And now a few full sample answers to tie all our advice together: My greatest accomplishment happened at my last role as an HR manager. Summary. What is your greatest accomplishment? is one of the most common job interview questions, but particularly for someone fresh out of college or high school it can be daunting to answer. The restaurant was completely packed 90%+ of the time, and we barely had any breathing room. Recruiters and hiring managers dont just want to hear that you know how to work they want specifics. As with all behavioral interview questions, use the star method: Situation. My greatest accomplishment was getting a gold medal in the International Olympiad of Science. Not to mention that your other accomplishments may come up when youre answering a different interview question. If youre a recent graduate, you may want to think about volunteer work that youve participated in or even academic accomplishments that youre proud of. Write about the moments in your life when you felt the proudest, such as when you finished a marathon or were congratulated by your boss. New graduate interviewing for an entry-level marketing job -. My greatest accomplishment was when I helped save a patient's life. Basic templates are perfect for job seekers looking to send out applications fast. I assigned a few new team members to the project and worked through a weekend to bring myself up to speed. I needed to know my list of tasks, when each was due, and how long they would take. I finally went with the [XYZ] CRM system and worked with the IT team to implement it. Task. Do not, under any circumstances, use a personal accomplishment as your response. The second answer is going to be more memorable and more impressive, so that's why you should review your own story/example you plan on giving to refresh yourself on as many details as possible. . When they ask about your greatest accomplishment, they're interested in learning about three main things: Work ethic: Interviewers may want to know what you view as an accomplishment and the work you completed to . Be sure to check out our career blog for more actionable guides and the latest job-hunt tips and tricks. If you want to become successful in life, you must help yourself first. RESULTS: Today, my blog is one of the biggest in its niche, and I no longer write articles because we produce long-form content every three days a week. The main idea here behind the STAR method is that every answer should cover the following topics: Now, lets take a well-written behavioral job interview answer using the STAR method, What is a professional achievement youre most proud of?, Situation - Well, my last role was as a manager at a seasonal restaurant in Nantucket. Learn every detail about making a resume. Highlight both your relevant " soft skills " (leadership, conflict resolution, decision making, etc.) This way, a recruiter will see how your soft skills can work successfully in their organization. Looking to enhance your professional life? Describe how your interest in medicine drove you to become a doctor. So now that you know what an employer is looking for with this question, how do you go about answering it in a way that makes you look like a good candidate? . Your response provides them with insight about your personal and professional achievements, and your ability to establish and achieve goals. Beating sales targets. It is common for these to be listed on a performance review or resume and to be discussed in an interview. Buttoned up yet stylish. For background, I studied literature in school, which did not involve any tech information. Learning how to play an instrument. We got together during his break period once a week to read Lord of the Rings and make drawings for each chapter. Your hard skills might be on display while you answer this question, and your soft skills certainly will be. RESULTS: After one month of the new demonstrations, that region was our biggest market, and our sales as a company increased by 10%. But these kinds of questions can put the candidates in a difficult position, when suddenly asked, often leaving candidates feeling ill-prepared. improving an algorithm) Awards & Recognition. " My most outstanding achievement is completing my Bachelor's degree in 4 years with a 3.8 GPA. Check the job listing to see what skills the company is looking for in a candidate, and tailor your answer accordingly. can be challenging, regardless of where you are in your professional career. To answer the interview question what is your greatest accomplishment?, first read the job description so that you can pick an accomplishment that aligns with the job responsibilities. Way to Answer "what was your greatest achievement?" interview question. The employees have spoken. S [SITUATION] Describe the situation that led to the achievement, T [TASK] Talk about the task you had to do to accomplish the achievement, A [ACTIONS] Describe the actions you implemented to achieve the accomplishment. How you answer an interview question is almost as important as what you say. SITUATION: My biggest achievement was growing sales in an underperforming territory. How hard do you routinely work? Sample Answer 2 - Cashier Job at a Fast Food Restaurant. TASK: I had to try something different to gain more awareness, or else my blog would not grow. When an interviewer asks you about your greatest accomplishment, one of the things they are trying to understand is what motivates you into action. Applying for a position with numerous qualifications? Show the great strides you made in your education and the accolades you received for the same. Entry-Level College Grad. Your greatest accomplishment could be like Gennifer's, Morgan's or Asha's or it could be completely different. I discussed a plan with the CEO and the accountant to see how we could use the kitchen in the office to make lunch for the workers at an affordable price they could pay at the beginning of the month, and everyone agreed. When you can demonstrate that your work produced results that helped the business serve its customers, manage its finances or achieve its mission, you are . Action - I decided to start learning as much as I could about our product (a social media automation tool) by talking with the other employees when I could, and reading up on everything I could get my hands on that was related to the product. SITUATION: My greatest achievement was being promoted through self-motivation and learning. Heres an example from a student who put themselves through college: I believe that my greatest achievement so far was funding my own education at [ University]. TASK: Find a way to let customers know what was in the food before eating it. ACTION: I started working toward this goal in high school and took any job that was a skill match, no matter how much I hated it. I began my career in fast food washing dishes and worked my way up into a management role in just four years. The following are common types of work accomplishments with examples of each. I also accepted a work-study position as a laboratory assistant to gain relevant work experience. SITUATION: My biggest achievement was earning money after starting a blog from scratch. Youll leave out details, or worse, forget your best stories. It can be particularly difficult if you're a recent graduate and don't have a lot of experience to draw on. Applying for an academic role or have substantial teaching experience to list on your CV? For some job candidates, its difficult to determine what accomplishment to use and how to communicate it effectively, but the tips in this post should help you get started framing up a great answer. While academics is the basic scale of measuring success for students, what they do and learn beyond their textbooks also plays a vital role in forming their personal attributes. In an interview setting, the achievements you discuss can be professional or personal. My greatest accomplishment happened last quarter, when my team was behind on our sales quota. " is a common behavioral interview question, so be sure to practice your answer ahead of time. Out of the 4 months I spent there, 3 of them were a total nightmare. What that means is, the interviewer wants to understand your past performance, and how you handle specific situations (for example, under pressure). Learning the best way to answer What is your biggest accomplishment? or What is your best professional achievement ? job interview question is a great way to show an interviewer and prospective team members more information about you and your capabilities. Best answers to "what is your greatest accomplishment". Best Method to Answer What is your proudest accomplishment: The most effective method to answer these questions and its variations is to follow the S.T.A.R format (Situation/ Task/ Approach/ Result). A change in your condition or outlook. There were times that I had to put in 18-hour days to get everything done. Chances are youll have several good stories to choose from, and they might all be comparable in terms of their impressiveness. We were understaffed and needed to complete projects on time to retain our only clients and attract more. My family doesnt have the means to contribute to my siblings and my education, so I secured scholarship funds based on my grades and community service. This example is from a student who graduated at the top of their class: My greatest achievement was becoming valedictorian of my senior class at [University]. In my research, I learned about SEO and engagement, which made me drop a few things I was doing on the side to focus on the blog fully. That means picking your accomplishment based on how good of a story its going to make. When Is the Best Time To Interview for a Job for Optimal Results? However, you could refer to school, volunteering or even your hobbies, so long as you demonstrate transferable skills and prove you are the best person for the job. Working with a good team means open communication, high trust . This candidate describes initiative, organization, and insight into the teams needs. The restaurant was completely packed 90%+ of the time, and we barely had any breathing room., Task We had to be very efficient at work to make sure that we wouldnt get overwhelmed., Action - The most important part of making this work was being proactive. Moving out of your parents' house. Heres a sample answer from a professional interviewing for a Chief Human Resources Officer position: "What is your greatest professional achievement?". At the beginning of the summer, I created a very strict shift schedule, which we adhered to 100%. Trying to be funny - For example: " My greatest achievement was when I managed to get to work on time for once. Your commitment to work: The greatest achievement question helps employers determine your work ethic and commitment to growing in your profession. Research the job and company and tailor your answer accordingly. TASK: The only way to keep the region open was for sales to improve. When asking this question, the HR manager wants to learn about your professional and personal sides. 'My greatest achievement' examples could include: Giving a great presentation at work. The best way to answer this job interview question is by incorporating a great achievement that includes a work ethic that mirrors the companys culture. Experienced professional interviewing for a website management position -. Use your strongest accomplishment in your answer to make sure that you tell your best story. So if you feel like you dont have any good answers to this question because you havent been working long enough, youre going to have to get a little creative. Buying your first car. Within two months, I had introduced a new onboarding process, introduced and incentivized managerial training, and adopted a new recruitment software. RESULTS: I rebuilt within a year after the ordeal and learned much about what I can accomplish and how resilient I can be. Example answer for returning to the workforce. ', Sign up to become a member of Glassdoor so you can, Why employers ask about your accomplishments, How to answer 'What is your greatest accomplishment? Boost your application with an effective cover letter. Look for keywords and the primary responsibilities of the position. 1st Answer Example. Follow these steps to help you respond to questions about your greatest accomplishments: Start by making a list of all your accomplishments in the workplace. I would get to the office at 5 am by hitching a ride on one of my neighbors cars and managed to work extra four hours each day for a month. However, the content wasnt interesting and no one was engaging with us online. What is your greatest accomplishment as an accountant? Try our cover letter generator and make a cover letter fast. By reading and understanding the job description, you should know what the job requires. This can often be tied together with the situation in one or two sentences. Additional interview resources. Your greatest accomplishments serve as your greatest selling point when you offer yourself to the company. The hiring department had difficulty locating specific files and managing documents, especially during busy periods, and this ate up too much time., Task So, I thought there was room for improvement with employee file management. Mistakes continued, even after teaching the waitresses all of the receipts so they could explain the ingredients clearly to the guest. Shows how the project was successful in the end. What is your greatest accomplishment? Yes, this has been tested. ACTION: I was still new to the job and had no car, so I could not stay late in the office for safety purposes. I wanted to improve, and a lot of the other employees were often too busy to help me out. In only four months, we were achieving 50-80% above our chosen goals. The following are common types of accomplishments followed by a few more specific examples. your challenge or responsibility). The STAR translates to Situation, Task, Action, and Resolution. For the next three months, I was able to begin a weight training program and hitting lessons. I was assigned the task of reworking how we onboarded remote hires, since it was taking a long time to bring them up to speed. Choose an answer related to your professional or academic life. TASK: I decided to leave my comfort zone and change that by taking coding courses online as I continued working at the company. The way to best accomplish this is by using the STAR method. Utilize the STAR Method, Situation Describe the situation in your personal life or professional career that led to the achievement; Task talk about the task you had to do to accomplish the achievement; Action describe the actions you implemented to achieve the accomplishment; Results discuss the results. It wont matter how good your story is if they dont understand the context. Running your first marathon. Try our creative templates to highlight your personality. Building Support. This helped retain new remote workers and decreased the the time it took to get them up to speed, saving the company an average of $2,650 per remote employee. If you dont think you have any accomplishments, self-reflect and ask others for help. A lot of it was fast-paced too, and at first, I wasnt even sure if I was doing things right., Task - I felt out of place and I had to think fast if I wanted to move up in the company. Like with all good interview questions, when an interviewer asks you about your greatest accomplishment, theyre not just taking that answer at face value. If you have questions about resumes, cover letters, or CVs, we answer hundreds of them here. 30 Life Accomplishments You Want to Remember. Like the examples above, this story focuses on what the candidate did to create real results. 1 How ambitious you are, and what drives you. See the Best Places to Work 2023! Achievements also provide tangible evidence that colleagues, competitors and the wider world use to judge a person as more or less successful. In my last position, I negotiated with a new supplier to lower the cost of the raw materials we purchased to make our products. Shows resourcefulness, teamwork, and leadership qualities. Take a look at the following great answers to this common behavioral interview question and how they cover some of the candidates greatest strengths. My greatest accomplishment was developing a formal training program for the sales team in our last company. How To Respond To A Recruiter Email (With Examples), How To Answer Why Are You Interested In This Position? (With Examples): Job Interview Question, Topics: Get The Job, Guides, Interview Questions. The interviewer knows the candidate is motivated, independent, and possesses relevant career skills. Ryan Morris was a writer for the Zippia Advice blog who tried to make the job process a little more entertaining for all those involved. For example, if your greatest achievement is 100% customer retention, the values behind this accomplishment can be humility and service. Tell Me About A Challenge You've Faced At Work. I learned that younger potential donors found our materials out-of-touch. Obviously the most important thing about the accomplishment to you was the way that it affected your own life, but an interviewer is going to be wondering how youre going to benefit them and their own company in the future. To keep your answer focused on the right information, use the four-part STAR method, which includes the: Heres a brief example of how to use the STAR method in an interview answer: Situation: Shortly after starting my last barista role, I noticed people werent buying our new salted caramel latte drink. There are times when having no answer is still an appropriate response to a question youre asked. B) "My greatest accomplishment is graduating in the top 3% of my class of over 2,000 students last year, with a GPA of 3.88". I was diagnosed with a hip impingement and torn labrum after dealing with months of pain during the travel softball season. The question is among the most common interview questions asked because it gives the interviewer and prospective team members more information about you and your capabilities and allows them to see how well you communicate. His parents called to tell me that they had never seen him excited to do homework before, especially when it involved reading. Now, when you walk into the restaurant, you learn all about where our ingredients come from and their health benefits. What Sets You Apart From Other Candidates? 4. Choose a career achievement even if they don't specifically ask for it. Looking For More Information About Common Interview Questions? You know you need to ace this common interview question. Whether or not you have such an incident which you consider to be the greatest achievement in your life up till that point, be honest about it. But you want to talk about something thats not just impressive to you you want it to be impressive to anyone. What if I dont have any accomplishments? Make sure you prepare for this question ahead of time. send our content editing team a message here, 25 Best Why Do You Want to Work Here Sample Interview Answers, 21 Best Describe a Challenge You Faced and How You Overcame It Examples, 50 Most Asked Nursing Interview Questions with Answers, 20 Best Answers to Why Do You Want to Leave Your Current Job, 10 Best Answers to Why Do You Want to Be a Manager, 11 Best Answers to What Does Leadership Mean to You Interview Question, 50 Most Asked Front Desk Interview Questions with Answers, 10 Best Ways to Answer Sell Me This Pen in an Interview, 10 Most Asked Integrity Interview Questions with Answers, 25 Most Asked Confidentiality Interview Questions with Answers, 50 Most Asked Phone Interview Questions with Answers, 10 Best Answers to What Are Your Interests and Hobbies. Give an answer demonstrating your abilities as the best candidate for the job. Read the full guide here: Customer Service Resume - Examples & Guide. Refrain from including confidential information from previous employers in your own answer. I wrote up a five-question survey and sent it to a selection of people on our list of potential donors. "My greatest accomplishment was completing my bachelor's degree in 3 years or Graduate Degree in 2 years while pursuing an example (Business Degree), being a single parent, and working full-time. Further, great answers about your proudest accomplishment can show how well you communicate and display your creativity, leadership skills, and other useful skills that the job requires. "What is your greatest professional achievement" Answer example "My greatest achievement at my last company was when I designed and implemented a loyalty card scheme for customers. Give me an example of a time you faced a conflict while working in a team. Get ideas from our in-house career coaches. 2. SITUATION: One of my greatest achievements at work was wearing numerous hats and working long hours to achieve a huge goal. What three things should I say for accomplishments? Action. Mastering a new skill. Considering using materials such as journals, your resume, or school transcripts to help jog your memory. 4. 99%+ of the customers were happy, and we didnt receive a single bad review.. If thats not possible which it often isnt at this level you can still pick something that impacts others. By using feedback from the evaluation forms and best industry practices, I was able to develop a new onboarding system from the ground up. Some examples could be: Awards or competitions. We've got a lot more example answers for the most common interview questions: If you want to read up on interview tips instead, check out our in-depth guides here and ace your next interview: To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Think about school projects, trips, private tragedies, public disasters anything that required you to work to overcome something while contributing to something or someone else around you. However, the tech world is dynamic, and even with our weekly knowledge update sessions, I would come across questions I did not understand during calls. Well cover why interviewers ask about your greatest accomplishment, provide tips for giving the best answer, and tie it all together with a few sample answers. Describe the situation and in which context it happened. What happened and how did you handle it? I am incredibly proud of this accomplishment, as it . While finding an accomplishment that's relevant to what the company is looking for is an important first step, how you structure your story is also something you should consider. Answering interview questions is more of a skill, but don't worrywe'll go into greater . For example, a doctor who finds a cure for a rare disease shows their commitment to the job and the hard work of developing a cure. Reflect on your time in education, extra-curricular activities and hobbies to identify something you accomplished that made you feel proud. However, I decided to find a way to get to the office at least four hours before opening to pull in my weight and help with the extra work. How much work does it take for you to feel as though youve contributed to a work accomplishment? Weve also continued to use the same strategy for new products, which has cut down the time it takes them to reach customers significantly. Its relevant to a fresh graduate who might not have a lot of. Here are the four parts of the STAR method: S: Situation The situation or the task that is relevant to the job description. What was the outcome of your action? I was part of a small team assigned to redesigning the agency website in hopes of attracting new regional clients.". Are accomplishments in general out of the ordinary for you? Did you learn anything or determine how to complete the task differently next time? There is no standard answer to the question, What is Your Biggest Achievement? similar to discussing your greatest strengths because people come from different backgrounds and have different levels and ideas of success. My greatest achievement was getting to work with wonderful people at Atlas Copco Power Technique. It could be from a previous job, volunteer position, or another event. I was promoted to sales manager in charge of the region and ensured that we hit the set target every month. I started making short, funny videos around the office, showing what we did as a company while humanizing the brand. They close with a measurable positive impact on the company, placing the focus back on the benefit for the employer. 'What is your greatest accomplishment' is one of the best questions you can be asked in your next interview because it's really just a chance for you to brag about something great that you did. This question essentially forces a full S-T-A-R behavioral answer, since it puts the "R" (results achieved) first, which makes it easy to trace the trail for how you got there. This is a compelling way to share a big accomplishment with potential employers. E.g. Interviewers ask this question to gain insight into your proven work and what achievements you view as most valuable and important. All rights reserved. Then work on building out the supporting examples for these accomplishments. The company had instilled fines for that, but certain employees still came in late regardless of multiple fines. Based on your response, they can also determine what you consider important as an employee. Try to stick with professional career or job-related strong answers. This way, I never missed a deadline, assignment or any other responsibility., Results - In the end, I graduated with a GPA of 3.8, almost no student loans, and also interned as the university social media assistant during my last 2 semesters. Because of this experience, next time I run into this challenge, Ill be able to use my newfound abilities with [skill or concept].. Your greatest accomplishment is a significant event or achievement that you are proud of and that has had a meaningful impact on your life. Practice your example answers before your interview. One of the common interview questions a recruiter may ask a potential candidate is, What is your greatest accomplishment? Potential employers prefer this question as it gives them insight into what you consider important parts of a job and how motivated you are to reach your career goals. Copyright 2008-2023, Glassdoor, Inc. "Glassdoor" and logo are registered trademarks of Glassdoor, Inc, How to Answer 'What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment? I knew automating the process would make things easier and help us close more sales. Well get you started with a brief template to give you an idea of how to organize your answer: My team achieved our goal of [goal your team was working toward]. Choose something that is as modern as possible and somewhat relevant to that job. Through focus and time management, I excelled in my classes and even filled in for student co-workers when they were struggling to keep up. Not only did I graduate with minimal debt, but I also was able to gain practical experience that many of my peers dont have. TASK: But now that I was there to stay, I had to find a way to learn at least words that would get me the basic things like food and help. Your values. Action: With my supervisors permission, I created promotional posters and asked everyone to suggest the drink to people who seemed indecisive. I attribute this accomplishment to my willingness to work overtime and help out wherever needed while learning all I can about the business. How to Choose Your Greatest Achievement for Interviews: 1. Generally, the best full proof . It may seem to be a simple question, but asking "what is your greatest achievement?" is a clever way for interviewers to examine your personality, work ethic, and suitability for the job. RESULTS: Following months of hard work and my doctor telling me hes never seen anyone recover so quickly, I lead the team in batting average. Learning how to cook an exotic dish. R [RESULTS] What were the results of what you did? (S) Situation - Describe the situation and the context in which the event took place. At my current job as a fifth-grade teacher, my greatest accomplishments always involve watching my students achieve something. (T) Task - Talk about the tasks you had to complete (i.e. Look for actions you took that made it possible for you to be in the position to interview for this job. The fact that you ran a marathon after eating an entire box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts is impressive, but maybe not pertinent to how good of an engineer you are. Volunteer jobs like these are ideal sources for greatest accomplishment answers for entry-level candidates.
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