What are some ways you have worked to improve yourself over the past year?

"I just went to a leadership conference to help me cultivate some of my skills and learn how to be a more effective leader on my team. I have found it to be beneficial to attend continuous training and conferences like this at least once a year because I am surrounded by other leaders who also want to challenge themselves and grow. I find that I'm always learning new tactics and techniques at each one, so they are definitely beneficial to my growth as a leader."

"My college sponsored a group of 50 students to gain blue belt certification in innovation engineering with Eureka Ranch. I was selected to participate and received my certification late last year. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and I feel like it improved my critical thinking and problem-solving skills. I look forward to using what I learned here at NASA if offered the open position."

"I feel that healthy communication dynamics are vital to the success of a team. I have participated in facilitated sessions in which the communication styles of each team member are assessed and then team members learn how to best communicate collectively. I wanted to bring that knowledge to my own teams, so I took a class last year to learn how to facilitate DISC communication style assessments.

I practiced what I had learned with my teams when I returned from my class. Everyone seemed to learn a lot about the best way to present information to their teammates, and the health of the communication dynamic of each team improved significantly as a result. I look forward to applying the knowledge I gained in my role as a project manager going forward."

"I set a professional goal last year to continue my AI and machine learning education. I completed a three-month AI boot camp with the University of Texas and a 6-month machine learning boot camp with MIT. I was able to complete both programs within a year while maintaining an excellent performance record at my job. I know NASA has a strong record of supporting the continued professional development of its employees and I would love to explore further educational opportunities if hired."

Think about a goal you recently achieved, or are actively working towards, and explain what you did/are doing to help you reach that goal. If your goal is ongoing, like being a good leader, tell how your actions will help you in the short and long term. As you answer, be sure to stay relevant to the field in which you are applying. Focus less on any weakness you want to improve, and more so on the steps or actions, you are taking to improve.