How to Answer: What does success mean to you in your career?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Boeing job interview.
16. What does success mean to you in your career?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Everyone has their own interpretation of professional success. For some, success is reflected in their earnings and the type of lifestyle they can create for themselves. For others, success is merely the reward of a job well done. Your interviewer is looking to hear how you would gauge your own personal success if hired at Boeing.
Written by Karrie Day on May 30th, 2023
How to Answer
Explain what you are doing to be successful in your professional life to give your interviewer some sense that you are motivated to succeed at Boeing. It is helpful to provide examples of ways you feel successful that are tied directly to the work you will be doing at Boeing. This will boost your interviewer's confidence that the role you are aiming for will be fulfilling. This might include working with specific technologies, taking on an advanced leadership role, or working for a company with values that align with your personal values. Whatever you decide to share, make sure your interviewer knows you have a clear vision of how you will be successful at Boeing!
Written by Karrie Day on May 30th, 2023
Entry Level Example
"For me, success is all about learning as much as I can while adding value to the individuals and teams I work with. I am early in my career and I want to grow as much as possible while demonstrating excellence in the areas I do have experience in. I enjoy making a contribution, even if it is a small piece of the overall picture. I feel there are endless opportunities for me to learn and contribute simultaneously here at Boeing, and I hope to be selected for the open position within your team."
Written by Karrie Day on November 14th, 2022
Answer Example
"To me, success means that I am spending each day helping someone, feeling fulfilled in my overall life, and making my customers happy. I feel best when I know that I have exceeded the expectations of others on the job and I would love to bring this attitude to work at Boeing."
Written by Rachelle Enns
Experienced Example
"Success for me at this stage in my career is about two main things. First, I feel successful when I work with my peers to develop dynamic value-driven goals and the KPIs to measure them intelligently. Secondly, success lies in empowering my teams to meet and exceed the goals that we set. I thoroughly enjoy developing high-performance teams, and I work hard to ensure they have everything they need to be successful."
Written by Karrie Day on November 14th, 2022
Business Analyst Example
"I feel successful as a business analyst when I am able to understand the goals of my clients and properly transform their needs into requirements for solutions that add value. It is really rewarding to deliver a solution, or suggest a process change and see how it makes their lives easier, generates revenue, reduces costs, etcetera. On a personal level, success for me is about continual growth. It is important to me to learn about new business verticals and industries.
I am excited about the possibility of working here at Boeing because it would allow me to be successful in both of the areas that are important to me at this stage in my career."
Written by Karrie Day on November 14th, 2022
Project Manager Example
"As a project manager, I feel successful when the teams I work with are able to collaborate effectively to meet or exceed the goals of our projects. I genuinely enjoy enabling teams to thrive and create a culture of high performance, and I know I have been successful when I am able to help facilitate healthy team dynamics."
Written by Karrie Day on November 14th, 2022
Software Engineer Example
"Success for me as a technologist is about two main things. First, I strive to develop quality solutions that serve the end customer well. It is rewarding to see something I created being used and valued by a customer.
Second, success is about growth and staying up-to-date on the latest technology. I realize that I will not always have the opportunity to work on professional projects that utilize cutting edge technology. Sometimes it makes more sense to use something that is a better fit for the needs of the customers. However, I continue to learn and explore new technology in my free time because I enjoy it. Based on my research, it seems like there are ample opportunities to work with and create innovative solutions here at Boeing, and I feel my ideals of success would be fulfilled in the event I am offered the open position."
Written by Karrie Day on November 14th, 2022
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About the Author
As a former technologist, I was excited when I learned I would be working on the Boeing Q&A set. I knew going in that Boeing had a strong track record of innovation and excellence when it comes to their use of technology, but I learned so much more when I dug in to research the company. Here are a few things that impressed me personally:
Product Development Process Maturity
I spent time digging through the open roles at Boeing and I noticed roles that indicate that the process of developing products at Boeing is advanced. They know their stuff! For example, they employ multiple levels of scrum masters. This means they assign highly skilled and advanced product development facilitators to teams working on mission-critical projects. Additionally, some of their teams utilize SAFe (scaled agile framework). This means Boeing understands how to bridge multiple teams together in a scaled agile setting for maximum collaboration and success. That's important!
Lean Practices
Boeing leverages lean principles within their manufacturing sectors, software engineering, and operations groups. This means they understand how to maximize value, ensure quality, and reduce waste. Each of these practices is good for the company, good for its clients, and in theory, good for the employees of Boeing.
Well Developed Careers Site
The career coach in me really appreciated Boeing's careers pages. They are very clear about what they are looking for in each of the roles listed. They offer a breakdown of responsibilities and the types of traits/soft skills needed. They use descriptive language such as 'relentless improvements' and 'thinking beyond boundaries'. They also offer salary range, benefits, and relocation assistance information. All of this tells me that Boeing is committed to identifying candidates that are a great fit for their needs and their culture.
Talent Development and Long-Term Career Options
Boeing has a strong internship program. This is a smart move in my opinion. They invest in bringing young talent in, showing them the world of Boeing, and then convincing the best to come back and work full-time. Programs like these help to develop future leaders, and Boeing isn't shy about their preference for promoting from within. They also have a well-developed leadership program, a healthy list of business resource groups, demonstrated commitment to hiring veterans, and several continual learning programs. If the idea of working your way up in a company like Boeing sounds appealing, they may be the perfect fit for you!
In summary, there are always new and exciting opportunities at Boeing that offer a wide range of benefits. No matter what type of role you are interested in, landing a job at Boeing results in an impressive addition to your future resume. I hope this Q&A set has helped you prepare and boost your excitement about your upcoming interview at Boeing. I wish you success, and I encourage you to keep Boeing on your radar in the future!
Learn more about Karrie Day