15 Accomplishment Interview Questions & Answers
1. Tell me about your greatest work related accomplishment.
How to Answer
The interviewer would like to know which career accomplishment you value the most. Talking about your most significant achievement will give the interviewer a definite idea of where you place your values. It will also show the interviewer more about your personality, how you like to be motivated, and how to coach you in the future. It is okay to brag a little bit when answering this question. Show that you are proud of yourself and your career accomplishments!
Answer Example
"The greatest accomplishment in my career was graduating University as an honors student while still working full time in a related field. I was top of my class, and working full time. This achievement 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."
Admin
"As an administrator, I can stand out by continuing to educate myself in unexpected ways, which will benefit my employer. This year alone I committed to additional coursework in Excel, PowerPoint, and QuickBooks. My boss was impressed with my high level of initiative and gave me a raise, along with additional responsibilities, because of it."
Manager
"My greatest accomplishment was reducing departmental costs by 25% by thoroughly reviewing packing slips and comparing them to invoices and contract terms for accuracy. I then trained my team to do the same so that these savings could become the new status-quo for our department."
Marketing
"I have many accomplishments of which I am proud. Overall, I would say that my greatest work accomplishment is the positive reputation that I have in the marketing industry. Marketing is a full industry, with many professionals fighting to find their voice. I'm so proud to have carved a distinct career path for myself, despite those challenges."
Retail
"When I was the manager of XYZ shoe store, my location had 100% inventory accuracy for 16 months straight. I created a spreadsheet and implemented regular inventory counts, above and beyond expectations from corporate head office. My tracking method was so successful that the company implemented it nationally."
Sales
"My greatest career accomplishment is the fact that, in my current company, I gained a promotion faster than anyone in the organization's entire history. I received accolades from the VP of Sales in front of the entire company, which was an extraordinary moment. Exceed expectations, being promoted, and then financially ahead of where I initially expected, was exhilarating."
Teacher
"As a teacher, my greatest accomplishment is in helping students who are falling behind. I have been a teacher for eight years and in that time have found I have at least one student who needs extra attention and mentorship, each year. To mold the lives of my students is the most gratifying action I can take as a teacher."
User-Submitted Answer
"The greatest accomplishment in my career was when I started my own catering business and become successful in the past 6 years. This achievement 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."
Written by an Anonymous User
Our Professional Interview Coach
Stephanie Cafaro Reviewed the Above Answer
Starting your own business is a significant accomplishment! I'm glad you were able to capture the importance of this.
2. Tell me about a contribution you made to the last team you worked on.
How to Answer
It is essential to show the interviewer that you are a team player. Talk about a time that you were recently expected to achieve a goal in a team setting. Discuss how you went above and beyond to ensure that your contribution made a difference.
Answer Example
"Last month our company asked upper management to complete a full inventory audit. There were 4 of us in total and so we broke the audit requirements into shifts. These shifts had to take place when the warehouse was not in its daily operations. In the end, there was one additional shift that nobody wanted to take. I volunteered myself to do that shift to show my dedication to my job and my co-workers. The gesture was appreciated, and the audit completed on time."
Admin
"Before my arrival in my current role, our office faced a great deal of disorganization. The biggest contribution that I made was creating a new filing system, introducing Trello - a web-based project management application, and then training the team on how to properly utilize the application."
Manager
"My most significant contribution to my last team came in the form of introducing a transformational leadership style. This type of leadership means that I spent my time working on inspiring my squad, encouraging effective communication, and creating a comfortable environment by helping my team members to ask the right questions. I am considered a blue-sky thinker and like to promote this way of thinking with my team."
Marketing
"My most notable contribution was my ability to analyze and predict market trends, and then create a successful marketing strategy for a challenging product that nobody else wanted to tackle. As a marketer, the most significant growth comes from taking on projects that may seem undesirable, and completely knocking them out of the park. This initiative showed my team that it's worthwhile to exit your comfort zone."
Retail
"I was the key-holder for a family run print and copy business. We had many part-time employees because the owner liked to hire students. Often they were not trained properly and put in front of customers too soon. I took it upon myself to create a training binder that the employees could reference, should they have a question when the owner was not around. This binder increased the quality of customer service we delivered while reducing employee turnover."
Sales
"In my sales pod, I am the only one with financial industry experience, so I have made it my mission to create educational materials for the rest of the pod so they can feel not only more comfortable but come off as more confident and natural when they are making their pitches to our finance clients. I was not asked to do this, but I knew it would benefit everyone and the company as a whole if we portray ourselves most professionally."
Teacher
"I was able to contribute to my team by exceeding the conventional expectations of a teacher. I will assist other teachers with marking, should they be falling behind. I will help on sports trips, acting as an additional chaperone. Also, if we introduce new faculty members, I will take them under my wing, ensuring they feel comfortable in their first few weeks on the job."
User-Submitted Answer
"I think it was a situation that I managed to turn a negative into a positive. My boss complained that I was not communicating with team members when I had finished my part in a particular project to pass it on to the next team member. I had to admit that I was at fault for doing this, but I also felt that we should come up with a useful project management tool to help the whole team. I researched the topic and came up with a tool called Jo, which helped all team members plan, track, and organize our work. It was a big success!"
Written by an Anonymous User
Our Professional Interview Coach
Kevin Downey Reviewed the Above Answer
Jo is an awesome tool. Fabulous suggestion! It’s also very good that you took ownership of your part in the situation. However, emphasize why this solution was necessary for the entire team, how it benefitted the team and not just you. Since the central issue was your failure to pass the baton, why was it necessary to change the processes for the entire team to solve your performance issue?
"My boss pulled me aside, bringing to my attention the fact that I was inconsistent in communicating with team members when I finished my part in a particular project. It was necessary to pass that information on to the next team member to prevent them backtracking to find out where I left off, and thereby preventing rework. Admittedly, I was a bit hard on myself about it, when my boss revealed it wasn’t just me who had this issue, but over half of the team was struggling with this as well, and he was having several talks throughout the day. So, when I went back to my desk to try to come up with a system that would help me improve in this regard. That’s when I managed to turn a negative into a positive. Knowing I wasn’t alone in this, I shifted my thinking and felt as if we should come up with a useful project management tool to help the whole team. I researched the topic and came up with a tool called Jo, which helped all team members plan, track, and organize our work. It was a big success!"
3. Give me an example of a time when you went above and beyond.
How to Answer
The interviewer would like to know about your willingness to go over and above for your employer, without being prompted to do so. Display to the interviewer that you can do more than just the bare minimum. Show that you can react appropriately when you see that your employer has a need that goes beyond your usual day-to-day expectations.
Answer Example
"I often go above and beyond expectations. Most recently, I agreed to cover for a co-worker who was on short-term medical leave. I worked 10 hour days for two weeks so that our work did not suffer any setbacks."
Admin
"I enjoy going above and beyond in my work. In my last position, I regularly called customers to check in and see how they were doing, even if there was no news or issues with our service to discuss. I believe going above and beyond for customers, and regular touch-base is what kept them loyal to us."
Manager
"Last week I noticed that my manager had not completed the schedule for the following week. Some of the staff were complaining that they didn't have their work schedule yet. Rather than going to my manager with the complaint, I offered to take on some of her workloads so that she would have the time to complete the schedule. We worked together for a couple of overtime hours that day and were able to catch her up on everything. It felt good to help."
Marketing
"One of my clients had committed to a marketing package that did not include any social media management. It's an expensive commitment, and they were on the fence. I decided to offer them a free social management content calendar, to show them what I could do. My boss was delighted with this decision because just a week later, the client committed to a full six months of service from our marketing group."
Retail
"The clothing store which I work has a very crowded sales floor, and some customers with mobility issues could not navigate around the store very well. I had a customer come in, in a wheelchair. Seeing her frustrated with the store layout, I approached her and offered to bring her items that I thought she might like. She had a successful 'personal shopper' experience and thanked me on her way out, for my empathy and assistance."
Sales
"During sales calls with a prospect or a touch base with an existing customer, I will often hear them mention a feature that would sweeten the software for them. I created a Google Sheet with these suggestions as well as who made them, why, and in what context. I then shared this document with the product team and the other member of our sales team to help them keep a finger on the pulse of what our customer base is seeking. Now, most everyone updates the spreadsheet with feedback, and it is the primary source from which the product team chooses new features to build out."
Teacher
"This year, our French teacher, who was also the girl's soccer coach, suffered a heart attack and needed to take medical leave. I jumped in and took over as the soccer coach. The girls worked so hard to qualify for Nationals, and I didn't want to see their dream crushed due to circumstances out of their control. It was a time of commitment and sacrifice for me but worth every minute. We won Nationals!"
User-Submitted Answer
"There was a situation where a customer of mine placed an order for a product that was out of stock. Instead of letting the customer down, I bought the stock from a competitor (at full price) and sold it to my customer at a loss so as not to let him down. It was a strategic move as it kept my customers from going to the competitor and possibly losing them forever."
Written by an Anonymous User
Our Professional Interview Coach
Rachelle Enns Reviewed the Above Answer
Wow - that is thinking outside the box. Good work!
4. Tell me about an organization or group outside of work that you contributed to.
How to Answer
The interviewer would like to know if you are giving of your time in the sense of volunteering. Many hiring managers will choose one candidate over another because of their volunteer experience. They feel that it shows strong character and selflessness which are all qualities that make a great employee. Talk to the interviewer about your willingness to give back to your community in some form of volunteerism. If you do not have formal volunteer experience, you can draw on things you do in your spare time to assist friends, family, or even your current employer.
If you do have volunteer experience: 'For the past eight months, I have volunteered every Wednesday evening at our local animal shelter. I will help with grooming the animals, feeding them, and walking them. It's been an enjoyable experience and rewarding at the same time.'
If you do not have volunteer experience: "I have not formally volunteered in these most recent years, however; I spend a lot of time helping my sister who is a single mom. I will babysit on weekends, cook dinners for her and drive the kids to appointments when necessary. I feel that it is imperative to take care of the needs of the family."
Answer Example
"I have not formally volunteered in these most recent years, however; I spend a lot of time helping my sister who is a single mom. I will babysit on weekends, cook dinners for her and drive the kids to appointments when necessary. I feel that it is imperative to take care of the needs of the family."
Admin
"I recently volunteered to be on our business' social committee. Part of what we do it raise funds for local schools and other needs for the community. I am new to volunteering but plan to dedicate myself more often to giving back to others. Do you have a volunteer program set up at your office, or any suggestions on ways that I can give back?"
Manager
"I recently headed up a day of volunteering for myself and my team. Twelve of us spent the day working at the local food bank, preparing and serving lunch for over 100 of our city's homeless population. I am currently putting a plan in place for us to have a standing commitment with the shelter, coming in once per month to help out. It's important to me that our teamwork for the good of others, and not be focused solely on our own needs."
Marketing
"I help people out when the opportunity presents itself, rather than commit to a formal volunteer role. My strengths are in marketing and content writing so, for that reason, I look for opportunities that will allow me to share these strengths with others. Most recently I helped a single mom who lost her job by re-doing her resume and helping her to fix up her brand. It made all the difference in her level of confidence, and she landed a job shortly after."
Retail
"Every Monday I volunteer at the local animal shelter! I love animals so much, which is a big reason why I am applying to work at your pet store. I feel a deep sense of responsibility to help animals."
Sales
"For the past two years, I have helped set up a coat drive in our office. Every winter we collect hundreds of coats and other items for warmth and food. Each January, our office gathers with increasing strength to distribute these "warmth kits" to different shelters and soup kitchens throughout the city. We are not only helping those less fortunate but also we can make a personal connection with another human. Humanity is often forgotten, and this is a great way to remember how we are connected."
Teacher
"Aside from being a teacher, I am also the parent of two young kids. Their preschool is often running community fundraising events. This year I volunteered to be their treasurer. It doesn't take up much of my time, but it does feel great to be an active parent helper."
User-Submitted Answer
"I'm a Cubs leader, so I'm involved with a troupe of 30, 9 to11-year-olds. Scouting contains a program of activities that include areas such as social, physical, intellectual, character, emotional, and spiritual aspects of life. It's great fun, and the kids learn to respect each other, their leaders, and contribute to the greater community."
Written by an Anonymous User
Our Professional Interview Coach
Rachelle Enns Reviewed the Above Answer
Awesome! Employers always look keenly on volunteer work. Make sure this is on your resume, too. :)
5. If you were hired today, what would you accomplish first?
How to Answer
The interviewer would like to know that you would be ready to make an impact on their organization, immediately after being hired. It's important to come to an interview with a 30-90 day strategic plan on how you would impact the business, should you be the successful candidate. Tell the interviewer what your impact goal is, should you be the successful candidate.
Answer Example
"I know you mentioned that the average tenure in this position, before promotion, is anywhere from 6 months to a year or more. I intend to prove over the first three months that I am a rockstar in the organization and would be of greater benefit to you in an account executive role than I am in a sales development role."
Admin
"If hired today, I would start with analyzing all quantifiable data from the last month, quarter, and year to identify any bottlenecks or shortfalls in productivity. I would make corrections from there. Perhaps this will be in the form of creating better processes, implementing new applications for productivity, or simplifying the vendor process. This work will, of course, coincide with your biggest pain-points at the moment."
Manager
"You mentioned earlier that staff training and retention had become a pressure point for your organization. I considered that and created a 90-day plan to increase retention while streamlining the training process via an online training manual with self-guided lessons. Would you like to take a deeper look?"
Marketing
"I created a strategic plan for you to take a look at, using one of your biggest clients as an example. This outline shows how I can make an impact as your Head of Marketing in the next 30, 60, and 90 days. First and foremost, my focus would be on getting to know your highest-spending clients by booking face to face meetings with them. It would be a discovery meeting where I would set out to see where we could serve them better, and increase their marketing spend in areas they were lacking."
Retail
"If you hired me today, I would dive right into the training manual, learning all of your products and pricing. I would study your best selling products and work on my sales scripts."
Sales
"When we were speaking earlier, about sales targets in this position, you mentioned that most new sales professionals begin to hit their KPI's after 120 days. If hired today, my goal would be to exceed my KPI's after the first 90 days. I plan to make a positive impact very quickly by getting on the phone, getting to know my clients, and discovering their needs immediately. I will upsell from there."
Teacher
"The first thing I would do is acquaint myself with my students, and their parents. The better understanding I have of my class and the dynamics, the more effective of an educator I can be."
User-Submitted Answer
"While preparing for this interview, I observed that some of the policies posted on the company's website had been overdue for revision, some as far back as December 2018. I would discuss with my Audit Manager on the need to reach out to the leadership of the Departments involved informing them of our observation and the need to review and approve the policies, to incorporate any changes that might have occurred after the last review date."
Written by an Anonymous User
Our Professional Interview Coach
Kevin Downey Reviewed the Above Answer
Sounds like you have a strong attention to detail, one that is worth advertising. However, you should familiarize yourself with 30-60-90 rule. As it stands, whenever you start in a new position with a new company, you haven’t yet learned the whys of why they do things, nor the priorities your leaders are aware of that you are not yet familiar with. So it is more important to be observant and ask questions. Being presumptive, that just because you observed their website was dated or flawed doesn’t necessarily mean they will prioritize this, nor that they will delegate the responsibility to you just because you noticed it. It very well may be that they are already aware of this, and delegated the task to someone else. However, by adjusting your communication, you can still drive a similar message home.
"I’d work on learning the ropes, gaining as much of a big-picture-scope as I can, while building relationships. It’s my philosophy that it’s basically my job to make my bosses’ jobs easier. I have a keen eye for the details, and would point out my observations while asking questions. For example, while preparing for this interview, I observed that some policies posted on the company’s website were outdated and required revision. So, I’d ask my Audit Manager if they were aware of this and see what they had to say. I would gauge if this was a priority, or if there was a reason they sidelined this task. I’d put my all to earn my keep and build the trust of my coworkers to ensure I complimented my new team."
6. What accomplishment do you believe was the most difficult for you to achieve?
How to Answer
Being able to face a challenging or stressful situation, and still gain some accomplishment, in the end, is very satisfying. Talk to the interviewer about a time when you were able to come out on top despite being faced with an obstacle. Your answer can be big or small. You don't need a grandiose example to make an impact.
Answer Example
"In my career, so far, I feel that the most difficult accomplishment for me to achieve were the three back-to-back promotions in my current company. Because promotions are granted based on results, I had to put in a lot of overtime hours, and hustle, to get there."
Admin
"The most challenging accomplishment I achieved was the fluid communication created in my current office. I did this through creating an online memo board and incorporating new methods of communication such as iCalendar and setting everyone up on Hangout. When I first started, communication was so poor that it greatly affected the company's profits. By creating this smooth communication, we were able to increase sales by 155% in the first year."
Manager
"My most challenging accomplishment was to boost employee morale, lower turnover and increase productivity in the first 90 days of starting my current role. The previous management had been quite tumultuous and, after the year they had, it was not easy to take over, gain their trust, and put a smile back on their faces. Now, we run a well-oiled machine, and I feel it couldn't have gone better."
Marketing
"The most challenging accomplishment for me to achieve, as a marketer, has been staying on top of shifts in trends related to social media marketing and paid advertising. For instance, the Facebook algorithms are constantly changing, so it's challenging to become a subject matter expert in that arena. For this reason, I took three workshops this year to ensure my knowledge was current and helpful to my clients."
Retail
"In my previous role, as a sales associate for a local chocolatier, I was tasked to memorize the ingredients in every one of our products. There were over 100 varieties! I took my workbook home, hunkered down for the entire weekend, and came to my first day on the job with everything memorized to a tee! My new manager was very impressed."
Sales
"So far, I would say the most challenging accomplishment has been to lead the scoreboard continually. I made it my goal to be on top of the scoreboard at least four of the five days in the work week so that I would have the highest KPI scorecard to read each Monday morning sales huddle. By doing so, I received a promotion to the next position in record time. I may have received the promotion the fastest, but it was probably not the easiest on the road there!"
Teacher
"I believe the most challenging career achievement has been moving from the substitute list to a full time, permanent teaching opportunity. Our school district is oversaturated and competitive. I believe my success in landing a full-time role was because of the diversity I offer having expertise in science and language arts."
User-Submitted Answer
"Changing my career has been a very difficult journey for me. I sacrificed a great deal by going back to study, sacrificing financially, working long hours, and investing three years of my life in getting where I am today. I knew it was what I wanted to do, so I just persisted. At times I wanted to quit, but I just kept on telling myself that it will be worth it. And it is!"
Written by an Anonymous User
Our Professional Interview Coach
Rachelle Enns Reviewed the Above Answer
A sacrifice that will definitely pay off. Good job.
7. How do you like to be recognized for your accomplishments?
How to Answer
The interviewer would like to know what motivates you to be an over-achiever in the workplace. We all want recognition in some way for our accomplishments in the workplace. Perhaps you enjoy surprise gifts, financial perks, public attention, kind words, added responsibilities, or title promotions. Share with the interviewer how you would like recognition for your hard work.
Answer Example
"I am very much an over-achiever and find that the best way for me to be recognized for a job well done is to hear words of kindness and recognition. I am easily encouraged, and the best reward for me is to know that my hard work matters."
Admin
"I am very simple. I do not require any formal recognition, but kind words from my coworkers and superiors will keep me motivated and working hard."
Manager
"The success of my team is a direct reflection of my success as a manager. For that reason, I prefer that my team receive accolades for a job well done. For instance, our group exceeded our targets for the past business quarter. Thus we were collectively rewarded. This method of recognition is my preference."
Marketing
"I feel best when I know how my hard work has positively impacted another person. In my current role, our marketing director will often share our customer satisfaction surveys in our office meetings. If my name is mentioned, I cannot help but grin from ear to ear."
Retail
"Having worked in a retail environment, I am accustomed to being acknowledged publicly such as a company-wide email stating that I was top in sales. I have also received store credits and gift certificates for my hard work. Those types of credits are always fun to receive."
Sales
"I am a highly competitive person who is compensation driven. I like to see recognition for my accomplishments through monetary bonus' or contests where the stakes are high."
Teacher
"I am not one to enjoy the limelight. If you catch me doing a great job, I like a note of recognition or to be pulled aside and acknowledged."
User-Submitted Answer
"A job well done should always be acknowledged. I'm success orientated rather than financially driven. I think getting positive feedback is important so that you know the good work you are doing is being noticed. Promotion is the ultimate recognition for accomplishments."
Written by an Anonymous User
Our Professional Interview Coach
Rachelle Enns Reviewed the Above Answer
Good answer! You are giving the interviewer a lot to work from.
8. Tell me about a time that you have helped a co-worker accomplish an important goal.
How to Answer
It is imperative to be goal-oriented and determined but even more critical is to support your coworkers in their professional endeavors openly. This support is how teams succeed! What do you do, outside of your own goals, to ensure that everyone on your team is successful? Assure the interviewer that you are always willing to keep the team, or company as a whole, in mind.
Answer Example
"I enjoy seeing my coworkers succeed and will help them whenever possible. One way that I support my coworkers is to help them keep organized by making suggestions on new tools that I have discovered. I had one coworker with a brand new smartphone, and she wasn't sure all the ways it could be utilized to make her day better. I spent my lunch hour helping her set it up. She was golden, after that!"
Admin
"I work closely with accounts payable, ensuring our bills are paid on time. However, my coworker in accounts receivable was struggling to obtain payments from customers. I stepped in and helped her make collection calls one day, knowing that my work could wait until tomorrow. I could see she was drowning and discouraged, so it was the team-oriented thing to do."
Manager
"When a new hire starts, I have become the de-facto go-to for shadowing. I always make sure to introduce myself to new-hires immediately. I schedule time for them to sit down with me and shadow what I do and how I do it. I want to see everyone succeed and, since there is no real training program in our company, I feel I need to be the change maker in the organization."
Marketing
"Nearing the end of Q4 last year, all of those who had not reached their content quota were facing potential layoff. I was 123% to quota, and my co-worker was struggling at 98%. I transferred a small client to him which pushed him to 104%. He was a strong team member, and I didn't want to see him lose his job for one difficult year."
Retail
"I had a coworker with a customer who tried on nearly everything in the store! She didn't end up buying a thing but left the change room a complete disaster. I helped my colleague fold and put everything away. If she were on her own, it would have taken her off the floor for so long that she would have lost out on a ton of potential commission."
Sales
"As a sales manager, my team is only as successful as the lowest producing employee. It is imperative that my entire team is motivated, engaged, and on point with their KPIs. Last month I hired a new employee who was struggling significantly with sales. I sat him down and realized that he didn't understand the product. We spent a few hours together over that next week learning the product. In the end, his sales increased by 64%, and he was significantly more confident. It helped the team morale as well."
Teacher
"I recently helped a coworker with marking their students' final papers. She had encountered a health issue earlier and, due to that, was running behind on her work. It always feels nice to help someone out and, I know she would return the favor if I ever needed."
User-Submitted Answer
"I enjoy my co-worker's success because I love high performance. In my previous role, I was given the responsibility of restructuring data for our clients. A fellow intern had less experience with this process, I mentored her and also stayed after work to make sure she understood how to do it."
Written by an Anonymous User
Our Professional Interview Coach
Cindy Ramsey Reviewed the Above Answer
Great. Helping a coworker in this manner is a good way to demonstrate your commitment to a high-performing team. You can expand by discussing specifically how you assisted.
9. Tell me about a project you completed recently that was ahead of schedule.
How to Answer
The interviewer would like to know about your project and deadline related accomplishments. Show that it is vital for you to meet and exceed work-related deadlines. Assure the interviewer that you can remain focused on a project and accomplish your goals ahead of schedule.
Answer Example
"In my current position I am expected to cold call 100 customers per week. Most of our associates will break this down into 20 per day, five days per week. What has attributed greatly to my success in this role is that I call 50 customers each day for the first two days and then have time to make additional calls throughout the week. This action equals a 25% surplus of cold calls to my portfolio. I am always ahead of target by going over and above that cold calling schedule."
Admin
"In my current role, I was given the task of migrating our payroll system to a new provider. I completed the project two weeks ahead of schedule allowing us to start the new service sooner."
Manager
"It drives me crazy, not being early. In my first job, at sixteen, I was told the adage, 'If you are not 10 minutes early, you are late', and it has stuck with me. I apply this same logic to how I train my team and their level of reliability. Gaining buy-in from my team is very important to me, and this is where I started with them. Every member of my team is early to client meetings, deliver their work before the deadline, and are eager to show up before ever being asked."
Marketing
"The majority of my projects are completed ahead of schedule. I believe that my clients deserve the best of me and I will work overtime when I can to deliver faster than expected. For instance, I had a client who was releasing their new brand strategy for January 1. The deadline was right around Christmas but, rather than stressing their team out by delivering on time and right around the holidays, I worked overtime every day for the first two weeks of December, to ensure timely delivery."
Retail
"Every month our store is given until the last Monday of the month to submit our inventory counts. This month I decided that my team would be better off having the count complete before the weekend rush hit. We submitted our inventory count by the Thursday afternoon. I plan to make this a habit every month, moving forward."
Sales
"I'm required to make 100 calls with 70 minutes talk time, and two appointments set daily. I prefer to set goals at about 125% to target. I never want to get myself into a situation where I cannot hit a simple metric like calls made or talk time, by being complacent. I cannot control if a customer shows up for a meeting that we've set, but I certainly can overachieve the call volume to attempt to mitigate a pipeline problem in the future."
Teacher
"I completed my quarterly student reviews five days ahead of schedule this last time around. I worked so hard and put my nose to the grindstone for a week. It was well worth the added effort not to feel the pressure of a looming deadline."
User-Submitted Answer
"In my role as a Finance team leader, there was a migration of task from my team to another; I had two months to clear the accounts and queries still pending before the hand over. I delegated some of my task to the rest of my team to have more time to focus in the accounts, as I knew pretty well the accounts and I was able to spot the reasons of the difference I could find. I finished the clearing of the pending job in less than a month and the migration could be done earlier than expected. This gave me the opportunity to have more time to provide a proper training for the new team."
Written by an Anonymous User
Our Professional Interview Coach
Cindy Ramsey Reviewed the Above Answer
Nice! Can you expand with details about how you achieved this feat? What organization skills did you use? How did you prioritize?
10. Describe an ongoing problem at your current or former employer, that you were able to overcome.
How to Answer
Every place of employment will have its challenges. Talk to the interviewer about a specific issue that you were able to overcome in your previous role. Be sure to remain positive. Avoid complaining or saying negative things about your last employer or co-workers.
Answer Example
"In my most recent position we had an ongoing concern with our most popular stock depleting before the new shipment would come in. Customers would become annoyed and upset, which then became an issue for me as the customer service manager. I decided to document the cycle and then approach the inventory manager about my concern. We were able to work on a solution for ordering from that particular supplier. In the end, this solved the majority of supply issues."
Admin
"Clear communication was an ongoing problem in our office when I first started as senior administrator. With the support of management, the use of Microsoft Project, and a weekly status email template, we quickly overcame the communication issues. All five of our departments are now talking to each other instead of pointing fingers."
Manager
"In my current position, one ongoing problem is the gossip and separation in the workplace between the warehouse staff and the sales team. I have begun to overcome this by implementing weekly lunch and learns where everyone is welcome. The topics are focused on a variety of situations that we all face in the company. I feel that the better we all understand each other's jobs and functions, the better we can all get along. So far this tactic has been working very well."
Marketing
"An ongoing issue in our marketing department was a lack of funds allocated to the projects that our board had already approved. It seemed as though they wanted us to perform miracles with very little financial support. To overcome this, we created a catchy new hashtag, and it ended up going viral on Instagram. Luckily we did not have to spend funds to make this happen, and we were able to promote our product to an audience much larger than we thought possible."
Retail
"Staff turnover is almost always an ongoing problem in my current position. The company does not pay a high commission, and often our top sales reps are recruited by competitors. I made a recommendation to head office that they incorporate a deeper staff discount as well as one flex day per month. It would cost the organization less money than a raise but would still be enough to satisfy employees who were on the fence."
Sales
"Lately the senior sales team has found that our sales assistants had oversold or misrepresented aspects of our product to our clients. It seemed that either they were poorly trained or were so eager to get the "yes" the setting an appointment, that they failed to mention important caveats. Booking appointments are the main KPI the assistants need to reach, which created some glitches when it came to honesty in our product. To overcome this, our sales manager had us collaborate and create a training manual, scripts included, for our sales assistants. By bringing it back to the basics and making sure everyone received proper training, we saw a huge improvement in client satisfaction."
Teacher
"In my last teaching position, we had a lot of trouble with parent participation and volunteerism. A strong percentage of our parent body were single parents who could not afford to take a day off from work to volunteer. Our faculty came up with the idea of looking for senior citizen volunteers from our community. They were, of course, background checked before being approved. It was adorable to see the young students interacting with the seniors and the seniors cherished the opportunity to support the children in their community."
User-Submitted Answer
"The ongoing problem in my previous job was inappropriate documentation of total care patient positioning. Total care pts are pts that are not able to take care of or reposition themselves. However, RN & CNAs kept documenting that patient position self or pt refused, and we were getting a lot of pressure sores on the unit. So I told my assistant nurse manager to initiate a plan where the position of total pts will be documented during rounds using the full circle, L, R, B, instead of documenting, pt position self. This strategy helped to decrease pressure sores on our unit."
Written by an Anonymous User
Our Professional Interview Coach
Stephanie Cafaro Reviewed the Above Answer
Excellent response! You do a wonderful job of stating what the issue was, how you worked to overcome that challenge, and what the outcome was.
11. When have you significantly contributed to obtain a corporate goal?
How to Answer
The interviewer would like to know that you take an interest in the overall goals of the company. Engaged employees are always the most productive. Assure the interviewer that you are capable of being an involved team member by assisting, in some way, to the end goal of the corporation.
Answer Example
"My most recent employer had a solid interest in giving back to the community. So much so that we, as a group, logged our volunteer hours which were treated as another KPI. We would review our community contributions on a quarterly basis. Our goal was always to hit a minimum of 500 volunteer hours per quarter which meant that everyone would volunteer one day per month. It was a great initiative and one that I happily participated in."
Admin
"Every quarter, I commit to working overtime to complete our quarterly inventory counts. Our goal is to be the store with the most accurate inventory count, and we have been able to achieve that for the past two years."
Manager
"I once challenged and pushed my team to a 15% increase in productivity on the last day of the month, to meet our production goal. It was a tough challenge, but we all felt great about the accomplishment in the end."
Marketing
"In my current role, all of our client projects are handled collaboratively, through cross-functioning teams. We all contribute in our way to the final project. My biggest contribution has been in guiding and mentoring the apprentices who come to our department. I encourage them to participate in brainstorm meetings, and to whiteboard with us. By actively participating in open workplace culture, we have seen great ideas come from even the most junior marketers."
Retail
"Every holiday season our company sets a goal to raise $50K for the children's hospital. I contributed by committing to ask every customer at the till if they could donate $1, $3, or $5 for the efforts. We surpassed our goal this year, and I am proud of my contribution towards that target."
Sales
"As a senior sales team member, I am held very accountable for company-wide goals. When we were having a slow month, I took it upon myself to come in early and stay late to get my numbers, and therefore my team's numbers, up. This extra effort motivated the vast majority of the sales staff to take the same approach, without direction from leadership. Because of everyone banding together on our terms, we were able to exceed our monthly quota by 124%."
Teacher
"I have our school district's goals in mind every day; however, even more so when I am building or tweaking the curriculum. Recently we went through some staff changes, and I inherited a couple of additional classes. I kept the district's goals in mind while also considering the students' needs."
User-Submitted Answer
"I previously have undertaken a technology internship at _______ which provides digital products for event management. Ensuring there were no bugs in the software was paramount and also time-consuming. After frequently testing the software, I found that there was no organized method of tracking it. I coordinated with management to develop and implement a new, more efficient software testing template. This was imported into the in-house system and each element of the testing process was given a red, amber, or green mark. This resulted in easier testing that could be tracked which saved time for analyzing the results."
Written by an Anonymous User
Our Professional Interview Coach
Cindy Ramsey Reviewed the Above Answer
Amazing! This is a great example and an extremely effective way to show how you'd take similar initiative in the job. Nice work!
12. When were you able to resolve a problem within work?
How to Answer
Problem-solving and dispute resolution are fundamental skills to possess. Display to the interviewer that you are capable of problem-solving within the workplace. Show that you can be a team player, even in the face of conflict.
Answer Example
"In my most recent position we had a consistent problem with employees showing up late for their shifts or calling in sick at the very last moment. Rather than the typical documenting and reprimanding style that management usually takes, I decided to track the results of an accountability reward system. For 180 days, my employees received a reward for coming to work 10 minutes early. Also, for every month with zero sick days, a bonus was added. In the end, we awarded those with perfect attendance a $600 bonus. The bonuses cost us less money, in the end than the cost of lowered productivity due to absent employees. The program was a success, and upper management chose to keep it implemented for another six months. We will reassess in December, but it seems to be working very well."
Admin
"I problem solve quite often at work, primarily with customer resolution. Just yesterday I worked with a customer who was unhappy. Through patient communication, I was able to resolve the complaint and create another returning customer."
Manager
"I am a frequent problem solver. Last week, I was eating lunch in the break room when I noticed a bottleneck of people from the assembly line all trying to get to the microwave and vending machines. It was a jumbled mess of people, and they only have 30 minutes. I developed a plan to rearrange the break room for better flow, and now the lunchtime process runs smoother for the staff. This small change alone made a huge difference in the morale of my staff."
Marketing
"I have been able to resolve many issues over my marketing career, primarily surrounding miscommunications with clients. These resolution skills are one reason why, when landing a Director of Marketing role, I implemented an in-depth client intake questionnaire. With this questionnaire, our new clients, and our projects leads have a solid form to refer to after their initial intake. This method has improved communication significantly."
Retail
"We recently had a concern surrounding employee theft. As the retail store manager, I needed to get to the bottom of the situation before the issue escalated. I called the corporate head office to collaborate on a plan that followed the HR guidelines. I implemented the plan, which included additional security cameras, and we caught the employee on camera shortly after."
Sales
"After meeting with the operational support staff, it was clear that they felt as though they were taken for granted and completely disregarded by the sales staff as a whole. Not only did it make them feel devalued and lower their morale, but that in turn lowered their productivity. Rather than just let these feelings fester, I decided to listen to the ops staff and then bridge the gap with the sales team. By sitting down and having a conversation, and laying out a more effective way of delegating work, everyone walked out feeling better about the job, situation, and their coworkers."
Teacher
"I recently had a student who was very disruptive in class and often accused of bullying. I notified my principal of the situation. She called the parents in for a meeting that she led; however, I was present. We made a behavior action plan for the student with attached consequences should he deviate from the plan. It worked well and nipped the problem in the bud before there was any real emotional damage done to the other students."
User-Submitted Answer
"Early in my career, we had an incident where a mobile phone was stolen from a company car in the carpark at lunchtime while the carpark attendant was on lunch. I volunteered to take my lunch in the carpark every day so that it was not unattended during that time."
Written by an Anonymous User
Our Professional Interview Coach
Rachelle Enns Reviewed the Above Answer
You are showing the interviewer that you are willing to go the extra mile. Good work. If this was very early in your career, try drumming up a more recent example from your current role.
13. What was the greatest cost-cutting measurement you accomplished at your previous employer?
How to Answer
The interviewer would like to know about your previous success with cost-cutting. Every company wants to run as lean as possible, and they want to see that you are conscious of this factor as well. Assure the interviewer that you are capable of understanding the importance of this practice and give a strong example of a time when you have done so.
Answer Example
"The greatest cost-cutting measurement that I accomplished at work was through new suggestions for theft prevention. Since we implemented some of my suggestions our loss, due to theft, has decreased by 12%."
Admin
"My biggest cost reducing plan was to source new suppliers for our office supplies. By doing some extra research, I was able to bring costs down by 20% in less than one year."
Manager
"I have been able to present cost-cutting suggestions many times to my previous employer. The one that I feel had the biggest impact was when I suggested additional warehouse staff. We had three various shifts and still an average of 100 hours of overtime per week. I presented to my employer that we hire one more warehouse employee for each shift, keeping the hours to just 120 regular vs. 100 hours of overtime pay (@1.5x) This recommendation saved the company $31,000 per year. They implemented this change across 15 warehouses the following year, amounting to nearly half a million dollars in savings per year."
Marketing
"Cutting costs for clients is always the primary goal in marketing; however, our agency often gets forgotten. We were spending an exponential amount of funds on recruitment, only to have many junior marketers leave us for larger agencies after just one year. For that reason, I made a plan and presented it to our department head. The plan entailed a bonus structure for tenure that would peak at the 24th month of employment, resulting in further employee engagement and, at the very least, doubling average tenure. We just implemented the plan last month, but I am confident in its effectiveness."
Retail
"Retail stores are known for having a lot of paper waste such as tissue, bags, plastic, etc. I came up with a new way of packaging our products that utilizes less paper. In a world where we are all very concerned about the environment, this solution will be widely embraced by our clients. Our head office is currently performing a cost analysis on the changes."
Sales
"My most prominent cost-saving measure comes regarding productivity on my team. I was able to craft email copy that I saved as a template and could send out a dozen emails at a time, all personalized, to targeted audiences to set appointments. I was able to do this multiple times per day, while also making calls, and doubled my productivity. I shared this tactic with the team, and it was implemented across the board. While I was not in a managerial role, I was able to roughly double productivity, thereby preventing the need for new hires and surpassing our financial targets for KPIs and financial metrics."
Teacher
"It's no secret that schools are on tight budgets. We were going through a great deal of paper, which is a cost that adds up. I came up with the idea to implement an app where parents could log in and print their forms, paperwork, and any additional paper-based communication sent back and forth. We are currently testing its effectiveness but so far, so good."
User-Submitted Answer
"Letting go of five staff members cut the payroll by 30%: a huge cost-cutting but a difficult time for those losing their job."
Written by an Anonymous User
Our Professional Interview Coach
Rachelle Enns Reviewed the Above Answer
It's good that you show empathy for those you laid off. If possible, go into some detail on what your superiors asked you to deliver when it came to your budget.
14. What will you accomplish in the first 90 days of working here?
How to Answer
It's a good idea to have a 30, 60, and 90-day plan set out when you go into an interview. This approach is especially important when you are applying to a management or sales based position where immediate action and results are expected. You can jot down a few ideas or create a slide presentation with graphs - whatever makes you most comfortable! You can discuss numbers, training achievements, pain points the interviewer has mentioned in the past, or how you plan to fit in with your new team.
Answer Example
"In the first 90 days of working for your organization I plan to accomplish a deep understanding of your client portfolio and begin to call on the clients who have been left cold for 60 days or more. I understand these are the most challenging clients to resuscitate, but it's important to me that I begin my new role with a solid challenge."
Admin
"I would like to accomplish a few things in my first 90 days. After giving it some thought, I believe the best action I can take is to get to know each member of the team whom I will be supporting. Some people like communication via phone, some in person, and others prefer a quick email. I plan to learn how everyone prefers to communicate. Next, you mentioned that the electronic filing system is disorganized. I would like to fix that for you, first thing."
Manager
"My 90-day plan is to get your team back on track with their tasks, and boost morale. You mentioned in our last interview that this was your biggest pain point at the moment which is why it will be my first area of accomplishment. I plan to meet with each team member individually and created a performance plan for each. Also, I plan to give an anonymous survey that I can learn more about what motivates the team as a group, and where they want to see change. I plan to reduce turnover to just 5% in the next 12 months."
Marketing
"My first 90 days will be spent getting to know each client on my list, paying them visits or phone calls. I plan to go through each file and find out how we can upsell and tweak their current marketing package. I want to accomplish some impressive new activity and infuse these accounts with fresh creativity."
Retail
"My first 90 days will be spent focused on learning your product. I understand that you have 500 different SKU's and I plan to contribute to your excellent customer service standard by providing second-to-none product knowledge. That would be a great accomplishment for me."
Sales
"In the first 90 days, I plan to fast-track my training by spending time on the weekends and evenings studying hard. I believe in doing everything faster and better so you will see results and accomplishments from me very quickly. I would like to be on a full sales budget in the first 60 days as opposed to your typical 90 days."
Teacher
"My first 90 days will be spent getting to know my students. The accomplishment I want to reach the most is to earn their trust and respect. Once that is established, it will make the school year run that much more smoothly."
User-Submitted Answer
"I want to meet everyone I will be working with and build relationships with them in the first 90 days. I'd like to see myself to be an invaluable member of the team who's input plays a vital role in all the projects I'm working on. I'd like to have led and completed at least one project end-to-end."
Written by an Anonymous User
Our Professional Interview Coach
Rachelle Enns Reviewed the Above Answer
These are all excellent 90-day goals! Very realistic and achievable.
15. What is the most significant achievement you have on the horizon?
How to Answer
When you show that you have goals and achievements on the horizon, you are letting the interviewer know that you put thought into your career and what you bring to your employer. Employees who do not have goals set just beyond their reach are typically disengaged and unmotivated. This achievement does not need to be complicated. It can be as simple as finishing a beautiful Powerpoint presentation, finishing work-related coursework, or reaching a sales target.
Answer Example
"This year I have been working towards my Masters' in Accounting while also working full time. This effort has been challenging and rewarding all at the same time. My graduation date is this May, so that is the most significant achievement on the horizon."
Admin
"The most significant achievement on the horizon for me is the completion of my Advanced Excel and MS courses. I have learned a great deal, and have a few modules to go. I look forward to applying these new skills to this role with your company!"
Manager
"There are a few accomplishments on the horizon for me. Next month will mark 12 months accident-free in the warehouse which I supervise. The end of this year will also mark the lowest employee turnover rate that my current company has seen in their entire history. I look forward to making big strides with your organization, as well."
Marketing
"I have some great accomplishments on the horizon including the launch of my biggest clients' digital marketing strategy later this month. This account is the biggest that I have worked with, and it's a fascinating campaign. With that said, I look forward to joining your organization and working with large clients like this more often."
Retail
"I am graduating with my business administration degree this month and will be ready for full-time work! I am excited to get my career started!"
Sales
"On the horizon for me right now is finishing this quarter, top in my company. My sales goal for Q2 was $65,000, and I am currently at $98,000. I seek to tip the scales at over $100K in sales. I love competition so being top of the pack in my organization is very exciting to me."
Teacher
"I am relocating at the moment so on the horizon for me, and a great accomplishment will be to land a wonderful teaching job at a school in our new region. I am excited about the change this season will bring myself and my family."
User-Submitted Answer
"I'm studying a web development course which will be completed in the next two months. That will be a significant personal achievement on completion."
Written by an Anonymous User
Our Professional Interview Coach
Rachelle Enns Reviewed the Above Answer
This is a wonderful achievement.