How do you tailor your STAR stories to different types of management consulting roles and projects?

1 Understand the role and the project

Before you start crafting your STAR stories, you need to do some research on the role and the project you are applying for. Management consulting is a broad field, and different firms and teams may have different focuses, such as strategy, operations, digital, or human capital. You also need to know what kind of project you are likely to work on, such as a market entry, a cost reduction, or a transformation. This will help you identify the relevant skills and competencies that the interviewer is looking for, and select the best examples from your past experience that demonstrate them.

2 Choose the right situation

The situation is the first part of your STAR story, and it sets the scene for the rest of your answer. You want to choose a situation that is relevant to the role and the project, and that showcases your ability to handle complex and challenging scenarios. For example, if you are applying for a strategy role, you may want to choose a situation where you had to analyze a market opportunity, or develop a strategic plan. If you are applying for an operations role, you may want to choose a situation where you had to improve a process, or optimize a supply chain. Make sure to provide enough context and details to make the situation clear and credible, but avoid unnecessary or irrelevant information.

3 Define the task and the goal

The task is the second part of your STAR story, and it describes what you had to do in the situation. You want to define the task and the goal in a way that highlights your role and responsibility, and that aligns with the expectations of the interviewer. For example, if you are applying for a digital role, you may want to define the task as designing and implementing a new digital solution, or leading a digital transformation. If you are applying for a human capital role, you may want to define the task as managing a change initiative, or developing a talent strategy. Make sure to explain why the task was important, and what the desired outcome was.

4 Describe the action and the skills

The action is the third part of your STAR story, and it explains how you performed the task and achieved the goal. You want to describe the action and the skills in a way that showcases your strengths and abilities, and that matches the requirements of the interviewer. For example, if you are applying for a strategy role, you may want to describe the action as conducting a market analysis, or developing a strategic framework. If you are applying for an operations role, you may want to describe the action as mapping a process, or implementing a lean methodology. Make sure to use specific and concrete examples, and to emphasize the skills and competencies that you used, such as analytical, problem-solving, communication, or leadership skills.

5 Highlight the result and the impact

The result is the fourth and final part of your STAR story, and it summarizes the outcome and the impact of your action. You want to highlight the result and the impact in a way that demonstrates your value and contribution, and that impresses the interviewer. For example, if you are applying for a strategy role, you may want to highlight the result as increasing the market share, or creating a competitive advantage. If you are applying for an operations role, you may want to highlight the result as reducing the costs, or improving the efficiency. Make sure to quantify the result and the impact, using numbers, percentages, or metrics, and to relate them to the goal and the situation.