The STAR and The Funnel: How to Structure Your Interview Responses

Despite the increase in the use of AI tools to screen candidates, elaborate online assessments, and an emerging trend of ‘target’ and ‘non-target’ universities, interviews remain a key part of the application process for graduates, internships and academic opportunities. Whilst the other parts of the application focus on the technical, numerical, and analytical skills necessary to do the role, interviews serve as more of a ‘vibe-check’ of soft skills, assessing how clearly and convincingly a candidate can deliver their ideas. 

Two important frameworks – the widely-used STAR technique, and the less well-known funnel technique – are often used to help structure responses, stay focused on the question content, and present evidence of skills in a professional manner. Using these techniques effectively can significantly improve application outcomes.

The STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method is a structured technique for answering competency-based and behavioural interview questions. They typically start with phrases such as “give me a situation when…”, or “tell me a time when…”. They are used to assess how candidates have behaved in real situations to gauge future performance.

The structure is as follows:

1. Situation – Begin by setting the context, giving a brief description of the scenario outlining when and where it took place

2. Task – Explain the specific responsibility, objective, or problem within the situation

3. Action – Describe the actions taken to complete the task. This is the most important section and should take up the majority of the response time. Focus on problem-solving skills, decision-making, and leadership.

4. Result – Conclude with the outcome of your actions. If possible, try and quantify the impact your actions had, outline the lessons you learned, or the feedback you received

For example, when asked about teamwork, a student might describe a group assignment (Situation), their responsibility to coordinate research (Task), how they organised meetings and delegated tasks (Action), and the successful completion of the project with a high grade (Result). Using STAR keeps the answer focused on the question, ensures clarity, and provides all claims with evidence. The technique is recommended by the University of Leeds, as well as the UK Government.

The funnel method, on the other hand, helps structure how you give your answers, particularly when responding to broad or open-ended questions. The technique is especially useful for broad, open-ended questions such as “tell me about yourself” and “why are you interested in this role?”. These questions are difficult because of their open-endedness. Without a clear structure, candidates may wander into the trap of providing unfocused or overly detailed responses.

The funnel approach involves starting with a general overview and gradually narrowing down to specific details. It involves three stages:

1. Broad introduction – Begin with a high-level overview

2. Focused development – Narrow down the response by highlighting key, relevant skills and experience

3. Specific connections – End with a clear link to the position or opportunity, explaining how your skills and experience align with the desired employee profile

Taking the example of the question “why are you interested in this role?”, using the funnel method, a candidate should start with an overview of what interests them about the industry the firm operates in, before narrowing down to what appeals to them about the organisation itself. They should then end with how well they are aligned to the specific role they’re applying for. The funnel technique can, once again, help to stay focused and bring the scope of open questions down to precise, relevant commentary. 

The most important tips for students can be summarised in one word: preparation. The range of technical knowledge required can vary widely between industries and even specific roles within the same industry, but all jobs will value key soft skills, such as collaboration, leadership, communication, and problem-solving. By preparing a STAR example for each trait and practising your responses aloud, you can ensure answers remain concise and confident. You should also have an answer prepared for your motivation and interest in the opportunity you’re applying for, ideally in the funnel structure.

Mastering the STAR and funnel techniques can help you approach interviews with confidence and professionalism. By structuring responses clearly and supporting claims with relevant examples, candidates can present themselves as thoughtful, capable, and well-prepared. However, you should always be careful not to fall into the classic trap of overpreparation. Above all, interviewers value authenticity and reflection, over robotic, scripted responses. But if you treat these frameworks as guidelines to steer your answers rather than define them, these techniques will prove invaluable in landing your first professional role.