Telling a Story with the STAR Method

Telling a story with the STAR method allows you to be clear, concise and go straight to the point. The STAR method is very useful when you have to convey a lot of information in a short amount of time. On these occasions, preparing your stories in advance turns out to be an effective method to impress your interlocutor.

In the STAR method there are 4 phases: Situation, Task, Action and Result . The STAR method is mainly used for job interviews, however its applications can also be very useful for creating content on the internet, and in particular on social media.

We will start with the explanation of the 4 phases, and then put the STAR method into practice with a concrete example, so I advise you to read the article carefully until the end.

Where to start from to tell a story?

Think about your experiences

The first and fundamental step, to tell a story effectively, is to rethink all the experiences of the past that can be interesting to answer a question. I advise you to put them in writing on a sheet of paper with synthetic titles.

With the STAR method we can really tell any story, for example: how to handle a stressful situation? How to make an effective carousel on Instagram? How did I learn to make the best carbonara in Rome?

Remember to match a title to each story

This way you will be able to use each story at the most appropriate moment. Once you have jotted down the titles that you consider most relevant, select the experiences that you consider the "best stories" , i.e. those stories that best explain the concept you want to convey.

The 4 phases of the STAR method

The STAR method consists of 4 phases: Situation, Task, Action and Result.

Situation

Once the stories are selected, you can start with the first phase. In this part of the story, focus on the context. What were you doing? What was your role in the story? Were you in a business or private context?

You basically have to put your actions into context. The important thing is not to get lost in unnecessary details, but to provide a general picture of the situation .

tasks

Here the focus is on the goal you want to achieve. At this stage, explain what the specific outcome you had set for yourself is.

The Task phase, just like the Situation phase, must be very concise. Don't get lost in details and provide a general but complete description of the goal to be achieved.

action

Here we get into the action. The story focuses on the actions you took to achieve the goal. At this stage you want to show your interlocutor your qualities, so avoid being too modest.

In the case of team work, for example, we must also clarify what our role was, how we acted, and how our classmates or colleagues reacted.

Result

In the conclusion we emphasize the result we have achieved. We describe how our actions ended and perhaps some small details that could be improved.

Useful tips before the example

• It is not a poem recited from memory! If you have to tell it live or via video, make sure you speak as if it were the first time and pay attention to your body language.
• The more recent the story, the better.
• The hero of the story is you! Show that your intervention was crucial to achieving the goal.
• The narrative must be relevant to the interlocutor. If you have to publish a story on social media try to understand what your target audience wants to hear.

The key to success with the STAR Method?

Try, try, and try again! The method is refined with practice, only in this way will it become a habit to tell stories.

Practical example of the STAR method

Let's start with the preliminary steps of the STAR method. Here we have to identify a title and an ability that we want to show to others. In this case I want to explain, for example, how I learned to communicate in public.

Title : Presentation in public

Skills : Ability to communicate in public and proactivity.

Situation

Three months ago I participated in a project for the creation of a new start-up. My colleagues and I were very enthusiastic about the work done, which had engaged us for more than 2 months. After countless sleepless nights, the job was ready for delivery.

tasks

However, the presentation of the project was imminent but no one felt comfortable presenting the project to the public. There would have been many people in the room, and we couldn't afford to look bad in front of potential investors and various professionals…

action

Since there were no volunteers, I decided to take matters into my own hands and present the project. It was very challenging, for the first time I spoke in public… but thanks to my commitment and dedication I managed to be effective and engaging, highlighting the main features of the project.

Result

The presentation was much appreciated and the project was awarded among the best 3 among those proposed.

Contexts of application of the STAR Method

Who “invented” the STAR method?

The STAR method was born to respond in a structured way to particular types of questions during a job interview. Very often interviewers ask questions that put us in a position to tell a story to highlight our qualities.

If you want to learn more about this method, applied to job interviews, you can read this article in English.

This method of storytelling lends itself perfectly to social media. Telling a story quickly and straight to the point makes it easier for the user to use the content.

How to use the STAR Method on Social Media?

If you have an Instagram profile you can use the STAR method in stories, referring to your last post for further information. This way you will engage your audience and people who follow you will be more likely to engage with the post.

Obviously, as you may have guessed, the STAR method is a tool that allows you to tell an effective story, regardless of the medium used and the context. So it can come in handy in any situation, provided you have adequately prepared yourself beforehand.