Let Your STAR Shine!

I’m always on the lookout for great tips on networking to pass along (after all networking is all about reciprocity). This one comes via @feistywoman on Twitter and Harvard Business Publishing.

London-based Gill Corkindale recently offered 6 tips for networking and I particularly liked tip #3 on using STAR. If you’re one who isn’t comfortable with self-promotion, you’ll benefit from Gill’s advice about letting your STAR shine.

Here’s what she wrote:

One way to show (rather than tell) people how great you are is to have a few ‘STAR‘ stories up your sleeve. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Achievements and Results; it’s an easy way to tell a concise story that lets your talents and achievements speak for themselves.

An example might be:

Situation: The customer services division of your company was losing customers, had falling revenues and a conflict-ridden team.

Task: To stem the loss of customers, improve customer service, restructure the team and develop new products.

Achievements: You held on to key accounts, resolved the conflict, rebuilt team morale and increased the visibility and positive reputation of the department.

Results: Increased revenues (figures), a high-performing customer service team, innovative products (examples) and happy customers.

A STAR story should take no more than five minutes to relate and should include enough detail to pique your contact’s interest without overwhelming him or her.

Read the entire article here.

If you use an elevator pitch that invites someone to ask “how do you do that?” a STAR story is a great follow-up.

Here’s how an interaction might go:

You: I’m Jayne Doe. I work at HealthyHavens where I ensure increased revenues through customer delight.

Other: Wow, that sounds interesting. How do you do that?

You: For example, last quarter I led a team that analyzed our customer defection problem, restructured the department and developed new processes. Because of our actions, customer retention increased by 50% making a substantial contribution to top-line revenue.

What you’ve shown in an interaction like this is that you have business acumen and leadership capabilities.

I highly recommend that you develop several stories that will “let your STAR shine!”

Network ON!
By Susan Colantuono