CLEAR vs. STAR: A Better Way to Prep for Interviews
If you’ve ever worked with me on interview prep, you’ve probably heard me talk about STAR format — the classic framework for structuring answers to behavioral interview questions. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result, and it’s long been considered the gold standard for keeping interview answers clear and focused.
But here’s the thing: I don’t love STAR.
What’s wrong with STAR?
While STAR gives people structure, I’ve noticed that the “T” — Task — often feels like the weakest link. It tends to sound dry and uninspired: “My task was to deliver a training to 15 teachers.” If you’ve already set up the situation clearly, it’s usually obvious what the task was.
And for more senior professionals, “task” doesn’t even feel like the right word. You’re not completing isolated assignments — you’re solving complex problems, setting strategic direction, and delivering outcomes that matter. STAR can flatten those accomplishments into a list of steps rather than elevating the role you played in shaping the outcome.
What STAR also misses — and what hiring managers are really listening for — is your leadership. Whether or not you manage a team, interviewers want to understand how you think, influence others, and guide work through uncertainty. STAR doesn’t naturally draw that out.
Meet CLEAR: A More Powerful Interview Framework
That’s why I recommend CLEAR instead.
CLEAR stands for:
Context – What was the broader situation or challenge? Why did this matter?
Leadership – What role were you uniquely positioned to play? Why were you the one leading this effort? How can you showcase your seniority, strategic thinking, or influence before describing exactly what you did?
Execution – What steps did you take? What did you do to move things forward?
Accomplishment/Results – What happened? What key metrics, wins, or long-term outcomes resulted?
Why CLEAR Works
The “L” — Leadership — is the magic here. It invites you to center your role and voice in the story. It helps you practice articulating not just what you did, but how you led — even when you weren’t the formal team lead. It’s especially helpful for people who undervalue their contributions or struggle to “own” their impact.
It’s also a better fit for professionals at mid to senior levels, who need to show they can steer complex initiatives, influence outcomes, and deliver results beyond a checklist of duties. CLEAR gives you the language to show how you think and lead — not just what you executed.
A CLEAR Example
We’ve got a current client who’s looking to shift out of the classroom and into a learning and development type of role. Let’s say someone asked: Tell us about a training you conducted.
She could answer this question in the STAR format and it would sound like this:
We had 15 teachers who needed to be more effective at supporting neurodivergent students in reading (S). My task was to convene this group and share strategies for improving learning outcomes (T). I gathered pre-work materials, created a PowerPoint and handouts with sample questions and solutions, and organized a two-hour session (A). By the end, all the teachers felt much better equipped to support their students (R).
That answer is clear, but it misses the opportunity to highlight why she was the right person to lead the training — and what made it credible.
Now here’s how that same story might sound using CLEAR:
Our fifth grade teachers were struggling to improve reading scores for neurodivergent students (C). My principal knew I had helped raise scores significantly in my own classroom the previous year, so he asked if I’d be willing to lead a training to share what I’d seen work (L). I was excited about the opportunity, and the first thing I did was design pre-work and select the right materials to set a shared foundation. I created a session that mixed strategy with practical tools, including a walkthrough of how I adapted instruction and assessments for different learning needs (E). As a result, not only did teachers leave the session feeling more confident — the students they worked with saw an average 15% gain in performance by the end of the term (A&R).
With CLEAR, we understand why she was the one leading the training, what made her uniquely qualified, and what her leadership actually accomplished — not just for the teachers in the room, but for the students those teachers supported.
Clarifying your Leadership
Not sure what to say for the L part of your story? Ask yourself:
Why was I leading this effort? Did someone ask me to? Did I initiate it on my own? Did I get buy-in from others over multiple weeks?
What role was I uniquely positioned to play?
Was I given a budget to support my work in this?
Was I elevated in some way to get the job done? Who was I reporting into?
Was this situation a first-of-its-kind endeavor? Or mission critical in some way?
How did I think strategically and influence outcomes before jumping into action?
Examples of great L sentences could sound like:
The CEO felt this was a priority, so she asked me to focus on this full-time.
After 3 months of lots of 1:1 and group conversations with key stakeholders, I successfully persuaded the leadership team to take on this opportunity and folks were excited about me leading it.
My boss approved an additional $200K in our budget to give me the opportunity to bring on a vendor and make this happen.
Because I had successfully pitched the past client in this space, they asked me to take the lead on this account.
The L part of your story helps you tell people you’re awesome without telling them you’re awesome!
Even if you weren’t in a formal leadership role, CLEAR helps you showcase your initiative and credibility — and that’s what hiring managers are really looking for.
And more importantly? It helps you remember the value you bring.