Work · Interviews

Story answers (STAR)

When they say "Tell me about a time when..." or "Give me an example of...," answer with a short story: the Situation, your Task, the Action you took, and the Result. Behavioral questions are the most common kind you'll face. Prepare three or four true stories ahead of time, use a number when you can, and keep each answer to about two minutes.

Easy30 min to prepare three storiesFreeChecked October 2, 2026

You'll need

Paper, or a notes app
Three or four moments from work, school, sports, volunteering or family
The job posting

Do it like this

Spot the question. Behavioral questions often start with "Tell me about a time when..." or "Give me an example of...". Source: LSU¹ Employers ask them because how you acted in the past is seen as a predictor of how you'll act on the job. Source: Dept. of Labor²
Situation: give the background the interviewer needs to understand what was going on. Source: LSU¹ One or two sentences.
Task: name the goal you were responsible for, or the obstacle you had to get past. Source: Dept. of Labor²
Action: describe what you did, step by step, and the skills and resources you used. Source: Dept. of Labor² Say "I," not "we," so it's clear what you did.
Result: say what came of it, good or bad, and what you learned. Source: LSU¹ Use numbers to show what you accomplished where you can. Source: Dept. of Labor²
Prepare for the common prompts: handling a deadline or stress, something that went wrong or a mistake you made, a goal you set and reached, an unexpected problem, a difficult customer, and a skill you learned recently. Source: CareerOneStop³ One good story can often answer more than one.
Practice out loud, on paper and with a friend or a free practice site. Source: CareerOneStop⁴ About two minutes per answer is normal. Source: Dept. of Labor²

Watch out Keep it true. Interviewers may ask follow-up questions, and they can compare what you say with what your references say. Source: CareerOneStop³ Keep it short too. A story that wanders loses people. If the interviewer looks distracted, shorten your answer, give an example or ask a question. Source: Dept. of Labor²

See it done

Video by Indeed Company video

How to Ace Interviews Using the STAR Technique

Watch on YouTube: How to Ace Interviews Using the STAR Technique | Indeed

Full title on YouTube: “How to Ace Interviews Using the STAR Technique | Indeed”2025 · Checked October 3, 2026

Indeed's quick STAR workshop matches our steps. Practice your stories out loud (step 7).

Video won't load at school or work? No problem. Everything you need is in the steps; the video's just a bonus. Watch it on YouTube later.

If it doesn't work

No work stories? Use school projects, volunteering or activities. Source: CareerOneStop³ Babysitting, yard work and clubs all build real skills. Source: CareerOneStop⁵
The result was bad? Say what you learned. That counts. Source: LSU¹ For "a goal you didn't meet," employers want to see how you handle disappointment and whether you take personal responsibility. Source: Dept. of Labor²
Blanked? It's fine to pause and collect your thoughts before you answer. Source: Dept. of Labor² Try: "Let me think of a good example."
Asked a "What would you do if..." question instead? That's a hypothetical. Walk through what you'd do, and if you can, point to a time you did something similar. Source: Dept. of Labor²
Still stuck? Many American Job Centers offer free interview prep and mock interviews. Source: CareerOneStop³

Good to know

The details, if you want them. Tap a line to open it.

A full example (made up)

Question: "Tell me about a time you handled a lot of pressure." Situation: Saturday rush at the grocery store, and two cashiers called in sick. Task: keep my line moving without mistakes. Action: I asked the manager to open a backup register, bagged for the new cashier between my own customers and called for price checks early instead of holding up the line. Result: the line stayed under five people all afternoon, my drawer balanced to the penny, and my manager asked me to help train new hires.

A story bank (made-up example)

Pressure: the Saturday rush. Mistake: rang up the wrong price, caught it, told my manager. Teamwork: group project where one person went quiet. Customer: an angry return without a receipt. Learning: taught myself spreadsheets for the club budget. Five stories cover most behavioral questions.

What they're really asking

Most employers want three answers: can you do the job, do you have the right attitude and work ethic, and will you fit the team Source: Dept. of Labor²? Pick stories that answer those.

Match the job

Read the job posting for the strengths they want, choose two or three you really have, and prepare a story for each. Source: CareerOneStop³

Take it with you

Printable card Download card (PDF)

Sources

LSU Olinde Career Center Interviewing: behavioral questions and the STAR method
U.S. Department of Labor TEAMS Interview Skills participant guide (PDF, Feb. 2026)
CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) Practice interview questions
CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) Get ready to interview
CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) Get work experience (GetMyFuture)

Lesson W3.3 · Last checked October 2, 2026 against the sources listed.

Report a mistake

Next in WorkFollowing up after an interview

Once a week, if you want it

One new lesson or checklist a week. Totally optional. The lessons never need a sign-up.