How to Tell a

STAR Story

Masters Career Center

Introduction

The STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) story format is

widely and successfully used by MBA students to develop
convincing responses to Behavioral Interview Questions.

Most recruiters emphasize Behavioral Interview

Questions because they believe that the best predictor of
how you will handle a particular situation in the future is
how you handled it in the past.

William Larimer Mellon, Founder

Sample Behavioral Questions

“Tell me about a time when you were given an assignment with an impossible deadline.”

“Tell me about an example of your leadership or project management experience.”

“Describe a time in which you were able to use your analytical skills to solve a business problem.”

“Have you ever had to work with a difficult colleague?” *

“Do you have any experience with solving a complex problem for a client?” *

*(Hint: the recruiter is not expecting a Yes/No answer to questions like these. This is an invitation for you
to sell yourself by telling a story. If your prior role was not client facing, consider drawing an analogy that
compares an internal constituency that you served to an outside client, and then explain how you met that
constituency’s needs by solving their problem(s)).
Correct Form of Response to
Behavioral Interview Questions
• Use the STAR story format
o S—Situation (20%)
o T—task (10%)
o A—Action (60%)
o R—Result (10%)

• Be brief (typically around 2 minutes….not more than 3 minutes)

• Focus on YOUR actions (but remember that companies that
emphasize teamwork, may want you to touch on some team-
related points, as well in answering some behavioral questions)
• Clearly identify the results
STAR Components
Situation Task
• Set the stage for the story • Your mission
• Provide relevant background • Bridge between story and
• Ideally 2-3 sentences interviewer question

Action (not necessarily all of these) Result

• Steps YOU* took. For example: • What you accomplished
• Establishing Team Responsibilities + Project Timeline • How it relates to the interviewer’s
• Collecting Data + Analytics question
• Drawing Conclusions
• Is your result quantifiable?
• Communicating
• Gaining Buy-in • Re-emphasize your skillset. Why?
• Implementing Solutions Because, like it or not, you are required
to sell yourself at every point in an
* Again, focus on your actions but use your judgment with respect to
identifying the subset of companies and questions that are also seeking interview.
insight into your ability to work in teams.
 Work on Your Stories
• Develop 6-10 written STAR stories (and practice delivering them in 2-3 minutes) on
topics including:
o Problem Solving
o Leadership
o Teamwork
o Technical Project/Challenge
o Difficult Situation
o Project Management

• Depending on your experience, your personal style of communication and the

components of each story, you may want to write/tell specific STAR stories in either a:
o Highly Structured format, which labels each part of the story by its respective STAR component
(e.g. “The Situation was…” and “First, I analyzed…”); or

o Conversational style, which follows the same pattern, but does not rigidly label and/or number
each component part of the story.

o An example of each version of STAR story is presented on the following page

 Examples of Good STAR stories
Describe a time when you had to use your analytical skills to solve a Describe a time you had to use your leadership skills
complex problem: unexpectedly:
Situation The situation began when my company’s new COO suspected that our inventory system was During my first year with the company, I was given the project manager role for a
inefficient, so she put me in charge of proposing a new system. critical client account after the long-term project manager suddenly became ill.
10%
Task My task was to thoroughly assess the company’s current processes as well as its existing and My first priority was to win the confidence of both my team and the client by
prospective needs, currently available solutions and finally to gain buy-in on a solution across creating a roadmap that we could all follow to the successful completion of the
20% multiple business units. So I basically had to apply my analytical skills across a range of project. Once agreed, I needed to make sure that everyone followed the specified
variables to complete this complex task. steps required to meet the client’s objectives.

Action First, I looked at the situation to identify the issues and options, such as: I began by calling a team meeting to develop a list of project deliverables along
What are the company needs? What are the key features that are missing/needed? with a time and responsibility schedule.
60% Are the processes and needs similar across business units and geographies? What is I identified, reviewed and assigned each task to a responsible team member
the budget? What are current industry best practices and what are the currently to ensure accountability
available solutions (or do we have to develop something from scratch)? Which options These steps gained broad team buy-in and ensured that we had the right
are flexible? people and resources needed/allocated to meet each milestone

Second, I organized and analysed the issues and related data; drafted our required Next, I reviewed my proposed plan of action with my manager. Following his
specifications, met with vendors; and then drew up detailed comparisons and preliminary approval, I met with the client to make sure that were addressing all of his
conclusions. Specifically, I compared data points of key features, licensing agreements, costs, concerns. I returned to my team where we made some final adjustments based
fit with existing company technology, procedures, etc. on client feedback.
Third, I knew my recommendation would affect a lot of people so I presented my analysis to All of this took place within one week of my taking the lead on the project. We
key stakeholders in order to incorporate their feedback into my proposed solution. quickly launched the execution of the project and moved forward. Throughout the
I solicited input from Ops team leaders throughout the company as well as from the 3 month execution phase, I held weakly meetings with team members to keep
Finance team, and IT everyone focused and motivated and to further adjust resources if needed. These
Working with this team of key stakeholders made the difference between delivering a meetings were complemented by bi-weekly client meetings to assure his ongoing
good result and a great one, because I was able to use their advice to adjust and satisfaction.
finalize my conclusions, including detailed system requirements and my proposed
solution .
Fourth, I gained buy-in among the key functional business unit leaders and then made the In the end, the project was delivered on time and the client was completely
final recommendation to the COO who later approved my entire plan. satisfied.

Result As a result of applying my analytical skills to this complex task, I was able to identify existing So, because of my leadership skills, I was able to step into a challenging situation
system shortcomings and to resolve them by recommending a comprehensive solution and lead my team to a final result that met the high standards of both my company
10% capable of being delivered quickly and 20% below budget. and our key client.
HIGHLY STRUCTURED CONVERSATIONAL
 Example of BAD STAR Story
(with adjacent better version)
Describe a time when you had to use your leadership skills Describe a time you had to use your leadership skills
unexpectedly: unexpectedly:
Situation About a year ago I got the opportunity to lead a project after my manager During my first year with the company, I was given the project manager role for a
10% became ill. I was not technically a “manager” yet, so this was a pretty big deal critical client account after the long-term project manager suddenly became ill.
that I took very seriously.

Task I had to quickly take charge in order to make sure that everyone pulled their My first priority was to win the confidence of both my team and the client by creating a
20% weight on the project. Meeting this deadline was important because the guy we roadmap that we could all follow to the successful completion of the project. Once
had to deal with on the client side had a reputation for being difficult to work agreed, I needed to make sure that everyone followed the specified steps required to
with. meet the client’s objectives.

Action First, I looked at the situation and decided to split the work evenly among the I began by calling a team meeting to develop a list of project deliverables along with a
60% team members. This was difficult because some of the team members were time and responsibility schedule.
technically pretty weak and like, I would have to stay on top of them to make I identified, reviewed and assigned each task to a responsible team member to
sure that they met their deliverables. ensure accountability
These steps gained broad team buy-in and ensured that we had the right people
and resources needed/allocated to meet each milestone
Then, I tried to get approval from my manager and the client. It took a while to Next, I reviewed my proposed plan of action with my manager. Following his approval, I
explain the situation to my manager because he was not very technical, but he met with the client to make sure that were addressing all of his concerns. I returned to
had confidence in my abilities and eventually got on board. Unfortunately, the my team where we made some final adjustments based on client feedback.
client had additional requests. I was not able to convince the client that his
changes would delay project completion, so I had to return to my office and
give everyone on the project their revised work orders.
Third, despite the client’s continued requests and changes, I was successfully All of this took place within one week of my taking the lead on the project. We quickly
moving things forward. I personally worked late nights and weekends to pick launched the execution of the project and moved forward. Throughout the 3 month
up the slack of some of my less motivated team members. Through these execution phase, I held weakly meetings with team members to keep everyone focused
exceptional efforts, I actually met the deadline after 3 months of hard work. and motivated and to further adjust resources if needed. These meetings were
complemented by bi-weekly client meetings to assure his ongoing satisfaction.

. . In the end, the project was delivered on time and the client was completely satisfied.

Result So because of my leadership skills, this important project was completed. So, because of my leadership skills, I was able to step into a challenging situation and
10% lead my team to a final result that drove revenues 10% higher and met the high
standards of both my company and our key client.
BAD BETTER
 Example of Bad STAR Story
(with adjacent list of flaws)
Describe a time when you had to use your SO WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS SECTION?
leadership skills unexpectedly:
Situation About a year ago I got the opportunity to lead a project after my 1) Informal/bad grammar (“got”).
10% manager became ill. I was not technically a “manager” yet, so this 2) 2) Focus on your roles and accomplishments, NOT your title.
was a pretty big deal that I took very seriously.

Task I had to quickly take charge in order to make sure that everyone 1) Be careful about criticizing a client. This is not a “tell me about a difficult client” question.
20% pulled their weight on the project. Meeting this deadline was Describing the client as being “demanding” and/or “having high expectations” would be more
important because the guy we had to deal with on the client side constructive without raising red flags regarding how you work with and view others.
had a reputation for being difficult to work with.
Action First, I looked at the situation and decided to split the work 1) This description of splitting the work does not recognize/address relative strengths among
60% evenly among the team members. This was difficult because your team members and shows immaturity as a leader.
some of the team members were technically pretty weak and like, 2) Describing colleagues as “pretty weak” is pretty lame. More nuanced language (e.g. “some
I would have to stay on top of them to make sure that they met of my team members were less experienced”) is more constructive and also affirms your
their deliverables. relative seniority in this specific situation.
3) Informal/bad grammar (“like”)
4) Additional detail (more specific steps taken) would enhance the story.
Then, I tried to get approval from my manager and the client. It 1) If you must use the structured approach to STAR stories, stick with it (don’t jump from
took a while to explain the situation to my manager because he “First” to “Third”).
was not very technical, but he had confidence in my abilities and 2) Be careful about how you describe your manager (potential red flag)
eventually got on board. Unfortunately, the client had additional 3) The overall tone of this section (and the next) suggests that you have an aversion to
requests. I was not able to convince the client that his changes challenges. Re-word to make it clear that, in the end, you are up for (and excited to
would delay project completion, so I had to return to my office tackle) any challenge.
and give everyone on the project their revised work orders.
Third, despite the client’s continued requests and changes, I was 1) “I, I, I (or me, me, me)” What does this really say about your leadership (and/or
successfully moving things forward. I personally worked late teamwork) skills?
nights and weekends to pick up the slack of some of my less 2) You criticized your client and teammates earlier in this story, definitely do not do it again.
motivated team members. Through these exceptional efforts, I Criticism is occasionally acceptable (to provide context for certain stories), but you rarely
actually met the deadline after 3 months of hard work. need to repeat it.
Result So because of my leadership skills, this important project was 1) That’s it?????? Was the client satisfied? Was your manager happy? Did you get a
10% completed. glowing review or promotion? Can you quantify results?
2) Your concluding remarks should specifically reference the target behavior (leadership).
STAR Story Template
Template STAR questions often start with: Describe a time …; Give me an example of a time…;
Can you think of an example of …
Situation 10%

Task 20%

Action 60%

Result 10%