“What Is Your Greatest Achievement?” Top Sample Answers
By Status.net Editorial Team on July 18, 2023 — 18 minutes to read
- How to Structure Your Answer Part 1
- Sharing Your Successes Part 2
- “What Is Your Greatest Achievement?” Example Answers Part 3
- Example Answers by Career Stage Part 4
- Showcasing Soft Skills Part 5
- How to Avoid Common Mistakes Part 6
- “Can you share an example of a personal goal you achieved?” Part 7
- “How did you overcome a major challenge?” Part 8
- “What was your role in a significant project?” Part 9
- “What was a difficult problem you solved at work?” Part 10
- “How have you contributed to the growth of a company?” Part 11
- “What is a unique skill or expertise you have…?” Part 12
Part 1 How to Structure Your Answer
When asked about your greatest achievement in a job interview, it’s important to understand what the interviewer is looking for in your answer. This question is an opportunity for you to showcase your skills, accomplishments, and qualities that make you an excellent candidate for the position. It’s essential to provide an answer that highlights your best abilities, preferably one related to the job for which you’re interviewing.
To answer this question effectively, you should select an example of an accomplishment that demonstrates your capabilities, your ability to overcome challenges, and your dedication to your work. Be sure to explain the situation, the actions you took, and the positive results of your achievement. It’s also essential to express how this achievement has contributed to your personal growth or career development.
The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, and Result) is a helpful way to organize your response:
- Begin by describing the situation you faced, providing enough context for the listener to understand your initial challenge. Be specific about the circumstances and the environment, whether it was a demanding project at your previous job or a personal milestone.
- Next, explain the task you had to accomplish. Tie this to your job description or responsibilities when possible, making sure to highlight the relevance of this accomplishment to the role you’re interviewing for. Keeping the focus on your past will help demonstrate that you have a history of success.
- After setting the stage, move on to the action you took and the steps you followed to overcome the challenge. Be specific, as this shows your problem-solving abilities and thought process. Take this opportunity to emphasize the qualities that enabled you to achieve this outcome, like perseverance, creativity, and teamwork.
- Finally, detail the results of your actions. Use specific numbers or quantifiable achievements to illustrate the impact of your success. Showcase how your accomplishment positively affected your team, organization, or even yourself personally. This will emphasize your ability to make a meaningful difference through your efforts.
By employing the STAR method, you’ll effectively highlight your greatest professional accomplishment in a way that showcases your strengths and adds credibility to your application.
Remember that your greatest achievement doesn’t have to be world-changing – it just needs to showcase your own growth and abilities.
Part 2 Sharing Your Successes
When asked about your greatest achievement, it’s important to share a success story that highlights your relevant skills, experience, and qualities. Consider a recent achievement that showcases your abilities as a candidate and relates to the job description you’re applying for.
For instance, if you’re applying for a team lead role, you could talk about how you guided your team through a tough project. Describe the challenges you faced, the strategies you employed, and the results you achieved. Make sure to emphasize the teamwork and leadership skills you developed along the way.
In case you have a strong educational background or an impressive feat in your field, don’t hesitate to mention it. Your academic accomplishments are worth noting, especially if they align with the strengths required for the job you’re pursuing.
Always try to demonstrate how your achievements translate into potential value for your prospective employer. To do so, relate your successes to the job description and show how your skills and experience make you the ideal candidate. This proves your capability to handle tasks and challenges with confidence and expertise.
While sharing your successes, try to remain clear, knowledgeable, and neutral in your tone. Avoid making exaggerated or false claims and keep it brief by focusing on the essential aspects of your achievement.
Part 3 “What Is Your Greatest Achievement?” Example Answers
“My greatest achievement was completing a challenging project ahead of schedule while working as a project manager. I organized and motivated my team, resulting in a successful and timely project completion. This accomplishment showed my ability to lead and manage a team under tight deadlines.”
“In my previous role as a marketing coordinator, I increased social media engagement by 40% within six months. Through strategic planning and constant analysis of our campaigns, I was able to boost our brand and effectively engage with our target audience.”
“As a sales representative, my greatest achievement was consistently exceeding my sales targets for three consecutive quarters, resulting in a promotion and a recognition award from my company. I believe my dedication to understanding clients’ needs and my proactive approach to problem-solving helped me achieve this success.”
“One of my greatest achievements was completing a marathon. This was a personal goal of mine that required months of training and dedication. I had to push myself physically and mentally to cross the finish line, but the feeling of accomplishment was indescribable. It taught me the importance of setting goals and working hard to achieve them.”
“My greatest achievement was starting my own business. It was a risky move, but I had a vision and was determined to make it a reality. I had to navigate through various challenges, such as securing funding and building a customer base, but the hard work paid off. Seeing my business grow and thrive was incredibly fulfilling.”
“One of my greatest achievements was when I successfully led a team of X members to complete a project that had been delayed for months. I created a detailed plan and delegated tasks based on each team member’s strengths. I also held regular meetings to ensure everyone was on the same page and motivated to complete the project. As a result, we were able to finish the project on time and within budget, which impressed both our clients and our manager.”
“My greatest achievement was volunteering for a humanitarian organization. I spent several months working in a developing country, helping to build infrastructure and improve the lives of local communities. It was a challenging experience, but also incredibly eye-opening. Being able to make a positive impact on people’s lives was a humbling and rewarding experience that I will never forget.”
“One of my proudest achievements was when I organized a charity event that raised over X amount of dollars for a local nonprofit organization. I worked tirelessly to reach out to potential sponsors, coordinate volunteers, and promote the event through social media and other channels. It was a rewarding experience to see the community come together and support a great cause, and I learned a lot about leadership, communication, and event planning in the process.”
“My greatest achievement was writing and publishing a book. It was a project that I had been working on for years, and finally seeing it in print was a dream come true. The process required a lot of discipline and perseverance, but it was worth it in the end. Being able to share my ideas and stories with others was a rewarding experience.”
“I consider my greatest achievement to be when I was able to increase sales by X% in my previous role. I accomplished this by analyzing customer data to identify areas of improvement, developing new marketing strategies, and training the sales team on effective communication and customer service. I also maintained strong relationships with key clients and followed up on their feedback to continuously improve our products and services.”
Part 4 Example Answers by Career Stage
Entry-level sample answer.
As an entry-level job seeker, your greatest achievement might be related to your academics or internships:
“During my final year of college, I led a team of students for our capstone project, which focused on creating a marketing campaign for a local non-profit. Our campaign resulted in a 20% increase in donations for the organization. This experience allowed me to develop my communication skills and demonstrated my ability to create a real-world impact.”
Mid-Career Sample Answer
At the mid-career stage, your greatest accomplishments likely center around your work experience and professional development:
“One of my proudest moments was when I was promoted to Team Lead after just one year at my current company. This was a recognition of my hard work and dedication, and it gave me the opportunity to mentor and support the career growth of the junior members of our team. This role has reinforced my passion for helping others succeed and has driven me to continuously improve my leadership skills.”
Experienced Professional Sample Answer
As an experienced professional, your greatest achievement often showcases your significant contributions to the success of your organization:
“In my previous role as Project Manager, I successfully led a team to complete a high-visibility project under tight deadlines and within budget. This project helped the company secure a prestigious new client, resulting in a significant increase in annual revenue. My ability to coordinate a diverse team, prioritize tasks, and communicate effectively with stakeholders was crucial to the project’s success.”
Part 5 Showcasing Soft Skills
When discussing your greatest achievement, it’s important to highlight your soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and creativity. These skills are often highly valued by hiring managers and can help you stand out as a job candidate.
Communication Skills: Think of an accomplishment where your communication skills played a key role. For example, perhaps you successfully negotiated a deal between two disagreeing parties or presented a complicated project in an easily digestible manner to a diverse audience.
Teamwork: Reflect on a time when you collaborated well within a group to achieve a shared objective. You might have led a team in completing a project on time and under budget, or resolved conflicts among team members to achieve a common goal. Showcasing your ability to work in a team environment can highlight how well you’ll fit into the company’s culture.
Creativity: You can highlight your creativity by describing an achievement that required innovative thinking or problem-solving. This could be a marketing campaign that generated significant results due to its unconventional approach or a solution you developed to improve a process within your organization.
Related: What Are Soft Skills? (and How to Showcase Them)
Part 6 How to Avoid Common Mistakes
Keep in mind these tips to avoid common mistakes:
- Avoid lying about or exaggerating your achievements. Recruiters can usually spot false claims, which will damage your credibility. Instead, focus on being genuine and authentic in sharing your accomplishments. Using specific details and examples will help convey your achievements in a more meaningful way.
- Avoid coming across as arrogant or bragging about your success. Instead, express your pride and gratitude for the opportunity you were given to achieve your goals. Keep a humble and realistic attitude when discussing your accomplishments.
- On the other hand, don’t downplay your achievements by only talking about your greatest strength. While your strengths may be related to your accomplishments, focus on providing a well-rounded view of your overall success.
- Avoid focusing only on personal successes. Remember that recruiters seek candidates who can contribute to the success of the company. Emphasize how your achievements have benefited others, such as your team, clients, or the organization you were working for.
- Ensure that you are well-prepared for the interview, as stress and nerves can cause you to lose focus and become less articulate. Take the time to thoroughly research the company and reflect on your professional experiences, so you feel ready to discuss your achievements.
Tips on Preparation
Before the interview, research the organization’s mission, culture, and goals. This will allow you to tailor your response to align with the company’s values. It’s essential to understand what hiring managers are looking for in an ideal candidate.
Create a list of potential achievements and practice talking about them. This will make it easier for you to recall the details during the interview. However, be careful not to memorize your responses word-for-word, because you want your answer to sound natural and genuine.
When sharing your achievement, keep the focus on the positive impact you made and the outcomes you achieved. However, don’t forget to mention any challenges you faced and how you overcame them. This will help you come across as resilient and determined.
Try to acknowledge any team effort involved in your accomplishment. While you want to highlight your role, it’s essential to show that you are a team player and can collaborate well with others.
Confidence is key when discussing your greatest achievement. Speak with conviction and pride, communicating the significance of your accomplishment and its relevance to your potential performance in the role.
Additional Questions: Example Answers
Part 7 “can you share an example of a personal goal you achieved”.
When discussing your personal goal, explain your motivation for setting it, the steps you took to reach it, and any obstacles you faced along the way. This will demonstrate your ability to set ambitious targets and work diligently to achieve them.
Reflect on a time where you set a goal for yourself and successfully achieved it. It could be an educational milestone, physical fitness achievement, or a creative pursuit.
Example Answer 1
“One personal goal I achieved was learning a new language. I had always been interested in learning Spanish, so I enrolled in a language course and practiced speaking with native speakers. I also watched Spanish movies and listened to Spanish music to immerse myself in the language. After several months, I was able to have conversations in Spanish and even travelled to a Spanish-speaking country to practice my skills.”
Example Answer 2
“One personal goal I achieved was completing a volunteer project to renovate a community center. While I was the project leader, I was grateful to have a dedicated team of volunteers who worked tirelessly to complete the project on time. We faced several challenges, such as limited resources and unforeseen construction issues, but we worked together to overcome them. Through our efforts, we were able to provide a safe and welcoming space for members of the community to gather and participate in activities.”
Part 8 “How did you overcome a major challenge and achieve success?”
- Give a brief overview of the challenge you faced: explain the context and why it was a challenge.
- Next, describe the steps you took to overcome the challenge. Be specific and highlight any innovative or creative approaches you used.
- Finally, explain how you were successful in overcoming the challenge. Describe the positive outcome and any lessons you learned from the experience.
“One major challenge I faced was during my previous job, where I was leading a team that was struggling to meet its targets. I realized that the team lacked clear communication and direction, so I took the initiative to schedule regular team meetings to discuss our progress and identify areas of improvement. I also provided individual coaching to team members who were struggling. Through these efforts, we were able to improve our performance and meet our targets.”
“One major challenge I faced was during my college years when I struggled with time management and procrastination. I realized that I needed to develop better habits and discipline to succeed, so I started using a planner to schedule my tasks and set daily goals. I also joined a study group to stay accountable and motivated. Through these efforts, I was able to improve my grades and graduate with honors.”
Part 9 “What was your role in a significant project or accomplishment?”
Your role in a significant project could vary depending on your experience, skills, and the nature of the project itself. Consider a time where you successfully managed a project, led a team, or played a crucial part in developing a new product or service. Describe your specific responsibilities in that role, the challenges you faced, and how your actions ultimately contributed to the project’s success.
“In a previous job, I was part of a team that was responsible for implementing a new customer service program. My role was to lead the training and development efforts. I developed training modules and provided ongoing coaching to customer service representatives to ensure that they were equipped to provide excellent service to our customers. I also worked closely with the IT team to develop a new customer service platform that streamlined our processes. Through these efforts, we were able to improve customer satisfaction ratings and reduce customer complaints.”
“In a previous job, I was part of a team that was responsible for organizing a charity event. My role was to lead the marketing and outreach efforts. I developed a social media campaign and reached out to local media outlets to promote the event. As a result, we were able to attract a record number of attendees and raise a significant amount of funds for the charity.”
Part 10 “What was a difficult problem you solved at work and how did you do it?”
This answer can be an opportunity to showcase your analytical and problem-solving skills. Think about a situation where you identified a difficult issue, analyzed its root cause, and implemented an effective solution. Related: What is Problem Solving? (Steps, Techniques, Examples)
Describe the problem, the steps you took to analyze it, and the methods you used to solve it. Highlight how your solution improved the situation or resulted in a positive outcome for your team or company.
“One difficult problem I solved was a technical issue that was affecting our company’s website. I worked with the IT team to identify the root cause of the issue and develop a plan to resolve it. I also communicated regularly with stakeholders to provide updates on the status of the issue and manage their expectations. Through our efforts, we were able to resolve the issue and minimize the impact on our customers.”
“One difficult problem I solved was a conflict between two team members who had different work styles and personalities. I facilitated a meeting between the two and encouraged them to share their perspectives and concerns. I then worked with them to develop a communication plan and set clear expectations for their roles and responsibilities. We were able to resolve the conflict and improve collaboration within the team.”
Related: How to Manage Conflict in the Workplace [with Examples]
Part 11 “How have you contributed to the growth of a team or company?”
Contributing to the growth of a team or company can take many forms, from increasing sales to improving internal processes. Reflect on specific actions you took that had a measurable impact on an organization’s development.
Mention the context in which you made these contributions and the outcomes that resulted from your actions. Did you help secure a crucial client, streamline a process, or mentor junior team members? Show how your skills and expertise played a role in the company’s growth.
“In a previous job, I contributed to the growth of the company by developing a new sales strategy. I identified areas where we could improve our sales processes and developed a plan to implement changes, such as introducing new sales incentives and improving our customer relationship management system. I also worked closely with the sales team to provide training and coaching to improve their performance. We were able to increase our sales revenue and improve our market share.”
“In a previous job, I contributed to the growth of the company by implementing a sustainability program. I identified areas where we could reduce our environmental impact, such as reducing energy consumption and waste. I then developed a plan and worked with the facilities team to implement changes, such as installing energy-efficient lighting and composting food waste. Through these efforts, we were able to reduce our environmental footprint and improve our reputation as a socially responsible company.”
Part 12 “What is a unique skill or expertise you have that contributed to an achievement?”
Everyone has unique skills or expertise that can contribute to their accomplishments. Consider the specific abilities that have allowed you to excel in your field or achieve noteworthy successes.
Examples could include a specialized knowledge or proficiency in a specific technology, a talent for building relationships with clients, or strong presentation skills that have helped you win over stakeholders. Describe a situation where your unique skill played a vital role in achieving a desired outcome.
“One unique skill I have is my ability to adapt to change and learn quickly. In a previous job, I used this skill to transition to a new role that involved working with a new technology platform. I spent time learning the platform and working with the development team to identify areas where we could improve its functionality. As a result, we were able to improve the user experience and increase adoption of the platform, which had a positive impact on the company’s productivity.”
“One unique skill I have is my ability to think creatively and outside the box. In a previous job, I used this skill to develop a new product line. I researched market trends and identified a gap in the market for a specific type of product. I then worked with the design team to develop a unique and innovative product that met the needs of our target audience. Through these efforts, we were able to launch a successful product line and increase our market share.”
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Home / Essay Samples / Life / Personal Goals / The Best Thing I Ever Accomplished: My Greatest Achievement In Life
The Best Thing I Ever Accomplished: My Greatest Achievement In Life
- Category: Life
- Topic: Personal Experience , Personal Goals , Personal Strengths
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