STARR method
Applying with STARR
We ask you to prepare an answer to a competency-based question, and we use the STARR method in our interviews as well. On this page we explain why we do that and how it works.
Why we ask this way
A production at ITA comes together because technical staff, production, marketing, education and the ensemble are attuned to one another. You notice this most clearly during a premiere week: what counts then is how someone acts when things get tight, when the schedule shifts, or when something unexpected happens.
So we would rather hear what you have actually done than how you describe yourself. "I work well under pressure" tells us very little. The story of that one evening when you had to solve something with the time you had left tells us far more — even if it didn't work out perfectly.
It also makes our judgement fairer. Everyone is asked the same questions in the same order, so we can genuinely compare candidates side by side. That way it isn't the smoothest storyteller who wins, but the person whose way of working fits best.
The five steps
S | situation
Briefly sketch the context. What was going on, when was it, and who was involved? Two or three sentences will do.
T | task
What was your role in it? What were you responsible for, and what was expected of you?
A | action
What did you actually do? What choices did you make, and why those and not others? Above all, tell us what you did. We're curious about your own part in it.
R | result
What came of it? As concretely as possible, and honestly: a result that disappointed is still a result.
R | reflection
What did you learn from it, and what would you do differently now? This last step is what sets STARR apart from the better-known STAR method — and it's often the answer we end up talking about longest.
What you don't need to worry about
- You don't have to recite your answer in five neat steps. We're listening to what you say, not to the shape it comes in.
- Your example doesn't have to have ended well. A situation that went wrong and taught you something is often more interesting than a flawless success.
- It's fine to take a moment to think. "Could I take a moment on that?" is a perfectly good sentence, and we'll give you the time.
- It doesn't have to be about work. An example from your studies, a volunteer role or a project outside your job counts just as much.
- We'll ask follow-up questions. If you skip a step, we'll help you along with another question — that isn't criticism, it's how the conversation works.
Good luck with your preparation!
