A coworker asks you, as someone in HR, why a colleague was let go. How do you respond?

What the interviewer is looking for

• This question tests discretion & confidentiality. Consistently protects sensitive information, shares only on a need-to-know basis, and can decline requests gracefully.
• What to bring out: Politely declines to share details, explains confidentiality, stays friendly and points them to any appropriate support.
• Expect a follow-up like: What if it is a manager asking, rather than a peer?

Another way it may be asked: A staff member corners you and asks the real reason their teammate was fired. What do you say?

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 discretion & confidentiality 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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