Common Interview Questions and How to Answer Them (STAR)

The interview questions you are most likely to face, what each one tests, and how to answer with the STAR method, with worked examples and a prep plan.

Most interview questions can be predicted. They come from the job advert, from what the employer needs to know about you, and from your own CV, which means you can prepare real, specific answers instead of hoping to improvise well on the day.

This guide explains what interviewers are listening for, how to use the STAR method properly, and how to answer the questions that come up most often. It includes worked examples built around hypothetical candidates (your own answers must use only your own facts), questions to ask the interviewer and a step-by-step preparation plan.

What interviewers are listening for

Many employers now run structured interviews. The UK’s Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) describes a structured interview as one in which every candidate gets a predefined set of questions in the same order, with each answer scored against criteria agreed in advance, and calls the format an effective way to minimise bias. Guidance from the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) adds that interviews with more structure show higher validity and more agreement between the people rating candidates.

When Paul Sackett and colleagues re-examined earlier meta-analyses of hiring methods in 2022, structured interviews came out with the highest average validity of the widely used selection methods they reviewed, as their open-access 2023 follow-up paper summarises.

The practical lesson: questions are usually built from the responsibilities of the role, and the interviewer is listening for evidence of each skill the job needs. “I’m a strong communicator” gives them nothing to score. A specific example does.

Behavioural and situational questions

OPM’s guidance describes the two types you are most likely to meet:

• Behavioural questions ask what you did in a past situation (“Tell me about a time when…”). They rest on the principle that past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour.
• Situational questions ask what you would do in a situation like those in the job (“What would you do if a key supplier missed a deadline?”).

The STAR method, explained properly

STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result. The UK National Careers Service defines the Result as both what happened and what you learned, a part many candidates forget. MIT’s career advising office suggests how much of your answer to give each part:

Treat the percentages as a guide: the point is that most of your answer should be about your actions.

Five rules that make STAR answers work

1. Say “I”, not “we”. MIT’s guide advises showing ownership of your accomplishments with “I” statements. Team examples are fine if your own part is clear.
2. Choose one real occasion, with enough detail (the tool, the size of the problem, the deadline) to make it concrete.
3. End with a result you can stand behind. Use a real number if you have one; otherwise describe what changed. Never invent a figure: MIT warns that bending the truth is risky and may not match your application materials.
4. Prepare notes, not a script. MIT cautions that memorised stories can seem unnatural, and the National Careers Service recommends a conversational tone.
5. Expect follow-up questions. OPM notes that highly structured interviews include planned follow-up (probe) questions, so know the details of every story you tell.

Build a story bank

You do not need a new story for every question. MIT’s guide suggests preparing three to five stories and adapting each one: the same example can show leadership, communication or organisation, depending on which actions you emphasise.

1. List the skills the job advert asks for. Reading the job description carefully is the first step in the National Careers Service’s interview preparation advice.
2. Pick the experiences from your CV that prove those skills. Every story should match what your CV says.
3. Outline each story in four STAR bullet points.

Common interview questions and how to answer them

1. “Tell me about yourself”

MIT’s interview primer treats this as an invitation to summarise your background as it relates to the role, not to recite everything you have done. Use present, past, future: what you do now and one strength that matters for this job, one or two achievements that prove it, and why this role is your logical next step. Keep it short enough to invite follow-up questions.

2. “Why do you want to work here?”

The National Careers Service’s guide to common interview questions advises researching the company’s website and ‘about us’ pages for its products, services and values. Give two or three specific reasons that connect the organisation’s work with your skills and plans.

3. “What are your strengths?” or “Why should we hire you?”

The National Careers Service suggests planning your answer around two or three examples relevant to the job, and Prospects stresses that every strength you name must be backed by evidence. Name the strength, then prove it with a short STAR example.

4. “What is your greatest weakness?”

The National Careers Service advises being honest and explaining how you are working to improve. Prospects warns against clichés such as claiming to be a perfectionist or to have no weaknesses. Pick a real weakness that is not central to the job, describe the concrete steps you are taking and show some progress.

5. “Tell me about a time you handled a difficult situation”

Prospects notes that this question shows the employer how calm and reliable you are under pressure.

Worked example (illustration; a hypothetical candidate). Sara, a customer service team leader:

Situation: “During a billing system change, some customers received duplicate invoices, and complaints to our team rose sharply in the first week.”

Task: “As team leader, I had to keep response times on target while IT found the cause.”

Action: “I grouped the complaints by error type and sent the pattern to IT the same day, which helped them trace the fault to one billing rule. I wrote a short explanation so every agent described the issue the same way, and I held a brief update each morning.”

Result: “The fault was fixed within the week and we stayed within our response-time target. My explanation became part of our process for system changes. I learned to share data with other teams early.”

Most of it is action, every sentence says what Sara did, and the result can be checked. Use your own situation and results.

6. “Tell me about a time you worked in a team” or “…disagreed with a colleague”

Describe the team’s goal in one sentence, then focus on your own contribution. For a disagreement, show that you listened, stuck to the facts and the shared goal, and reached an outcome both sides could accept.

7. “Tell me about a time you failed”

This tests honesty, ownership and learning.

Worked example (illustration; a hypothetical candidate). Khalid, a junior accountant:

Situation: “In my first year, I sent a monthly cost report with a formula error that overstated one department’s spending.”

Task: “I had to correct it before the management meeting and stop it happening again.”

Action: “I told my manager as soon as I noticed, sent a corrected version with the change highlighted, and built a checklist that compares each report’s totals with the ledger before it goes out.”

Result: “The corrected report reached the meeting on time, and I have used the checklist every month since. I learned to raise a problem the moment I find it.”

Choose a real mistake with a real lesson, and avoid one that casts doubt on a core requirement of the job.

8. “What would you do if…?”

Walk through your first step, who you would involve, how you would decide and how you would check the outcome. If you have faced something similar, add a short STAR example: real evidence strengthens a hypothetical answer.

9. “Why are you leaving your current job?” or “Why is there a gap in your CV?”

Stay brief, factual and positive. The National Careers Service suggests explaining why the new company suits you better if you are leaving by choice, explaining a redundancy and how you have responded since, and describing the useful things you did during a long gap, such as retraining or volunteering. Avoid criticising a former employer.

10. “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

Prospects advises realistic short- and long-term goals based on the employer, the industry and your own skills. Describe the skills and responsibility you want to build, in a direction this role can support.

11. “What are your salary expectations?”

Prospects suggests starting from any salary range in the job advert, researching pay for similar roles in your sector and, if you give a range, keeping it narrow while saying you are open to discussion. Ask what the full package includes before you commit to a figure.

Questions to ask the interviewer

The National Careers Service notes that employers usually invite your questions at the end, and MIT’s list of questions to ask an interviewer reminds you that the interviewer leads the conversation, so keep yours focused. Prospects adds that arriving with no questions gives a bad impression. Good questions cover the work and your development:

• “What would success look like in the first six months?”
• “What is the biggest challenge for the person in this role?”
• “Who would I work with most closely?”
• “How is performance reviewed, and what training is available?”
• “What happens next, and when can I expect to hear from you?”

Prepare more than you need, because some will be answered during the conversation.

Your preparation plan

1. Save the job advert. MIT suggests keeping the full text, because postings can be removed before interviews begin.
2. Research the employer: its website, products or services, values and recent news.
3. Re-read your CV and application, and think about what the interviewer might ask you, as the National Careers Service advises.
4. Build three to five STAR stories mapped to the skills in the advert.
5. Practise out loud with someone you trust, or record yourself on your phone and play it back, as MIT’s interview primer suggests.
6. Prepare your questions for the interviewer.
7. Check the format. For video interviews, the National Careers Service’s video interview tips include testing your microphone and software, logging in at least half an hour early and placing the camera at eye level. Pre-recorded interviews usually stay open for a few days, so plan a quiet slot.
8. Follow up. MIT recommends a short thank-you email within 24 hours. Then note what went well and what you would change next time.

How Tabhar can help you practise

Interview practice on Tabhar is available on the Pro and Elite plans. It builds questions from your CV and the job description you add, so you rehearse for the job you applied to rather than a generic list. You type your answers, and the feedback scores six dimensions (relevance, STAR structure, specificity, impact, clarity and role fit) with the evidence behind each score and a model answer to compare with. Your own answer is never changed, and the scores are practice feedback, not a prediction of any hiring decision.

Because practice on Tabhar is typed, also say your best answers out loud before the day. And since the questions start from your CV, make sure the CV is accurate first: the CV builder shows the printed page as you edit, and the free ATS checker shows how your CV matches a job title and description.

Related reading

• Which skills to put on a CV, and how to prove them
• A LinkedIn profile that supports your CV
• How to write a cover letter

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