- Share an example of a time when you faced a difficult problem at work. …
- Have you ever had to make an unpopular decision? …
- Describe a time when you were under a lot of pressure at work. …
- Tell me about a mistake you’ve made. …
- Share an example of a time you had to make a difficult decision.
STAR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS and Answers (PASS GUARANTEED!)
Top 10 behavioral interview questions & STAR answers
STAR Model Answer: There was a disagreement I had with a coworker which originated from a miscommunication. To keep our work environment professional and positive, we had to discuss it and make amends. I sat down with them one day during lunch, paid for their meal, and took initiative by apologizing for my part in the whole mess. Now, we work together well and are often praised for our impressive teamwork.
STAR Model Answer: At my last restaurant, I once found out mere hours in advance about a health inspection. As the head chef, I was in charge of making sure everything was in order in the kitchen and the BOH before the inspector arrived. I quickly called in employees from the last shift to help out, leaving the others available to prep for that evening’s dinner. As a result, we were able to ace the inspection, less costly in the long run compared to giving employees a few hours of overtime.
STAR Model Answer: One time, I switched the packing labels of two packages I sent to customers. I had to correct the problem without angering the clients. I called them both up and provided them with shipping labels with the correct addresses while offering each of them a small gift certificate to use on a future order. The customers not only helped me fix my mistake, but they were both satisfied and will return and shop again.
STAR Model Answer: At my last job, my coworker needed to miss work for some time, and their project was left unfinished and without a manager. My supervisor instructed me to take on the project, and with no leniency on the deadline, I had days to complete a project that originally should have taken several weeks. I requested and was granted reduced weekly goals, giving me more time to finish the special project. As far as my weekly goals, I was able to delegate them out to teammates. With my reduced goals, I dedicated more time to the special project. This allowed me to finish it on time and with complete accuracy. My supervisor appreciated my attitude and drive, and I was given several more projects after that, along with an eventual promotion and pay raise.
STAR Model Answer: Previously, my department had a misunderstanding with members of our accounting department. We needed to correct the issue to keep office morale from plummeting. I gave my team a small budget and instructed my team to each pick out a thoughtful present for their counterpart in accounting. Later that night and from then onward, we became friends and strong colleagues.
STAR Model Answer: Last October, I had to write six articles for the month to keep our blog fresh. I created an action plan for myself, with deadlines as to when each article should be published. I finished that month with six articles written and ahead of schedule.
STAR Model Answer: Last November, I had to write six articles for the month to keep our blog fresh. Throughout the month, I was tasked with small responsibilities that took time away from my goal. I was unable to complete my six posts, but I talked to my supervisor and detailed all my extra work completed, and I was praised for my accomplishments, as well.
STAR Model Answer: As a flight attendant, I had a passenger who seemed to hate his seat next to a wailing infant. I decided to see what I could do to ease his suffering before he complained. With unoccupied seats in business class, I upgraded that passenger, and he was thrilled at his luck while the mother and infant were given more room to spread out.
STAR Model Answer: I once disagreed with my supervisor on the wording of her instructions. As her employee, I had to balance my respect for her with my English lessons from school. Instead of shoving a dictionary in her face, I apologized for the confusion and told her that I saw where we became confused. She respected me much more after that, and she even gave her recommendation for my promotion.
STAR Model Answer: Earlier this year, there was a day where I had to come in to the garden center on a Saturday and take care of some tasks on which we were behind. I came in, listening to my headphones the entire time, and ended up finishing everything before lunch. As I was in such a productive mood, I stayed the full day, and eventually completed tasks that were meant for the following few days. Since that day, the garden center has never fallen behind again.
Reread the STAR interview questions and answers examples above for inspiration. Notice it’s not important what you have to talk about. It’s important how you do it.
Pro Tip: Some interview questions may not literally be questions at all, such as “Describe a time when such-and-such happened. . .” They could still require a STAR response, though!
These are the most common behavioral questions at interviews, but for other common questions and how to answer them, see this: Common Job Interview Questions and Best Answers (20 Examples)
For behavioral interview questions, specifically, check out this great article: The Hidden Flaw In Behavioral Interview Questions (Forbes)
Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Heres what it may look like:
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
When to Use the STAR Method of Interviewing
The STAR method works best with behavioral questions. Behavioral interview questions usually start with phrases like:
- Tell me about a time when…
- What do you do when…
- Have you ever…
- Give me an example of…
- Describe a…
If you hear one of these (or something similar) at the start of a question, you’re hearing a behavioral question, and it’s time to put the STAR interview method to work.
Have a Few Examples Ready
There’s no way for you to know in advance what type of behavioral interview question the interviewer will ask.
But it’s still a good idea to have a few examples ready that follow the STAR method.
This way, you can tweak and adapt your answer on the go depending on the question.
Keep in mind, though, that your answers shouldn’t be a word-for-word memorized script.
You’ll want to sound natural when answering.
And if you’re having a hard time coming up with an answer during the interview, don’t be afraid to ask for a minute to come up with an example.
It’s ok to take a few seconds and structure your answer in your head first. If anything, the HR manager might appreciate that you’re not rushing in your answers.
- While you’ll never know what questions they’ll ask during the interview, you can still prepare for the most common ones. Check out our complete list of most common interview questions and answers here!
Imagine you’re telling a story about how you saved a client’s project at the last minute.
You swooped in, took charge, and made sure everyone knew what to do.
That’s awesome! That’s what the interviewer wants to know about.
However, you don’t have to:
- Go in-depth about how you found the client in the first place.
- Describe your whole working relationship with them from the beginning till the end.
- Give their whole backstory and explain why you’re such good friends with the client.
As we mentioned before, your answer should be relevant and straight to the point.
So, when talking about the situation, try to only summarize the buildup to your story in only 1-2 sentences.
Finally, it’s your time to brag a bit.
Don’t be afraid to go all out and show how you made a difference. Make sure to mention the following:
- What kind of impact did your actions have on your department/company?
- What were the EXACT results? use numbers and data to back it up.
- What did you learn from the experience?
No interviewer will be satisfied with a lackluster ending like “Yeah so, and then, we finished the project in time, and everyone lived happily ever after”
Even if the ending of your story isn’t all that amazing, you can at least say what you learned.
