An Interview Toolbox lays the foundation for job interviewing success. Let’s start by reviewing the STARF Method (also commonly known as the STAR method), which is a technique for answering interview questions. It gives the interviewee a straightforward approach to answering questions, typically behavioural and situational, in a story-like format.
Let’s see the STARF method in action
Situation: What was the challenge?
While working as the office manager for ABC Consulting firm in 2015, we had a situation arise where our order of 500 business brochures were backordered. We were informed by our supplier that they would not arrive in time for our annual conference, which was happening in 1 week, despite us specifying the required delivery date on our order form which I sent a month prior.
Task: What did you need to do and/or achieve to resolve the issue?
As these brochures are an essential marketing tool for our company at this event, I knew that I needed to prioritize resolving this issue. Additionally, as my role was responsible for organizing supplies relating to this event, I knew it was imperative that I quickly and efficiently resolve this issue.
Action: What steps or actions did you take to resolve the issue?
When I was made aware of this issue, I first updated my manager and told him of this situation, and that I would be prioritizing this issue due to its time-sensitive nature. I then contacted our supplier by email and phone, asking where the mix-up happened, and what could be done to expedite our order.
Result: How did the situation resolve? Was the resolution positive or negative? What did your actions accomplish? What was the impact?
Because I approached the issue with the supplier in a non-confrontational manner and gave them our invoice, which specified the delivery date which I always organize for our files, the supplier kindly rectified the issue and expedited our order. At the conference, the brochures arrived on time, and everyone loved them, and my manager was really appreciative of my efforts.
Follow Up: What did you learn from the situation? Who did you connect with to ensure the situation was resolved properly? Did you update your manager and/or ask for support from others?
After this situation, I followed up with our supplier to thank them for their support and to see where the issue arose so we could reduce the chances of it happening again. Apparently, they were going through software changes, which sometimes caused orders to be inputted incorrectly. They suggested I could send a follow-up email in the future to ensure that the supplier receives the proper order information with each order. I then passed this information on to my team so we were all aware of how the issue occurred and how to minimize it in the future. With this system, we never had another order issue again in the 3 years following that I was with the company!
Building your Interview Toolbox
A story toolbox is an interview technique where candidates ‘collect’ stories from their past work experiences that they can use during an interview. The aim of this approach is to remember your key professional moments, situations, and accomplishments that (1) can be framed in a story format to answer a variety of interview questions, and (2) are a chance for you to (professionally) brag!
For example, if we use the example STARF response from the previous section (i.e., the missing brochures), even though the story was used to answer a question about dealing with a workplace challenge in a timely manner, by shifting the lens slightly, this story could be used to answer several different types of questions including:
| Working on a team | Working on an important project | Communication |
| Accomplishing a goal | Coordinating with external stakeholders | Empathy |
| Dealing with workplace conflict | Relationship building | Inclusive work practices |
To build your story toolbox, think of past work, educational, or volunteer situations that focus on a time when…
- You had to solve a conflict
- You mentored someone
- You came up with a creative solution to a problem
- You had an interpersonal issue with a colleague
- You managed your time well
- You led a team
- You accomplished a project that you were proud of
- You made a mistake but learned something from it
- You dealt with an emergency situation
- You displayed exceptional organizational skills
- You had to make a difficult decision
Using the STARF method, have these stories ready so you can impress the hiring team!
Interested in learning more about how to ace your next job interview, download the Job Interviews: Your Ultimate Guide to Acing the Interview and Getting Hired.
