Here are the four parts of the STAR method: S: Situation The situation or the task that is relevant to the job description. 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. Be specific in details, but make it short and to the point. At the beginning of the summer, I created a very strict shift schedule, which we adhered to 100%. 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. While he had a tough time reading the words, I knew that he loved drawing and fantasy movies like Lord of the Rings. Structure your answer effectively. When asking this question, the HR manager wants to learn about your professional and personal sides. Starting your first job. One final note from Idealist is to keep track of your achievements as they happen at work. RESULTS: As a result, our food tastes better, and positive online reviews increased threefold. It's a reflection of my hard work and discipline, as well as my ability to work well with others on group projects while also shining on independent work. My greatest accomplishment was developing a formal training program for the sales team in our last company. No votes so far! Self-reflections gives you opportunity to look back on your life and see how it brought you to where you are today. Set your story up with a brief description of the situation that led to your accomplishment. Like the examples above, this story focuses on what the candidate did to create real results. Preparing an answer. If we had just rolled with the punches and focused on putting out fires, the whole thing wouldve turned into a mess real fast. 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. The more prepared you are, the better it will go. 'My greatest achievement' examples could include: Giving a great presentation at work. The most effective way to answer any tough interview question is to follow the STAR approach. Have you ever failed to meet a clients expectations? In my first job out of college, I was tasked with managing a companys social media channels. Choose your greatest achievement that is relevant to the position. Beating sales targets. Basic templates are perfect for job seekers looking to send out applications fast. Your qualifications: Some accomplishments help employers establish . 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. 2. That means picking your accomplishment based on how good of a story its going to make. I wanted to increase productivity and efficiency, and in the end, save time spent on looking for documents., Action - I decided to take initiative and implement a new team HR document management software. I was given the position after just four months and have since learned that it was because of my reliability, consistency, and strong leadership abilities. Building Support. your challenge or responsibility). RESULTS: After three months, I could construct full sentences, and I was well on my way to getting the accent down too. 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. 2. Experienced professional interviewing for a website management position -. If you dont have much professional experience to draw from, consider accomplishments from your academic career and any internships or volunteer work youve done. TASK: I was tasked with understanding why people stayed out so long on their breaks, even after the fines were introduced, and how to overcome the issue. Topic Ideas for Writing the Greatest Accomplishment Essay. Choose something recent, if you can. 27 Crisp and Impactful examples of what is your greatest achievement sample answer for freshers. Example Answer for Your Greatest Achievement or Accomplishment (Entry-Level): My greatest professional achievement was completing my Bachelor's degree in 4 years with a 3.8 GPA. ACTION: I would use all my breaks to do assignments or write some code, which was exhausting but very helpful. Spend Time Reflecting (and Taking Notes) Sometimes, the hardest part of answering this question is remembering what you've achieved over the years. However, the content wasnt interesting and no one was engaging with us online. Lets start with the basics: whats the point of this job interview question? He then went home and continued reading. "What is your biggest accomplishment at work?". Women at Cambridge. Sample Answer 2: (Leadership Position) I worked as an occupant advisor for the restricted college for numerous years. 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. Sample Answer 1 - Sales Achievement. Answering What is your greatest achievement in an interview can be intimidating. SITUATION: My biggest achievement was earning money after starting a blog from scratch. Cover letters don't have to be dry. 4. I learned that they only took a long time because they had to walk a very long distance to find a place with affordable meals for their breaks. The whole story follows the STAR method down to the T. It uses numbers and data to describe the context and shows relevance. The candidate proves their ability to meet and exceed HR objectives on a large scale, while focusing on what they did to get there. I used to post weekly and engage with the comments on a particular day of the week. Be sure to check out our career blog for more actionable guides and the latest job-hunt tips and tricks. Because of my poor test grade, the amount of time I studied more than doubled, which made me a . 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. This one is career-relevant and has a dollar value attached. We had a month of training and a test to show we understood the terminologies used by callers, and I passed with flying colors. That way, they can frame their answers in a way that is helpful. Action: With my supervisors permission, I created promotional posters and asked everyone to suggest the drink to people who seemed indecisive. We raised $20,000 from that cohort by the end of the year. I was very passionate about these Olympiad exams. Considering using materials such as journals, your resume, or school transcripts to help jog your memory. 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. Thinking through a relevant response to this question prior to an interview can help you answer promptly and with confidence if the hiring manager does ask about your accomplishments. What happened and how did you handle it? If you dont think you have any accomplishments, self-reflect and ask others for help. 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. Chances are youll have several good stories to choose from, and they might all be comparable in terms of their impressiveness. Tell Me About A Challenge You've Faced At Work. Your answer could look something like the following: Situation - I think my greatest accomplishment was during my last job as an HR administrator. From sharpening resumes and elevating LinkedIn profiles to providing interview preparation and career advancement strategies, our blog is a wealth of knowledge, drawing from our extensive experience working with hundreds of clients and positively impacting the lives of thousands of job seekers. (R) Results - Explain the kind of results you achieved. 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. It could be from a previous job, volunteer position, or another event. In only four months, we were achieving 50-80% above our chosen goals. I have delegated duties to my team, signed up for affiliate marketing sites and google AdSense, and monetized the blog without doing anything other than managing the blog. His parents called to tell me that they had never seen him excited to do homework before, especially when it involved reading. Theyre hoping to gain some sort of insight about you from the way you choose to answer the question. You cant borrow or copy an accomplishment, but you can borrow structure, style, and delivery. Moving out of your parents' house. https://passmyinterview.com/50-interview-questions-and-answers/#interviewquestion. Personal Accomplishment as a Doctor. 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. Explore various aspects of your life: work, hobbies, studies, extra-curricular activities, etc. 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. You know you need to ace this common interview question. Companies . Create a connection. Find the example below that best mirrors what stage you are at in your career, and consider how youd adjust it to describe your biggest achievement. " is a common behavioral interview question, so be sure to practice your answer ahead of time. Choose a career achievement even if they don't specifically ask for it. Common phone interview questions and answers, How to ask for feedback after an interview the right way, Why are you suitable for this job? sample answers, How to answer Walk me through your resume, How to answer What are your weaknesses?, How to answer What is your greatest strength?, How to answer Where do you see yourself in 5 years?, Tell me about a time you had a conflict at work example answers. If you want to become successful in life, you must help yourself first. 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. Result. What was your role in the situation? Using this method, you talk about the situation or problem you were facing, the task or role you played within the situation, the action you took to solve the problem, and the result you achieved. 1. 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. What is your greatest accomplishment as an accountant? education, discipline, etc.). Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users. 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. Business Recovery. Your answer says A LOT about you as a candidate. I finally went with the [XYZ] CRM system and worked with the IT team to implement it. RESULTS: After one month of the new demonstrations, that region was our biggest market, and our sales as a company increased by 10%. When asked about your greatest accomplishment in an interview, take the opportunity to share a story that highlights your skills, work ethic, and determination. Based on your response, they can also determine what you consider important as an employee. Way to Answer "what was your greatest achievement?" interview question. Use the opportunity to relate what you've accomplished to the position you're applying for. Answer (1 of 19): A few things; removing unnecessary code is extremely satisfying. TASK: I had to stay positive, take control of the situation, and find a way to start over and rebuild. Why Are You The Best Person For This Job? To answer just about any behavioral job interview question right, we recommend using the STAR method. It isn't uncommon for the details to fade a bit as time passes, making it difficult to add in the information. What is the best answer to What is your biggest achievement?. Use our modern templates if you'd like to give your application a newer, more contemporary aesthetic. The Bottom Line on The Biggest Achievement Interview Question. Dont just stop at your work-related achievements. "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 sample answers. Applying for an academic role or have substantial teaching experience to list on your CV? When answering What is your greatest accomplishment?, your interviewer will listen closely to what you say and how you say it. TASK: The only way to keep the region open was for sales to improve. This is a compelling way to share a big accomplishment with potential employers. Sometimes, its not easy to talk about ourselves and our past experiences but practicing for this, and other key behavioral questions will pay dividends in the long run. Its the perfect example of a behavioral job interview question, and as a refresher, heres what you need to know when answering: Looking for more ways to prepare for your job interview? 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. CVs are often longer than resumes. The way to best accomplish this is by using the STAR method. Shows relevance to the specific workplace. Reflect on your time in education, extra-curricular activities and hobbies to identify something you accomplished that made you feel proud. My experience taught me time management, habits and prioritization. The company promoted me from a mid-level position and tasked me with improving retention and recruitment. But these kinds of questions can put the candidates in a difficult position, when suddenly asked, often leaving candidates feeling ill-prepared. Learn why employers ask this question, how you can answer, and some sample answers that can be useful as you craft your own response. 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. With a successful track record of supporting job seekers in securing positions at top companies across industries, our team is dedicated to providing expert guidance and support every step of the way. I am incredibly proud of this accomplishment, as it . How much work are you willing to put in to accomplish something at work? In my last job I helped my employer to increase the yearly sales volume by 20%, in two consecutive years. How do you answer what are your key achievements? Put emphasis on your writing rather than your cover letter's design. Its easy to get carried away talking about your proudest accomplishment. R [RESULTS] What were the results of what you did? Your greatest accomplishments serve as your greatest selling point when you offer yourself to the company. SITUATION: One of my greatest achievements at work was wearing numerous hats and working long hours to achieve a huge goal. Try to determine if your involvement made a difference, such as creating a new website, a fundraiser, or a department restructuring. While this project wasnt revolutionary, Im proud of it because I learned [skill or concept you learned that relates to the job]. 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. Not only does it illustrate your skill and competency as a nurse in critical situations but it also expresses an experience that is meaningful to you. It could be something personal, such as completing a difficult project or achieving a personal goal, or something professional, such as receiving a promotion or winning an award. Describe the challenge you were up against, your plan of attack, and the success you saw on the other side. SITUATION: My biggest managerial achievement was maximizing team effort and reducing lateness. Scholarships or grants. What is your greatest accomplishment? is one of the most challenging and common questions you can expect during a job interview. 1. Result: Sales of the drink doubled and the store owner promoted me to assistant manager, where I boosted sales another 15%. I also wanted to gain some work experience during my time there, so that I could start working directly after graduating., Task - So, I learned early on that I had to manage my time down to the hour in order to be efficient and on top of everything., Action - Through hard work and dedication, I managed to balance studying, working part-time, and even volunteering to gain some experience. (T) Task - Talk about the tasks you had to complete (i.e. By the end of the year, his reading scores had gone up by over 15%, but the real accomplishment for me was getting him interested in learning something that had previously frustrated him. Acquiring Skills. There, I also learned a lot about marketing, how to communicate with our followers, and managed to organize the biggest university event where up to 300 students showed up., Wondering what a job-winning resume might look like as a recent graduate? 1. This response highlights the students top grades and work experience. 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. It mentions transferrable skills focus and time management and subtly mentions that they could keep up when others couldnt. I see my greatest accomplishment as implementing a new customer relationship management system at my previous job. In my previous role as a health-focused restaurant manager, customers always complained about food having ingredients they did not eat and not knowing about it until they tasted it. Look for keywords and the primary responsibilities of the position. You should answer such questions by following the S.T.A.R method in a reverse manner, meaning you'd start with the result and end with the . and your relevant "hard skills" (computer technologies, project . So, I mobilized my fellow interns and created a new campaign targeting donors under 35. I recently moved to a different country, and the first few days were so hard because I could not understand what anyone was saying. Agent of Change (pushing change forward) Artistic Expression. Since I had led similar projects before, I offered to help get it finished. Well show you how to nail this common question and impress your interviewer with our expert sample answers and tips below. Results - In the end, we managed to decrease the average monthly ticket count by around 25%. I also started a reward system - if someone called in sick, youd get rewarded if you filled in for them. Your response provides them with insight about your personal and professional achievements, and your ability to establish and achieve goals. R: Result Was the outcome successful? By reading and understanding the job description, you should know what the job requires. The following answer to "what is your greatest achievement" can help you grasp what exactly employers are looking for when they pose this key question: "I believe my greatest achievement came seven months ago in my previous job as an advertising consultant. Lets take a look at another sample answer. I lost everything in a fire two years ago, and it couldnt have come at a worse time as I was also supporting a sick family member and was trying to finish my degree. 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. It's something you're proud of and shows what you're capable of. This is not one of those times. Its the inverted version of tell me about a time you failed, but theyre both behavioral interview questions, meaning youll need good stories to tell the hiring manager for each. We were having trouble selling our new product, despite our best marketing efforts. We got together during his break period once a week to read Lord of the Rings and make drawings for each chapter. Regardless of how true it is, I dont really have any greatest accomplishments is just bad optics all around. 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]. For example, if you notice that taking ownership of projects and exceeding expectations is a core value for the company youre interviewing with, you might choose to tell the hiring manager about a time you stepped up to take responsibility for something, even when it may not have been your responsibility. 5 Tips for Your Answer. My parents could not afford the tuition fees initially for me to attend college, but I knew I wanted to further my education no matter the circumstances. Refrain from including confidential information from previous employers in your own answer. Graduating from high school. When I took on the position, turnover was high and our cost-to-fill was skyrocketing. 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. Second, this is a classic behavioral interview question, so a strong answer starts with a strong success story. Make sure your achievements match the skills and experience needed for the job at hand. Task: I decided to experiment with new ways to promote it in-store. Youre one step away from getting the job. While behavioral questions may make you nervous, there are ways to prepare the best answer and come out ahead of other qualified candidates who are interviewing for the same position.