STAR Specific Probing Questions

The Role of Probing in the STAR Interview

It is critical to remember that candidates are not experts at being interviewed; in fact, most only go through this process every few years.

Therefore, it is the interviewer's job to actively guide the conversation to extract the useful and detailed information needed for a fair assessment.

Probing questions are the tools we use after the opening question to guide the candidate through each phase of the STAR model (Situation, Task, Action and Result).

These are supplemented by more general probing questions designed to go deeper or ask for elaboration.

Situation (S) Probe: From the General to the Specific Context

Following the opening question, the candidate usually provides a general overview of the situation.

However, it is common for people to speak in generalities unless directed to specifics. The goal of probing at this stage is to anchor the story in a clear context.

Sample questions: "Can you describe the full context of this situation?", "Who else was involved and what were their roles?", "What were the constraints or challenges you faced at the time?", "Why was this a significant situation?".

Probing the Task (T): Clarifying Individual Responsibility.

This phase is critical to separate the individual contribution from the team effort. We are hiring an individual, not his or her previous team.

We need to understand what specific tasks the candidate was assigned, either by a superior or on his or her own initiative.

Sample questions: "What was your specific role in this situation?", "What specific objectives were you trying to achieve?", "How did you determine the priorities of your tasks?".

Action Probe (A): Breaking down the "What" and the "How".

Once the tasks are known, the probe should focus on the exact actions the candidate undertook to accomplish them.

A good practice is to mentally break down each task the candidate mentioned and ask for the corresponding action for each.

Sample questions: "What specific steps did you take to handle the situation?", "How did you decide on that course of action?", "What tools or resources did you use?", "What challenges did you face during execution and how did you overcome them?".

Outcome (R) Survey: Measuring Impact and Learning

Finally, the survey should quantify the outcome of these actions. We are not only looking for the direct result, but also the impact those actions had on the team, the project or the organization in general.

Sample questions: "What was the final outcome of your actions?", "How did you measure the success of that outcome?", "What feedback did you receive from others?", "What did you learn from this experience?", "Is there anything you would do differently if you were to experience it again?".

General Probing Techniques (To Go Deeper).

In addition to the questions specific to the STAR framework, there are general probing techniques to elicit more detail:

To encourage more detail : If the candidate pauses but the story seems incomplete, simple questions such as, "What happened next?" or "And then what happened?" can be used