How to answer competency-based interview questions with the STAR method

Competency-based questions ask you to describe something you actually did. They usually start with "Tell us about a time when..." or "Give an example of...". Banks, NGOs, multinationals and many public bodies in Kenya use them because past behaviour is a good guide to future performance.

The STAR method gives every answer a clear shape so you do not ramble or forget the important part: what you did and what happened.

The four parts of STAR

• Situation. Set the scene in one or two sentences. Where were you and what was going on?
• Task. What were you responsible for? What was the goal or the problem?
• Action. What did you do, step by step? This is the longest part of the answer.
• Result. What happened, ideally with a number, and what did you learn?

Aim for about two minutes per answer. Spend the most time on Action and make sure you always reach Result.

Worked example: handling a difficult customer

Question: Tell us about a time you dealt with an angry customer.

Situation: I was a customer service officer at an internet provider. A business client had been offline for two days and called demanding to cancel.
Task: I needed to calm the client, get the fault fixed and keep the account.
Action: I listened without interrupting, apologised and confirmed the details. I escalated to the field team as a priority and asked for a technician the same afternoon. I gave the client my direct line and called every two hours with updates. Once service was restored, I applied the service credit our policy allowed for the downtime.
Result: The connection was back that evening and the client stayed. Three months later they upgraded their package. I also suggested we flag business clients for faster escalation, and my team lead adopted it.

Common mistakes

• Saying "we" throughout. Panels want your contribution. Say "we" for the team's situation and "I" for your actions.
• Hypothetical answers. "I would..." is not an example. Give a real one, even if it is small.
• No result. Many candidates stop after the action. Always say how it ended.
• Choosing a story where you look bad. For questions about mistakes, pick one where you owned the problem and fixed it.

Competencies Kenyan employers often test

• Teamwork and working with difficult colleagues
• Integrity, for example being asked to bend a rule
• Meeting a tight deadline or handling pressure
• Solving a problem with limited resources
• Leadership or influencing without authority
• Customer focus
• Learning something new quickly

For public sector and many NGO roles, expect at least one integrity question. Answer it plainly and show you followed procedure.

Prepare a story bank

Before the interview, write down six real situations from work, attachment, school or volunteering. For each, jot a line for S, T, A and R. Most questions can be answered with one of these six, adjusted for the competency being tested. Practise saying them out loud. It feels awkward, but it is the single most effective preparation you can do.