Your executive's flight is cancelled the night before a major client presentation in another city. Walk me through what you do.

What the interviewer is looking for

• This question tests composure under pressure. Stays calm and methodical when plans fall apart, triages quickly and keeps people informed.
• What to bring out: Quickly finds alternate routes or modes, considers a remote option, updates the client and executive, rearranges hotel and transport, and keeps calm.
• Expect a follow-up like: What would you set up in advance to make this easier next time?

Another way it may be asked: It is late at night and your boss's flight to a big meeting is cancelled. What do you do?

A structure to follow: STAR, with the weight on Action and Result

1. Step 1

   Situation

   One or two sentences: where, when and what was at stake. Pick a real example you were close to.

2. Step 2

   Task

   What you personally were responsible for. Say "I", not only "we", so the composure under pressure you showed is visible.

3. Step 3

   Action

   The two or three things you did and why you chose them over the alternatives. This should be about half your answer.

4. Step 4

   Result

   What changed, in your own measure of it, and what you would do differently. Only use numbers you can stand behind.

This is guidance on shape, not a script. Use your own real experience and facts; never invent details to fill a gap. See the STAR guide and answer frameworks.

Common slips

• Describing what the team did without saying what you did.
• Choosing an example with no clear outcome, or one you cannot answer detailed questions about.
• Ending on the action and skipping the result and what you learned.

How to practise it

Write two bullet points for each STAR letter, then say the answer aloud in about two minutes.

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