How to ace your Student & Graduate program interview
Are you keen to make a great impression in your Deloitte interview? Hear from Jeylan Yildiz and Josh Perta from our Talent Acquisition team on their best tips to support your interview with us.
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Interviews can feel like a lot of pressure. You’re trying to remember your examples, structure your answers, and make a strong impression – all at the same time.
The good news? There’s a simple framework that can help you stay clear, confident and focused: the STAR technique.
Here’s how to use it well – and a few extra tips from our perspective.
1. Start with STAR
At Deloitte, we use behavioural interviewing. That means we’ll often ask questions like:
- “Tell me about a time you worked in a team.”
- “Describe a challenge you faced and how you handled it.”
- “Give an example of when you showed leadership.”
The STAR method helps you answer these questions clearly and concisely, so you can avoid rambling or losing your point and ensure you give a great overview of your achievement.
Let’s dive a bit deeper, STAR stands for:
- Situation – What was happening? What was the context?
- Task – What was your responsibility?
- Action – What did you actually do?
- Result – What was the outcome?
When you follow this structure, your answers naturally become more organised and impactful. Instead of speaking in general terms, you’re giving us a real example with a clear beginning, middle and end.
And importantly, it keeps your answer focused.
When it comes to interview answers: short, structured and punchy is always better than long and vague.
2. Focus on what you did
One of the most common pitfalls in graduate interviews is speaking too broadly.
For example, you might simply say, “We worked on a group project, and it went really well.”
That’s a great start – but we want to understand your individual contribution. When you’re in the Action part of STAR, be specific about:
- The decisions you made
- The steps you took
- How you influenced the outcome
Even in a team example, we’re assessing your individual capability.
3. Highlight the value you bring
Interviews aren’t just about what you’ve done – they’re about what you can bring to the team.
As you prepare your examples, think about the strengths behind them:
- Leadership experience
- Collaborating with others
- Problem-solving skills
- Continuous improvement mindset
- Resilience or adaptability
After you explain your result, you can naturally link it back to the role. For example:
“That experience strengthened my ability to manage competing deadlines,
which I know is important in the role I’ve applied for.”
This shows commercial awareness and intentionality. It tells us you
understand what the role requires.
4. Do your research
One of the simplest ways to stand out is by showing genuine interest, so that you can demonstrate to the hiring team that you’ve got a strong understanding of the type of work they specialise in.
Make sure you understand what the team does by carefully reading the job description and our website. Think about how your skills align with the role, so you can connect your examples to it. This will ensure your answers feel more tailored and thoughtful.
An important point to remember is that it doesn’t need to be overly rehearsed, and in fact, it’s more important to show you’ve taken the time to prepare.
5. Be authentic
Structure is important. Preparation is important. But authenticity matters just as much.
We don’t expect perfection. We don’t expect rehearsed speeches. We want to see your personality and your genuine interest.
If you’re passionate about something, let that come through. If you learned something challenging from an experience, own that.
The best interviews happen when you find your flow, and can have a professional conversation without overthinking or putting on a performance.
A final reminder
You don’t need dozens of examples. A small number of strong, well-structured stories can cover many different questions and allow you to flex your responses across different scenarios.
Practise speaking your examples and talking points out loud. Get comfortable with the STAR flow. Consider the value of each experience.
And when interview day comes, trust your preparation!
- Jeylan & Josh
Exciting careers start here.
Applying to Deloitte isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being prepared, curious, and genuine. If you’re ready to kickstart your career and make an impact that matters, explore our graduate opportunities and apply now.
Explore and learn more about our Student & Graduate program here.
