1 min lesson
Result-first STAR, in 90 seconds
Take "Result-first STAR, in 90 seconds" step by step, then finish with the result that proves it worked.
Step 1 of 2
Result-first STAR, in 90 secondsDelivery protocol
- 1Lead with the result (10s). “I shipped X and it moved Y.” Land the outcome before the backstory so a busy interviewer knows where it's going.
- 2Situation & task (20s). Just enough context to make the decision legible. Skip the org chart and the timeline padding.
- 3Action (40s). What you did, in first person, with the real decision and the tradeoff. This is where ownership shows or hides behind “we.”
- 4Result + lesson (20s). The number, then the durable habit it left you with. The lesson is what makes the failure story land.
Interview move
Authenticity cracks under follow-ups, not openers. Have your peer push: “What did you personally get wrong?” and “What does Cursor get wrong today?” The first opener is easy to polish. The honest, specific second answer - a real failure you volunteer or a genuine product critique - is what proves you fit a truth-seeking team and actually use the tool.