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Master the competency-based interview with the star method - job interview
Modern companies, especially large multinationals and tech firms, no longer settle for asking "What did you study?" or "Where did you work?". Now they use the Behavioral Interview. Its psychological premise is simple but powerful: past behavior is the best predictor of future performance. If you knew how to resolve a conflict yesterday, you will probably know how to resolve it tomorrow. To pass this type of interview, where they'll say "Tell me about a time when...", you need an infallible tool: the STAR Technique.
STAR is an acronym that helps you structure your work stories and anecdotes in a logical, linear, and persuasive way. It prevents you from going off on tangents, rambling meaninglessly, or forgetting the most important details. A disorganized answer can cost you the job; a STAR answer demonstrates an organized, results-oriented mind.
Objective: Give the interviewer the background. Be brief but clear. Describe where and when the event took place.
Example: "In my previous role as an account manager at Agency X, during 2023, we faced a reputational crisis with one of our most important clients due to an error in a product shipment."
Objective: Explain what your specific responsibility was. What was expected of you? What was the problem to solve?
Example: "My main objective was to contact the client, handle their complaint to prevent them from terminating the contract, and establish a new protocol so the error wouldn't happen again. I had 24 hours to provide a solution."
Objective: Detail the concrete steps you took. Attention: This is where 90% of candidates fail. They tend to speak in plural ("we did", "the team decided"). The interviewer doesn't want to hire your team; they want to hire you. Use "I". What did you do specifically?
Example: "First, I called an emergency meeting with logistics. Second, I personally called the client to apologize and actively listen to their complaint. Third, I designed a compensation proposal and got it approved by finance. Fourth, I implemented a double-check in the shipping system to ensure future quality."
Objective: Close the story with success. Data matters. Whenever possible, quantify the result.
Example: "Thanks to these actions, we not only retained the client, but they renewed their annual contract at a value 15% higher. Additionally, the new shipping protocol reduced incidents by 20% during the following quarter."
In our advanced course we teach an evolution of this model for senior profiles who want to stand out even more:
P - Preparation: Before you start talking, pause. Listen to the competency they're asking for (Leadership? Conflict? Innovation?) and mentally select from your "story library" the anecdote that best fits. Don't improvise with the first memory that comes to mind.
R - Reflection: At the end of your STAR story, add an extra "R". Explain what you learned from that experience. "What would I do differently today?" This demonstrates maturity, analytical ability, and a desire for continuous improvement — qualities highly valued in positions of responsibility.
You can't predict every question, but you can predict the universal competencies companies look for. Prepare at least one STAR story for each of these areas:
The theory is simple, but practice requires training. Write your stories. Read them out loud. Record yourself on video (a powerful technique we teach in the course) to see if you're rambling or if your body language supports your message.
Remember: A good STAR story should last between 2 and 3 minutes. It should be detailed enough to be believable, but concise enough not to bore. It's the perfect balance between storytelling and selling yourself.
