Introduction to the STAR Model (Situation, Task, Action, Result)

What is the STAR Model?

The STAR model is a behavioral interviewing methodology, and perhaps the most widely used and globally adopted technique by HR professionals to assess competencies.

Its popularity lies in its clear structure and its effectiveness in eliciting evidence of past behavior, which is critical for predicting future performance.

STAR is an acronym that breaks down a candidate's narrative into four key components.

S = Situation

The first component, "Situation," seeks to establish the context of the story the candidate is going to tell.

The interviewer's goal here is to obtain a clear description of a specific scenario or challenge the candidate has faced in the past.

The opening questions are designed to elicit this situation.

T = Task

The second component, "Task," focuses on understanding what the candidate's specific responsibility or objective was within that situation.

It is very common for candidates to respond to the Situation by speaking in the plural ("we did...", "the team had to...").

The Task component is the interviewer's first filter to refocus the conversation on the individual, asking, "I understand the team's challenge, but what was your specific responsibility on that project?" or "What objectives did you have to achieve?".

A = Action

This is the most critical part of the assessment. Once the individual's task is known, "Action" explores the specific steps the candidate took to address that task and handle the situation.

The interviewer must probe deeply here to understand what the person did, how they did it, and why they made those decisions. This is where you look for evidence of competence.

For example, if "Decision Making" is being assessed, it is not enough for the candidate to say "I made a decision"; the interviewer should look for actions such as "I did an analysis of the options," "I evaluated the pros and cons," or "I anticipated the different scenarios."

R = Result

Finally, the "Result" seeks to know the outcome or impact of the candidate's actions.

The interviewer should ask: "Where did it all end?", "What was the final impact on the team or project?", "What did you achieve?".

A good outcome analysis also includes what the candidate learned from the experience.

The outcome is crucial because it allows the interviewer to measure the effectiveness of the actions taken.

The "STAR Complete" Concept.

The interviewer's goal is to obtain a "Complete STAR" for each competency assessed.

This means that the candidate's respon