your challenge or responsibility). Pick one that highlights how you can benefit the employer. You can also use the STAR method to help you find the answer. Use our modern templates if you'd like to give your application a newer, more contemporary aesthetic. It can be particularly difficult if you're a recent graduate and don't have a lot of experience to draw on. Professional templates for applicants in formal industries. RESULTS: After three months, I could construct full sentences, and I was well on my way to getting the accent down too. In month seven, I rejoined my team in time for the high school season. Acquiring Skills. Highlight your most notable publications and research with one of our research-focused CVs. 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. Answering What is your greatest achievement in an interview can be intimidating. Soon after, I started a summer landscape business where I earned over $10,000 in my sophomore, junior, and senior years. Choose something that is as modern as possible and somewhat relevant to that job. Describe the situation and in which context it happened. Concrete examples of your work. Out of the 4 months I spent there, 3 of them were a total nightmare. Are you a mid-level professional in your field? 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]. 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. Lets take a look at another sample answer. The following are common types of accomplishments followed by a few more specific examples. When a recruiter or hiring manager asks you about your greatest accomplishment, they really want to know three main things: Your work ethic. After all, odds are pretty good that if youve worked long enough to have one big accomplishment, its not the only accomplishment that youve had. To answer just about any behavioral job interview question right, we recommend using the STAR method. There are times when having no answer is still an appropriate response to a question youre asked. Beating sales targets. Shows relevance to the specific workplace. The greatest achievement question can be stressful for students and new graduates. In my previous position as a sales representative, our team produced at lower levels than in other regions. At MatchBuilt, weve explored other common interview questions, such as Why do you want to work here?, Why do you want this job?, Tell me about yourself, What are you passionate about?, What areas need improvement? and Why should we hire you? and we invite you to review them as well. Topic Ideas for Writing the Greatest Accomplishment Essay. The whole story follows the STAR method down to the T. It uses numbers and data to describe the context and shows relevance. A few more tips from HEC Montreal for students seeking jobs. If you're success-oriented and if you've gone above and beyond in your work. Task: "As a senior member of the team, I was tasked with being both the content strategist and the overall project manager. In my first job out of college, I was tasked with managing a companys social media channels. It is also important that you give context and highlight how your skills added value to the situation. Like with all good interview questions, when an interviewer asks you about your greatest accomplishment, theyre not just taking that answer at face value. The Bottom Line on The Biggest Achievement Interview Question. A business driver is often a key metric (e.g., quality) but not always (e.g., best practice). Result: Sales of the drink doubled and the store owner promoted me to assistant manager, where I boosted sales another 15%. Shows resourcefulness, teamwork, and leadership qualities. Be sure to take credit for your accomplishments. I learn to prioritize my time between family and work. RESULTS: I rebuilt within a year after the ordeal and learned much about what I can accomplish and how resilient I can be. How to Choose Your Greatest Achievement for Interviews: 1. First, I decided to create a document of the Frequently Asked Questions I was getting, for personal use. The top achievement of my career has been the transformation of my former department as vice president of human resources. Generally, the best full proof . Honesty is the best policy. Entry-Level College Grad. I was promoted to sales manager in charge of the region and ensured that we hit the set target every month. We raised $20,000 from that cohort by the end of the year. I am incredibly proud of this accomplishment, as it . Your interviewers will assess how well your work style and values fit with the company culture. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users. While its sometimes not easy to talk about ourselves and our past experiences, practicing for this and other key behavioral questions will pay dividends in the long run. When I left that role, 97% of new hires gave positive reviews for the training program. How hard do you routinely work? If so, why mention this example specifically? Check the job listing to see what skills the company is looking for in a candidate, and tailor your answer accordingly. TASK: I made a commitment to myself that I would find a way to finance and pay to attend the college of my choice. I can hold 3/4 of a cup (180 mL) of water in my mouth. This question is a behavioral interview question. No votes so far! For 16 months, I often stayed late to make additional sales calls and would go on-site to dormant accounts one to two days per week. I assigned a few new team members to the project and worked through a weekend to bring myself up to speed. TASK: Find a way to let customers know what was in the food before eating it. Your commitment to work: The greatest achievement question helps employers determine your work ethic and commitment to growing in your profession. If youre having trouble choosing just one example for your greatest accomplishment, keep the following things in mind: Stick to work examples. Your goal is to convince the interviewer that you're the right candidate for the job. Did you learn anything or determine how to complete the task differently next time? 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. My greatest achievement was getting to work with wonderful people at Atlas Copco Power Technique. What was the outcome of your action? Out of the 4 months I spent there, 3 of them were a total nightmare. 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. "My most significant career achievement was being the youngest person ever awarded a sales management position at my current company. Your answer to this question really can give away all of the above. Because of my poor test grade, the amount of time I studied more than doubled, which made me a . See the Best Places to Work 2023! 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. I shortened the time for onboarding by 50% and once our sales reps were out in the field, they started making sales on day one, which was unheard of before. can be challenging, regardless of where you are in your professional career. Tell Me About A Time When You Made A Mistake On The Job, How To Answer Tell Me About A Time You Disagreed With Your Boss. I attribute this accomplishment to my willingness to work overtime and help out wherever needed while learning all I can about the business. Answer (1 of 6): While working for the chemistry necessary in the Human Genome project I have synthesized the most difficult fluorescent base in the project, in a contest with a group of PhD chemists. Each team or individual could instantly access the files they needed in one HR filing system, and increase their overall productivity., Are you wondering what are some other accomplishments you can mention during your interview? He then went home and continued reading. 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 collected feedback from various people for about two weeks, then used the other two weeks to create awareness about the product in the area, with specific demonstrations on how to use the product. We were having trouble selling our new product, despite our best marketing efforts. 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? Have you ever failed to meet a clients expectations? Copyright 2023 Novorsum ApS. (S) Situation - Describe the situation and the context in which the event took place. Then you can determine to what extent you made this change happen or contributed to it. Its known as a behavioral interview question, which means the hiring manager is looking for an example of your past behavior that will indicate success in the future. Research. Choose a career achievement even if they don't specifically ask for it. Sample Answer 2 - Continuous Learning Professional Achievement. They close with a measurable positive impact on the company, placing the focus back on the benefit for the employer. Sample Answer 2 - Cashier Job at a Fast Food Restaurant. Revenue Directly or indirectly achieving revenue. Sometimes, the hardest problem youll face in answering this question wont be coming up with a single answer: Itll be choosing between several different ones. Use the S-T-A-R format (the Situation you faced, the Task required, the Action you took, and the successful Result of your action) to describe your accomplishment. Spend a little time reflecting on your career. The whole experience taught me how to effectively manage and prioritize my time. To make the best possible impression, follow these two steps: While your interviewer might be impressed by the first prize trophy you won in your countys Best Cherry Pie Contest, you should choose another example unless youre applying for a baking position. My greatest accomplishment was developing a formal training program for the sales team in our last company. Volunteer jobs like these are ideal sources for greatest accomplishment answers for entry-level candidates. Recruiters and hiring managers dont just want to hear that you know how to work they want specifics. When answering this question you want to make sure you prepare your answer, read the job description, and use the star method in your answer. 3. They expect to hear about an accomplishment from your education, volunteerism, or part-time work. RESULTS: My calls started getting better, and after a month into my course, I was awarded employee of the month for offering the best solutions to our customers. The interviewer knows the candidate is motivated, independent, and possesses relevant career skills. Its always better to have a recent story versus one from ten years ago, especially if the skills you display are no longer relevant to the modern work youll be doing. This gives them some insight into big projects you might have undertaken in the past, and it gives them a basis for their expectations of your work in the future. I used to post weekly and engage with the comments on a particular day of the week. Best answers to "what is your greatest accomplishment". Short on time or simply dont like writing? A: Action The actions you took alone or your specific contribution as part of a team to obtain the objective. Follow the STAR method as an answering format for a comprehensive reply. Plus, I learned time management skills that will serve me well throughout my career. Yes, this has been tested. Learn more: 7 Situational Interview Questions to Prepare For. Not only that, but it had a knock-on effect of increasing user engagement with our social media platforms by 70% in just a month. But with our CV maker, you can create a CV in the same timeframe. This way, you are sure to construct the best answer and help the recruiter take notice of your specific skills and abilities. 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. Achievements also provide tangible evidence that colleagues, competitors and the wider world use to judge a person as more or less successful. Applying for work where you might need to wear a suit? ', 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? " is a common behavioral interview question, so be sure to practice your answer ahead of time. When I got to my previous company as a human resources manager, employees spent so much time on lunch breaks, which would interfere with the working hours and the teams output. Choose something recent, if you can. While finding an accomplishment thats relevant to what the company is looking for is an important first step, how you structure your story is also something you should consider. Basic templates are perfect for job seekers looking to send out applications fast. I finished my course and went on to learn more programming languages, and I am now about to graduate as a software engineer. A great answer includes a real accomplishment thats free of BS, includes a specific example, and is concise in a way that entices engagement from the interviewer. 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. Understand that fabrication of a story will not be leaving a very good impression on your recruiter or manager. 1 How ambitious you are, and what drives you. What do you view as being an accomplishment? 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. It is common for these to be listed on a performance review or resume and to be discussed in an interview. Not only did I graduate with minimal debt, but I also was able to gain practical experience that many of my peers dont have. Summary of How To Answer What Is Your Biggest Achievement? 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. Your first travel experience. 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The accomplishment that Im most proud of is how rapidly I was promoted to the team lead position for our sales team. If you can stand out with an answer that ties your qualifications and skills directly to the job description, you can get a lot done with this answer. When describing the outcome, if possible, mention numbers and quantifiable facts. The way to best accomplish this is by using the STAR method. Talking about your own achievements can be pretty uncomfortable for some were taught not to brag from an early age. As with all behavioral interview questions, choosing a relevant example and using the STAR . Give an answer demonstrating your abilities as the best candidate for the job. 4. 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. Unfortunately, he had been leading a client project that was due in a week and no one else was as familiar with the client or could code at his level. Here are some techniques to answer questions about your greatest accomplishments: Start off by telling the interviewer a story. Buttoned up yet stylish. (R) Results - Explain the kind of results you achieved. Try our creative templates to highlight your personality. . This can help you have specific accomplishments in mind that you could refer to based on what youre discussing in the interview. Never miss an opportunity thats right for you. By asking this question, the hiring manager can see if your accomplishments and work ethic aligns with the needs of the organization. As the founder of MatchBuilt, a premier career coaching and recruiting firm, I am passionate about helping individuals transform their professional lives. 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. ACTION: I started by talking to my neighbor who could speak a bit of English, and then my interest grew to me signing up for a French class and dedicating hours a day to learning the new language. Within two months, I had introduced a new onboarding process, introduced and incentivized managerial training, and adopted a new recruitment software. Your answer says A LOT about you as a candidate. Answer (1 of 19): A few things; removing unnecessary code is extremely satisfying. TASK: I had to try something different to gain more awareness, or else my blog would not grow. Look for actions you took that made it possible for you to be in the position to interview for this job. First of all, I was incredibly lucky in my life. The best answer to this tough interview question will entail a real accomplishment thats free of BS and includes a specific example. What Sets You Apart From Other Candidates? You're simultaneously making the program easier to understand while also removing a lot of potential sources for bugs (research tells us that the number of bugs in a program is proportional to the number of lines i. 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. 1st Answer Example. ACTION: I asked my manager to give me a month to work on my regional sales. Understanding Greatest Accomplishment. That way, you can tune your answers to every question the interviewer throws at you. Whats your greatest accomplishment? might sound like an awfully complicated question. Use the STAR method. So, to help you learn how to answer behavioral job interview questions better, were going to cover 3 more examples and sample answers below: Other common behavioral interview questions include: Check out even more common interview questions, and sample answers here: 35+ Common Interview Questions and Answers. Women at Cambridge. Top 10 Best Example Answers When a Hiring Manager Asks What Is Your Greatest Achievement?, Sample Answer 2 Continuous Learning Professional Achievement, Sample Answer 3 Side Hustle Personal Achievement, Sample Answer 4 Paying For College Myself Achievement, Sample Answer 5 Persevering Through Injury Achievement, Sample Answer 6 Living Abroad Greatest Personal Achievement, Sample Answer 7 Management Achievement at Work, Sample Answer 8 Building Back After Loss Achievement, Sample Answer 9 Overcoming Bad Online Reviews Achievement, Sample Answer 10 Understaffed Project at Work Biggest Achievement, Tips To Improve Your Answer To What Is Your Greatest Professional Achievement?, What Not To Say or Do When Answering What Is Your Greatest Achievement?. I knew automating the process would make things easier and help us close more sales. The candidate proves their ability to meet and exceed HR objectives on a large scale, while focusing on what they did to get there. This could include the tasks you're in charge of, your position in a particular issue . But you want to talk about something thats not just impressive to you you want it to be impressive to anyone. Youre one step away from getting the job. He obtained his BA and Masters from Appalachian State University. Be specific in details, but make it short and to the point. Heres a sample answer from an undergraduate student: While studying marketing as an undergraduate, I volunteered with my community orchestra to raise funds for a scholarship program. Charitable work or volunteering. When answering questions about your accomplishments, you need to highlight and elaborate your successes. That way, you can choose an accomplishment that best aligns with the duties of the new job. "So far, my greatest accomplishment was organizing a food drive at my high school. 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". 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. If you dont have much professional experience to draw from, consider accomplishments from your academic career and any internships or volunteer work youve done. What happened and how did you handle it? Preparing an answer. Describe the challenge you were up against, your plan of attack, and the success you saw on the other side. A change in your condition or outlook. It blew my expectations out of the water, and my company went on to assign me more marketing tasks in the future. Tips on how to answer "tell me what your proudest accomplishment is". "What is your greatest accomplishment? By taking initiative, I earned myself a senior developer position and a company car to help me navigate from home to work. My marketing ideas brought in an additional $800,000 in income for the company. Dont lie or embellish too much, but think about which of your examples makes the best story. Obviously, the result should be monumentally positive for this answer, since were talking about your greatest accomplishment. If we had just rolled with the punches and focused on putting out fires, the whole thing wouldve turned into a mess real fast. Your greatest accomplishment could be like Gennifer's, Morgan's or Asha's or it could be completely different. Ensure your greatest accomplishment is work-related or demonstrates skills which can be directly applied in the workplace. Your answer should serve as another opportunity to talk yourself up and let hiring managers know why you should be their top choice. Reflect on your time in education, extra-curricular activities and hobbies to identify something you accomplished that made you feel proud. What is your greatest achievement? SITUATION: One of my biggest achievements at work was turning around terrible online reviews. Spend Time Reflecting (and Taking Notes) Sometimes, the hardest part of answering this question is remembering what you've achieved over the years. SITUATION: My biggest achievement was buildingafter a devastating loss. Lets start with the basics: whats the point of this job interview question? Make sure your achievements match the skills and experience needed for the job at hand. In other words, associate your accomplishment with a specific percentage or dollar amount. This saved me a lot of time, and eventually, the document got repurposed to its own web page. Win over hiring managers with our expert tips. List your accomplishments. The most compelling answers to this interview question will be the most relevant ones. Check out our full guide on the topic here: Student & Graduate Resume Guide & Sample [Plus 10 Skills for Savvy Job-hunters]. I began my career in fast food washing dishes and worked my way up into a management role in just four years. RESULTS: As a result, our food tastes better, and positive online reviews increased threefold. 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. This is your moment to really connect to the interviewer by mentioning details that are related and relevant to the company . 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 contribution was published by Oxford Press. The company promoted me from a mid-level position and tasked me with improving retention and recruitment. Because of this experience, next time I run into this challenge, Ill be able to use my newfound abilities with [skill or concept].. What you consider an achievement may differ from what others think, but there are often common traits that achievements share, such as: A problem you addressed. The sample answers below will work for this question, as well as for the alternatives, such as "What is your greatest achievement in life?". Looking for a job-winning customer service resume you could use as inspiration? Try our cover letter generator and make a cover letter fast. Try to determine if your involvement made a difference, such as creating a new website, a fundraiser, or a department restructuring. Heres what your greatest achievement might sound like. We went from 100 followers to over 5,000 within one year and social media is now a steady channel for generating sales leads. 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. 2 If you have the right attitude and are a good fit with the company/team. 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. Looking For More Information About Common Interview Questions? The restaurant was completely packed 90%+ of the time, and we barely had any breathing room. Situation - Well, as a recent graduate of XYZ University, I think my greatest achievement was what I managed to accomplish during my time there. 4. I also set up in-person meetings with three donors who had expressed interest but had not donated. "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.We'll cover why interviewers ask about your greatest accomplishment, provide tips for giving the best answer, and tie it all together with a few . I was a topper in subjects like engineering mathematics and applied mechanics in my bath. 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. . For some job candidates, its difficult to determine what accomplishment to use and how to communicate it effectively, so well try to get the juices flowing with some sample answers here. ACTION: I took a second job to help with the extra bills, maximized my time so I could continue with a rigorous college curriculum, and leveraged help from neighbors and friends. My part of the project was [your duties]. 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. 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 .