Tell me about an achievement you are proud of. What did you find challenging about it?

"One achievement I am proud of is graduating from University as an honors student while working full time. This accomplishment showed me that I could dedicate myself to my career and reach the goals that I set for myself. It felt great to accomplish so much and earn recognition for my dedication."

Remember to think of a situation that highlights your strengths and qualities that will be helpful for the job for which you are interviewing. Try to keep your answer as career-relevant as possible.

"I was hired at a junior level in my last role. I had recently graduated and lacked experience. I worked a lot of hours to learn about my customers and their business through shadowing. I learned all of the systems available to me. I did a lot of research and sought out mentors to learn from. I was able to jump in and be effective in my role quickly as a result. Over a year, my customers started coming to me directly instead of the senior-level co-workers on my team. My manager began assigning me their work and letting me lead initiatives.

I set up a meeting to discuss my progress and a possible promotion. My manager said she wasn't quite ready to promote me because people in my position usually only get promoted every few years. She said I was still lacking experience. I let her know I understood and respected her position but felt I had demonstrated a commitment to the work and my customers beyond the usual and customary level of effort. I gave her examples of my excellence despite my time in the role and reminded her that she had even asked me to lead initiatives because my work had been outstanding. I thanked her for listening and assured her I would respect her decision.

A month later, review time came around. I was shocked to learn she promoted me to two levels in my role. She said she appreciated my humble response to our last conversation and that I gave her a lot to think about. She talked with several of my peers and customers, and they all agreed I would be able to continue to perform well and that I should be rewarded for working so hard to get up to speed and add value. She said I exemplified the type of spirit she wanted members of her team to have and that she was willing to make a compelling case to HR for the double promotion in my favor. I was proud of myself for standing up for what I felt I deserved."

"I am the most proud of being selected as a BAE Systems intern last year. BAE Systems has a reputation for recruiting top talent. Landing an internship was a goal for most of the talented people in our junior class. I worked really hard in school to get excellent grades and learn as much as possible. I also invested a lot of time researching this company and the types of responsibilities I would have as an intern prior to my interview.

The most challenging part was to make sure that I gave my coursework the attention it deserved. I worked part time and volunteered while I was in college, and my schedule was hectic at times. I used a number of time management techniques to make sure that I stayed on top of everything.

I am so thankful that all of my hard work was rewarded with the opportunity to learn from the experts here at BAE Systems. I am looking forward to becoming a permanent part of the team soon if I am extended an offer for this position."

Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.

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