Business presentation template
Speaker cue cards for a general business presentation: a clear opening, the key message, three supporting points with evidence, a recommendation, next steps and a strong close with Q and A.
Speech9 cardsAbout 2 min to speakIntermediateWork
STAR interview answer template
Cue cards for answering behavioural interview questions with the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result, plus a reflection and three ready-to-adapt story slots.
Free to use, edit, print and study. No account needed: your set stays on this device.
The cards
- 1
How a STAR answer flows
- Situation – where and when, in one or two sentences
- Task – what you were responsible for
- Action – what you did, step by step
- Result – what changed, with a number if you have one
- Reflection – what you learned or would repeat
Target: about 90 seconds to 2 minutes per answer.
- 2
Situation
When I was working as [job title] at [organisation], [short context: the team, the project or the problem].
The challenge was that [what was going wrong or what was at stake].
Keep it short. The interviewer cares most about your actions.
- 3
Task
My role was to [your specific responsibility].
We needed to [goal] by [deadline or constraint], and [any limits: budget, people, tools].
Make the stakes clear in one line: why did it matter?
- 4
Action (part 1)
First, I [first step, e.g. spoke to the people involved to understand the real problem].
Then I [second step, e.g. drew up a plan and agreed priorities with my manager].
Say 'I', not 'we'. Name the skill you used: planning, persuasion, analysis.
- 5
Action (part 2)
When [an obstacle came up], I [how you handled it].
I also [one extra action that shows judgement, care or initiative].
Two or three clear actions are better than a long list.
- 6
Result
As a result, [outcome: e.g. we delivered on time / complaints fell / we saved [amount]].
[Measurable detail: a percentage, time saved, customer feedback, a decision made.]
My manager [any recognition or what happened next].
- 7
Reflection
What I took from this was [lesson].
I have used that since when [a later example], and it is exactly what I would bring to [this role or team].
Link back to the job you are interviewing for.
- 8
Story bank
- Problem solved: [one-line reminder of the story]
- Worked with a difficult person or team: [reminder]
- Made a mistake and fixed it: [reminder]
- Led or influenced without authority: [reminder]
- Met a tight deadline: [reminder]
- 9
If they ask a follow-up
- 'What would you do differently?' – [one honest improvement]
- 'Who else was involved?' – credit [colleague or team] while keeping your part clear
- 'How did you measure it?' – [data source or feedback]
How to use this template
Use this template to prepare for competency-based or behavioural interviews, where the questions start with 'Tell me about a time when…' or 'Give an example of…'. The STAR method keeps your answer in order so you do not ramble or forget the ending. The first card is a reminder of the structure. The next six cards walk through one complete answer, with a reflection card added because good interviewers often ask what you learned. The story bank card lets you match five prepared stories to whatever question comes up, and the final card covers the follow-ups that catch people out. Print one set per story you plan to tell, then rehearse each out loud until you can tell it without the cards.
Tips
- Spend roughly 10 percent of your time on Situation and Task, 60 percent on Action and 30 percent on Result and Reflection.
- Pick stories from the last two or three years where possible, so they feel current and relevant.
- Read the job advert and match each story to a skill it lists, then mention that skill by name in your answer.
- If you do not have a number for the result, use concrete evidence instead: a quote from a customer email, a process that is still in use, or a promotion.
- Rehearse with a timer. If an answer runs past two and a half minutes, cut the Situation first.
- Keep a short pause after the Result so the interviewer can ask a follow-up rather than cutting you off.
Make it fit
- For graduate or first-job interviews, draw stories from study group projects, part-time work, sport, volunteering or caring responsibilities.
- On a video interview, keep the story bank card just below the camera so your eyes stay close to the lens.
- Some organisations call this CAR (Context, Action, Result) or SOAR (Situation, Obstacle, Action, Result); the same cards work, just relabel the headings.
- For panel interviews, look at the person who asked during the Situation and share eye contact with the others during the Action and Result.
- For a written application that asks for competency examples, use the same cards as your outline and keep each answer within the word limit.
Updated October 28, 2026