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STAR TECHNIQUE
An important part of your interview will involve answering questions posed by the interviewer. Your ability to
clearly and concisely respond to questions in an informed manner that relates your background to the questions
posed will set you apart from others who stumble over questions. The best way to give a perfect response is to tell
a story. The STAR method provides a guided approach to using one of your past successes to respond to
the question.
The four steps are:
1. S = Situation (Describe the situation: General/Specific)
2. T = Technique (What approach did you use?)
3. A = Action (What action did you take?)
4. R = Result (What was the result of your action?)
Keep it positive!
Plan to develop a comprehensive list of your many successes, especially those that relate to non-classroom
activities such as:
• Related Experience
• Technical Interests
• Leadership Examples
• Teaming Activities
• Communication Skills
• Work Experiences
Develop short examples that illustrate your successes in these areas:
Situation or Task
Describe the situation that you were in or the task that you needed to accomplish. You must describe a specific
event or situation, not a generalized description of what you have done in the past. Be sure to give enough detail
for the interviewer to understand. This situation can be from a previous job, from a volunteer experience or any
relevant event.
Action You Took
Describe the action you took and be sure to keep the focus on you. Even if you are discussing a group project or
effort, describe what you did—not the efforts of the team. Don’t tell what you might do; tell what you did.
Results You Achieved
What happened? How did the event end? What did you accomplish? What did you learn?
Sample Interview Questions
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What interests you about the job/organization?
3. What are your strengths?
4. What are your weaknesses?
5. Do you prefer to work by yourself, or with others?
6. What are your career goals or future plans?
7. What are your salary requirements?
