Even great candidates can lose out on interviews because their STAR answers miss the mark. If you've ever written a competency response and felt unsure whether it’s good enough — this one’s for you.
Here are the most common reasons STAR answers fail and exactly how to fix them.
Some candidates skip the context. They dive into the task or action without explaining the team, setting, or challenge.
Start with 2–3 sentences answering:
Example: “I was a customer support lead in a high-volume call centre during a system migration, managing a team of 10 agents.”
Saying “I had to complete a project” or “My task was to help” isn’t enough.
State the exact goal. Be specific.
Example: “My objective was to reduce inbound call resolution time by 15% in four weeks.”
This is the most important section, but many applicants rush it. They don’t explain what they did — they summarise what happened.
Give detailed steps. Use bullet points if allowed. Show your decision-making, initiative, and collaboration.
✅ Good: “I redesigned the call script, ran a team workshop, and liaised with IT to fast-track system updates.” ❌ Bad: “We fixed the issue by working together.”
Some STAR answers end without a result, or with vague outcomes like “It went well.”
Highlight the measurable impact. Use KPIs, feedback, or even quotes.
Example: “Customer satisfaction scores improved from 3.8 to 4.6, and my team was nominated for a departmental award.”
Many people write one STAR and try to use it for every competency.
Reframe your story for the specific skill being assessed — whether it's Leadership, Communication, Teamwork, or Problem Solving.
This isn’t casual storytelling. It’s structured evidence. Be clear, be strategic, and focus on what the panel wants to see.
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All examples in this blog are shortened for readability. Real STAR responses should be more detailed and matched to the exact job specification. ApplySmart.ie crafts high-impact answers that tick all the right boxes.