidate could give a simple yes or no answer to this question. Or he could give a general answer like “Yes, I dealt with difficult customers on a regular basis.” But he should use the STAR approach to give a detailed, specific and impressive answer.

This response is far more effective than a vague or general response. It proves that the job candidate has the experiences, knowledge and skills to deal with similar situations in the future.

Be prepared also for contrary questions. These are questions that relate to when you failed at something. The interviewer is trying to determine how you handled failure and what you learned from it. Be prepared for contrary questions in advance and answer using the STAR method with emphasis on what you learned and what you might do to avoid a similar result in the future.

Learn as much as you can about the company. Go through the job description to determine what past experiences may relate to this particular job. If you are just out of college, you can include projects and volunteer jobs to prepare answers.

Get lists of questions that you are likely to be asked for a job interview in your field. Use the STAR method to develop answers before you attend any interviews.