The Full Story
MY CORE STORY SET
Using the STAR Method, I provide my example answers to four questions commonly asked in behavioral interviews.
A Time I Showed Leadership...
Situation
As mentioned in my resume, I currently work at the front desk of my school’s gym as a “Recreation Services Host”. My position usually entails interacting with and greeting members, including check-ins, sales, etc.; however, on one shift this semester, I had to take on an unfamiliar role. On this particular day, I was alerted by my coworkers downstairs that there was a conflict at one of our recreation courts. Two student groups, one set playing badminton and one set playing pickleball, disagreed on who got to use the court at the time.
Task
Both facility hosts were new hires, and there were no pro staff or leads. So as the senior-most employee, I was tasked with mitigating this conflict and deciding who used the court and when.
Action
Our new policy stated that the two sports would alternate daily who got priority over the court. It was a Sunday, so my first instinct was to inform the badminton players that today was pickleball priority day. However, after further discussion, I realized the badminton players were upset because they had always come on Sundays to relax since the previous school year, which had become a tradition. Since this policy was so new, they had yet to be aware. After I went and talked to the pickleball group, they agreed badminton could take the far left court until more pickleball players came. As it turns out, their problem was not with sharing the court but getting hit with flying birdies.
Result
In the end, both parties had uninterrupted playtime. Additionally, after notifying managers about the situation, changes were made to the policy that allowed both groups to play if there was enough space. Most importantly, I learned that successful leadership often requires empathy and effectively listening to and communicating with others.
A Time I Solved A Business Problem...
Situation
As an intern for the City of Orange Township, I managed a substantial set of community records that needed to be accurately organized by the end of the summer. These included an array of documents such as ordinances, building permits, property records, meeting minutes of the city council, financial statements, contracts with vendors, and development plans, to name a few.
Task
My goal was to increase efficiency, and I was tasked with processing and categorizing thousands of files by the end of my ten-week program. Furthermore, I had to digitize several decades of paper copy records dating back to the 80s.
Action
My initial thought process was to simply start organizing what I saw lying around first, but after spending hours with little progress, I decided to look for alternate methods of procedure. After getting advice from my managers, I developed a systematic approach by creating a prioritized checklist and using time-blocking techniques to allocate dedicated periods of my workday to specific tasks. I also worked with the IT department to create an online drive with ample storage that could easily be accessed and updated in the future.
Result
I completed the project ahead of schedule, ensuring all records were adequately managed and accessible. At the end of the internship, the department head even complimented me on the efficiency of the new system I put in place and how it contributed to smoother operations for the office. Ultimately, I learned the importance of organization and time management in the workplace.
A Time I Worked With Data...
Situation
In my DAT 120 (business statistics) course, we were assigned a group project that required us to develop a question/ topic that could be analyzed using data modeling. Additionally, unlike the other groups, my group comprised two people instead of the standard four.
Task
The assignment was to create a term paper and final presentation outlining a hypothesis with research and data to back our findings. We initially struggled with differing ideas and approaches, which slowed progress. Finding and compiling our own data outside of a classroom setting was also challenging, as it required a significant amount of research and analysis that we initially believed was outside of our expertise. This also was exasperated because we couldn’t rely on having “strength in numbers” as only two of us.
Action
I suggested organizing our work into sections aligned with our strengths. Luckily, since my group member and I were friends, we could delegate tasks effectively. We scheduled weekly meetings to discuss our progress, challenges, and any feedback. We also took extra time to go to our professor's office hours and email TAs with questions that arose.
Result
This more structured approach improved our collaboration, leading to a well-researched project that we presented confidently at the end of the semester. Not only did we receive a high grade, but we took extreme pride in our final result. This experience taught me the importance of teamwork while utilizing individual strengths to solve complex problems.
A Time I Worked In A Team...
Situation
As a Facility Host (my other position) at Sumers Recreation Center, we were preparing for an increase in gym traffic during peak semester times, which required all staff to be on top of our game.
Task
My task was to keep the team prepared to handle the expected surge and ensure we could stay focused and productive.
Action
I started having brief discussions about our goals upon arrival at each shift I worked. This guaranteed that everyone understood our shared responsibilities and there was always a solid plan of action in place. I also offered assistance and advice to less-experienced team members as needed
Result
This approach fostered a collaborative environment where all student workers felt accountable and motivated. Despite how busy our facilities were, we continued to provide a seamless experience for the patrons and received positive feedback from gym management on our teamwork and efficiency.