Before you publish a new report, how do you make sure the numbers are right?

What the interviewer is looking for

• This question tests attention to detail. Reconciles figures against trusted sources, tests edge cases and catches errors before users do.
• What to bring out: Reconciles totals against trusted sources, tests filters and edge cases, peer review and user acceptance testing.
• Expect a follow-up like: What check has caught the most problems for you?

Another way it may be asked: You're about to send a new revenue dashboard to the leadership team. What checks do you do first?

A structure to follow: STAR, with the weight on Action and Result

1. Step 1

   Situation

   One or two sentences: where, when and what was at stake. Pick a real example you were close to.

2. Step 2

   Task

   What you personally were responsible for. Say "I", not only "we", so the attention to detail you showed is visible.

3. Step 3

   Action

   The two or three things you did and why you chose them over the alternatives. This should be about half your answer.

4. Step 4

   Result

   What changed, in your own measure of it, and what you would do differently. Only use numbers you can stand behind.

This is guidance on shape, not a script. Use your own real experience and facts; never invent details to fill a gap. See the STAR guide and answer frameworks.

Common slips

• Describing what the team did without saying what you did.
• Choosing an example with no clear outcome, or one you cannot answer detailed questions about.
• Ending on the action and skipping the result and what you learned.

How to practise it

Write two bullet points for each STAR letter, then say the answer aloud in about two minutes.

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