Situation, Task, Action, Result

The STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) format is a job interview technique used by interviewers to gather all the relevant information about a specific capability that the job requires. This interview format is said to have a higher degree of predictability of future on-the-job performance than the traditional interview. This technique is a behavioral interview technique.

• Situation: The interviewer wants you to present a recent challenge and situation in which you found yourself.
• Task: What did you have to achieve? The interviewer will be looking to see what you were trying to achieve from the situation. Some performance development methods^[1] use “Target” rather than “Task”. Job interview candidates who describe a “Target” they set themselves instead of an externally imposed “Task” emphasize their own intrinsic motivation to perform and to develop their performance.
• Action: What did you do? The interviewer will be looking for information on what you did, why you did it and what the alternatives were.
• Results: What was the outcome of your actions? What did you achieve through your actions and did you meet your objectives? What did you learn from this experience and have you used this learning since?

The STAR technique is similar to the SOARA technique.

References

External links

• The ‘STAR’ Technique to Answer Behavioral Interview Questions