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Job interviews are a unique blend of excitement and anxiety. They offer the chance to showcase your skills, experience, and personality, all while navigating a series of questions designed to evaluate your suitability for a position. One common yet impactful question that often arises during interviews is, “What is your greatest accomplishment?” This seemingly simple inquiry is a window into your professional journey and can provide interviewers with valuable insights into your character, skills, and potential fit within the organization. In this article, we delve into the nuances of this question and explore effective strategies for crafting a compelling response.
1. List accomplishments
Put together two to three stories that you feel represent your best work as it relates to the position for which you’re applying. These examples can be stories that showcase your most interesting and impressive accomplishments. It’s a good idea to think of more than one example so you can tailor your story to different interviews. Plus, if you have more than one example ready, you can be prepared if the interviewer asks you to discuss your additional accomplishments.
If you’re having trouble thinking of impressive achievements, consider the times that someone complimented or recognized you for your work. Think of ways you’ve made an impact in your previous positions, such as making it possible for you to complete a task faster or with fewer people, saving the company money or increasing revenue.
2. Review the job description
To make your answer relevant to the interviewer and company, make sure you’re reviewing the job description and researching the company. This can help you select an accomplishment that demonstrates the skills and qualities the employer is looking for in a candidate. Consider the achievements the company has made recently to offer insight into how you can contribute to the workplace if you receive a job offer.
3. Follow the STAR method
This can allow you to focus on the key details of your accomplishment and create a story for the interviewer that’s memorable and concise.
Here’s how the STAR method works:
- Set up the situation that led to your accomplishment. Keep this concise—only give enough detail for your interviewer to understand the story.
- Establish what the task or goal you set out to achieve was. This might be what was assigned to you as a work task or a goal you set for yourself.
- Walk them through, the action (or actions) you took. Your “greatest accomplishment” answer should often be as much about process as outcome, so this will likely be the bulk of your answer. For example, Neiha Arora, a recruiter at Starbucks corporate headquarters, says she’s interested in hearing about how you play well with others. “When I interview, I’m not looking to hear just about a project, but more about relationship management. How do you work with your coworkers? How are you able to influence and lead?”
- Discuss the results of your action as well as what effects your accomplishment had on your company. If you have numbers to help establish the scale and impact of your achievement, jot them down ahead of your interview so that you can easily reference them while answering this question.
Sample Response
“In my previous role as Project Manager, I faced the challenge of streamlining our product development process to meet tight deadlines. Our team was struggling with communication gaps and missed milestones. I implemented a comprehensive project management software that enabled real-time collaboration, task tracking, and automated progress updates. Through my leadership, the team embraced this new system, and within six months, we reduced project completion time by 20%, leading to a 15% increase in client satisfaction scores. This experience taught me the value of effective communication, adaptability to change, and the importance of investing in tools that can drive efficiency.”
Final Thoughts
The question, “What is your greatest accomplishment?” is a prime opportunity to present a well-rounded picture of your skills, qualities, and values. Through thoughtful selection and articulation of your achievement, you can leave a lasting impression on your interviewers.
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