The ‘Situation’ component is the very first step in delivering a compelling STAR response. A strong start sets the tone, provides essential context, and ensures your interviewer is engaged and ready to hear about your actions and results. To help you master this crucial opening, we’ve created a handy checklist of the absolute essentials to include (and avoid) in your STAR ‘Situation’.

Use this checklist to quickly review and refine your ‘Situation’ statements, ensuring they are clear, concise, and perfectly aligned with the interview question.

Why Use a ‘Situation’ Checklist?

• Consistency: Ensures you cover all critical points every time.
• Conciseness: Helps you focus only on necessary details, avoiding rambling.
• Clarity: Guarantees the interviewer gets a clear picture of the context.
• Relevance: Confirms your story is directly applicable to the question asked.

For more detailed insights, refer to What Information to Include in STAR Situation.

STAR Situation Essentials Checklist

• [✓] Identify the Core Skill/Competency: Does your situation directly relate to the skill the interviewer is asking about (e.g., leadership, problem-solving, teamwork)? If not, choose a different story.
• [✓] Set the Stage (Where & When): Briefly state the organization/company and the general timeframe of the event.
  • Example: “In my role as a Project Manager at Tech Solutions, during a critical quarter last year…”
• [✓] Introduce Key Players (Who): Mention the relevant individuals or teams involved in the challenge, but only those essential to the context.
  • Example: “…my team and I were tasked with…” or “…I was collaborating with a key client and the development team…”
• [✓] State the Core Challenge/Event (What): Clearly and concisely describe the central problem, project, or event. This is the “hook” of your story.
  • Example: “…we faced an unexpected budget cut of 20% mid-project, threatening our ability to meet deliverables.”
• [✓] Keep it Concise: Aim for 1-3 sentences. The situation is a brief setup, not the entire narrative.
• [✓] Avoid Unnecessary Details: Cut out company history, irrelevant technical jargon, or lengthy backstories that don’t directly contribute to understanding the problem. Review Mistake: Too Much Context for common pitfalls.
• [✓] Ensure Clarity: Is the situation easy to understand for someone unfamiliar with your past work? Read it aloud to test.

How to Use This Checklist

Before any interview, review your prepared STAR stories against this checklist. For each story’s ‘Situation’ component:

• Go through each point and mentally check if you’ve addressed it.
• If you find yourself adding too much, refer to our guide on How Much Context is Needed for STAR.
• Practice articulating your situation until it feels natural, succinct, and impactful.

By using this checklist, you’ll ensure that every STAR story starts with a clear, relevant, and engaging ‘Situation’, setting you up for success in your behavioral interviews.

For a complete understanding of all STAR elements, return to Deconstructing the STAR Method: Each Component Explained.