15 Accomplishment Interview Questions (with Answers)

Accomplishment Interview Questions

1.

If you were hired today, what would you accomplish first?

2.

When have you significantly contributed to obtain a corporate goal?

3.

What is the most significant achievement you have on the horizon?

4.

Tell me about your greatest work related accomplishment.

5. Tell me about a contribution you made to the last team you worked on. 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. Example #1: "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." Example #2: "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." Example #3: "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." Example #4: "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." Example #5: "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." Example #6: "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." Example #7: "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." Here is an anonymous answer example: "• s: i have previously undertaken a technology internship at wetrack which provides digital products for event management. • t: after frequently testing the software, i would find bugs and have to communicate these to developers in the bulgaria office. english was not their first language, so i had to communicate very clearly. • a: i decided to use fewer words in my messages to them and use screenshots to show exactly what page and where the bug was. • r: this resulted in them easily understanding the bugs and being able to fix them quickly for a more fluid web experience for our customers." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Cindy Ramsey said: Good example. You're demonstrating a number of qualities that employers value, including conscientiousness about meeting goals, problem-solving skills, and good communication. Here is an anonymous answer example: "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!" In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Rachelle Enns said: Jo is an awesome tool. Fabulous suggestion! It's also very good that you took ownership of your part in the situation. Here is an anonymous answer example: "i created the syllabus for the onboarding ct clinic by using my own time. my manager appreciated my work because this syllabus shows the new ct nurse the clear direction for onboarding regarding what to learn for the day, what to review, and move on to the next day and when the onboarding would be done." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Rachelle Enns said: This sounds like a very important syllabus that would help many people to come! Way to go over and above your typical job requirements.6. Give me an example of a time when you went above and beyond. 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. Example #1: "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." Example #2: "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." Example #3: "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." Example #4: "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." Example #5: "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." Example #6: "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." Example #7: "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!" Here is an anonymous answer example: "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." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Rachelle Enns said: Wow - that is thinking outside the box. Good work! Here is an anonymous answer example: "i always go above and beyond whenever i work. however, there was a time when my supervisor was not feeling well, and she had a procedure the next morning when she and i worked together. this is a 430 beds hospital and the np always needs to be with an md, but that night i knew that she wasn't well so i told her to go rest and i would take care of what needed to be done. i did and there was no issue." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Stephanie Cafaro said: Great response; once again, this really shows your ability to go the extra mile in helping the team! Your colleague was fortunate to have someone so considerate of her needs. Here is an anonymous answer example: "• s: when i worked at nike, my manager had not completed the schedule for the following week. • t: rather than complain, i offered to take some of her workloads so that she would have time to complete the schedule. • a: we worked a couple of hours overtime that day, and we were able to help her catch up on everything. • r: it was very satisfying to help." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Cindy Ramsey said: Great example of solving a problem rather than complaining about it. The STAR format is working well in this example. Good job.7. Tell me about an organization or group outside of work that you contributed to. 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." Example #1: "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." Example #2: "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?" Example #3: "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." Example #4: "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." Example #5: "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." Example #6: "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." Example #7: "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." Here is an anonymous answer example: "during my time at university, i took the opportunity to help impact clean water in kenya, through fundraising for a charity called dig deep. creating thriving sustainable communities is a deep passion and long-term goal for me." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Cindy Ramsey said: Amazing. Can you talk about what steps you took and the specific impact you had? You might discuss how and how much you raised. Here is an anonymous answer example: "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." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Rachelle Enns said: Awesome! Employers always look keenly on volunteer work. Make sure this is on your resume, too. :)8. What accomplishment do you believe was the most difficult for you to achieve? 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. Example #1: "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." Example #2: "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." Example #3: "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." Example #4: "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." Example #5: "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." Example #6: "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!" Example #7: "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." Here is an anonymous answer example: "in my opinion, nothing is impossible as long as you're motivated and committed you will be able to accomplish and achieve your goal. every day, life is full of challenges. like when i decided to build my own business here in the u.s. if you think of it, it is difficult to achieve because i hear a lot of people saying that i'm so brave to start a business here in the u.s., but because i'm committed and dedicated and i don't get affected on other people saying i was able to succeed in my goals. this experience taught me that no matter how hard it is we just need to keep going in order to achieve our goals in life and career. i will bring this positive attitude to my next career opportunity." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Stephanie Cafaro said: You do a good job of sharing a personal example here, but the wording is a bit too lengthy. I suggest really focusing on the question that was asked (what accomplishment do you believe was the most difficult for you to achieve?) I've provided an example of how this might be restated below. In response to the anonymous answer example, here is a revised answer from Stephanie Cafaro: "The most difficult accomplishment I've achieved was building my own business here in the U.S. As an immigrant to the U.S., I heard a lot of people saying that I'm so brave to try to start a business here, but I remained dedicated and committed and didn't get discouraged by other people. This experience taught me that no matter how hard it is we just need to keep going in order to achieve our goals in life and career. I will bring this positive attitude to my next career opportunity." Here is an anonymous answer example: "response: in my previous role as a project manager with the municipality, i managed the review of a transportation impact assessment (tia) report, which was completed by a consultant on behalf of his client developer. (situation): i reviewed and approved the report after multiple revisions. the traffic issues were already identified upfront in the pre-consultation meeting regarding the spacing and configuration of proposed driveways. the development was proposed at the corner of two busy arterials. i also hinted at some road improvements as part of the development, subject to the findings of the report. the third version of the report provided a detailed analysis that clearly documented the warrant analysis for road improvements. soon after the approval of the report, my planner came to my desk and said, the developer met with the ward councilor and both agree not to implement road improvements as they were not economically feasible for the project. the developer and their consultant wanted to meet me. (action): i chaired the meeting and after listening to their perspectives on the issue at hand from various angles, i offered them three options: a) modify the land use to avoid implementing improvements (generate a lot less amount of traffic); b) a meeting with ward councillor to discuss the professional recommendations in the report; c) consultant provide a brief summary stating that "despite recommended improvements for public safety reasons, i consider improvements were not necessary." the consultant immediately denied going for the third option. the developer didn’t want to modify the site plan. so, the meeting was already set up with the deputy mayor and two other councilors including my manager also attended the meeting. i provided/delivered a briefing to attendees and walked them through various scenarios including the negative safety impacts on the general public. the councilor asked a few questions and was fully convinced of my position based on facts. however, he still left it to me to decide. the meeting was dismissed and we went back to the office. (result): about an hour later, the developer and their consultant called me and said, they were on-site and wanted to move forward as per the recommendations of the tia and that there was no ill-feeling. thus, i maintained my trust and rapport with our customers/developers. my manager sent me a note, which was also added to my performance appraisal. the note read, "you showed your leadership skills and solved the problem by involving all stakeholders in such a way that everyone was happy in the end." learned: communication is off-course the key to solving any problem. by involving all stakeholders and collaborating on the solution of problems, i can maintain trust and rapport." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Chad Wilson said: Great! This is a tremendous achievement, as recognized and validated by the note from your manager. It sounds like you are highly organized in your work, are a strong presenter, and have the ability to develop and maintain relationships with numerous stakeholders, all of which contributed to your ability to overcome the resistance of the stakeholders to accomplish your goal. Here is an anonymous answer example: "my most challenging accomplishment is to even the contract with project documentation in the system. for example, the contract is signed and agreed upon for projects to be completed on june 1st but in the system, the project was executed and utilized on august 1. all my projects were aligned with the signed contract and i was able to align other projects once it was time to review the contract, next year." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Marcie Wilmot said: Great! So it sounds like you worked hard to make sure the project documentation in the system was accurate. Consider explaining more why this was important to achieve, how it benefited the clients to fix this issue, and what steps you had to take to accomplish this. The more details you can provide to the interviewer, the better! Here is an anonymous answer example: "when i was a mentor at university, giving an experience that inspired my mentees was challenging. it required a lot of emotional intelligence, dedication through extra hours of research so i could have the most accurate knowledge to provide them. i impacted them positively, and that means a lot." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Cindy Ramsey said: Good example! Being a mentor can be a challenge. Here is an anonymous answer example: "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!" In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Rachelle Enns said: A sacrifice that will definitely pay off. Good job.9. How do you like to be recognized for your accomplishments? 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. Example #1: "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." Example #2: "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." Example #3: "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." Example #4: "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." Example #5: "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." Example #6: "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." Example #7: "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." Here is an anonymous answer example: "i'm a very simple person and 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. like in my previous role as a loan closer, every time i exceeded the company expectation my manager just always said good job and keep up the good work. those simple words mean a lot to me because someone noticed my hard work and commitment to my job." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Stephanie Cafaro said: Excellent response! You articulate very clearly how you like to be recognized for your accomplishments. Here is an anonymous answer example: "i would like to be recognized through the unit-wide email where my accomplishment would be made known to other members of the unit." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Stephanie Cafaro said: Great; everyone likes to be acknowledged at work a bit differently, and it's evident from your response that you've given thought to how you like to be celebrated for your accomplishments. Here is an anonymous answer example: "what drives me is the impact i can have on my team and organization. it’s all about winning and performance. added responsibility would be ideal for me." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Cindy Ramsey said: Great. Recognition by being trusted to handle more responsibility is the gold standard of recognition. You can expand by adding an example, which would showcase your potential value as well as answer the question. Here is an anonymous answer example: "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." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Rachelle Enns said: Good answer! You are giving the interviewer a lot to work from.10. Tell me about a time that you have helped a co-worker accomplish an important goal. 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. Example #1: "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!" Example #2: "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." Example #3: "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." Example #4: "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." Example #5: "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." Example #6: "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." Example #7: "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." Here is an anonymous answer example: "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." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Cindy Ramsey said: 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. Here is an anonymous answer example: "when i was a sales manager, i used to track the progress of all the new hires. occasionally there would be a rep whose figures weren't on target. i'd make a point of shadowing the rep on a few calls and help them with their product knowledge of sales techniques. sometimes if a sales opportunity landed on my desk, i'd give to a rep that i felt was having a bad month and could do with a morale boost." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Rachelle Enns said: This is a very hands-on approach. Nice answer, and it shows that you care.11. Tell me about a project you completed recently that was ahead of schedule. 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. Example #1: "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." Example #2: "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." Example #3: "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." Example #4: "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." Example #5: "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." Example #6: "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." Example #7: "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." Here is an anonymous answer example: "as a member of the best practice committee of my previous job, we were required to identify issues that we thought were negatively affecting patients on our unities, and we were to come up with plans to improve those issues. we were told to submit the document 2 weeks prior to our committee meeting date. i always submitted my document prior to the deadline. my last project was ____________." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Stephanie Cafaro said: Good response; you provide specific examples of how you are able to execute projects ahead of schedule, while also providing a bit of insight into your previous role. Here is an anonymous answer example: "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." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Cindy Ramsey said: Nice! Can you expand with details about how you achieved this feat? What organization skills did you use? How did you prioritize? Here is an anonymous answer example: "in my previous role as a technology intern. i was always given the task of restructuring data for clients. i always completed this before the deadline, allowing the client to receive service quicker." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Cindy Ramsey said: Good! You're following an effective format for answering these questions: Situation, Task, Action, and Result. I would recommend expanding on the actions you took to get to your good result. How did you organize your time (for example) to deliver before the deadline? What strategies did you employ? Here is an anonymous answer example: "in my current ms program, we were asked to work on a data analytics project where we need to work on data and extract some insights from it. we as a team decided to work on the usa nutrient data set. i came up with the plan to complete the project before the deadline which includes: explore the data individually and come with individual findings and suggest the techniques to be used, discuss the ideas and make a decision on them and set up the roadmap for the tasks. for keeping all the work on schedule, we set up 5-minute stand-up calls every alternate day to discuss the status of the individual work, identify any impediments and come up with an action plan to resolve them. constant communication and working on the roadmap made sure we were on schedule, therefore, we were able to complete our project one week before the submission date." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Marcie Wilmot said: Excellent answer! You provide a very thorough example of a time when you led a project that was ultimately successful and completed before the deadline. Great job! Any interviewer would be impressed by this example and your leadership role in it.12. Describe an ongoing problem at your current or former employer, that you were able to overcome. 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. Example #1: "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." Example #2: "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." Example #3: "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." Example #4: "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." Example #5: "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." Example #6: "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." Example #7: "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." Here is an anonymous answer example: "when i was selling merchandise at wembley stadium, many employees would accidentally take fake money. this could be avoided by using a special pen. i was determined to never take a fake note and i succeeded because i never switched off." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Cindy Ramsey said: Interesting! So your diligence and care are what led to the good result? Expand on how you managed this to add color to your answer. Here is an anonymous answer example: "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." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Stephanie Cafaro said: 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. Here is an anonymous answer example: "in one of my former companies, we needed to generate the monthly revenue cycle analytics for 100 plus health care organizations who were the company's customers. for this to happen we need to perform the etl process for every customer within the first 10 days of every month sometimes process used fails because of incorrect files which cause the rework and loss of time. i created the metadata file for the data which we were expected from the customers. with the help of theses metadata file, we were able to create an automated profiling system that profiles and validate the files that are expected from the customers before the etl process which reduces the rework by 30% and reduce the processing time by 20%." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Marcie Wilmot said: Excellent example! It sounds like you were able to add a new and very helpful component to the process that ended up saving both time and effort. Including statistics in your answer also helps to strengthen it. Great job!13. When were you able to resolve a problem within work? 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. Example #1: "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." Example #2: "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." Example #3: "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." Example #4: "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." Example #5: "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." Example #6: "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." Example #7: "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." Here is an anonymous answer example: "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." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Rachelle Enns said: 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. Here is an anonymous answer example: "a client was having a house blessing. they realized that they were missing an important specialized ingredient pertaining to the blessing. she had no car available to go to the specialized store. i was there because i was the real estate agent. i volunteered to go to the store to pick up the specialized ingredient. she was grateful. the problem was easily solved with my assistance." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Rachelle Enns said: This answer is a good start! It looks like you are using the STAR framework, which is a great choice! I recommend moving around the details of your story ever so slightly. I've provided a slight revision below. In response to the anonymous answer example, here is a revised answer from Rachelle Enns: "While in a clients' home as their real estate agent, the client had a house blessing. Once the blessing was underway, the client realized that they were missing an important specialized ingredient pertaining to the blessing. She had no car available to go to this specialized store. I volunteered to go to the store to pick up the specialized ingredient. My client was most grateful, and the problem was easily solved with my assistance." Here is an anonymous answer example: "in my current role, the chair has asked me to identify ways in which the commission could be more effective and efficient in its work. drawing on past experiences, i pulled together a strategy for implementing change - from everything from simple it changes to ideas to improve the outward-facing profile of the commission. i ensured that each solution was feasible with minimal budgetary impact and has resulted in legal officers having additional time to invest in their daily work." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Chad Wilson said: Your answer demonstrates you are capable of utilizing analytical thinking when problem-solving in the workplace. Good job! Be mindful to avoid shifting verb tense (past vs. present) in your response. I have offered a slight rewording below to ensure the answer is in the past tense. In response to the anonymous answer example, here is a revised answer from Chad Wilson: "In my current role, the Chair of the Commission asked me to identify potential ways in which the board could be more effective and efficient in its work. Drawing on past experiences, I pulled together a strategy for implementing change, considering everything from simple IT changes, to ideas to improve the outward-facing profile of the Commission. I ensured that each solution was feasible with minimal budgetary impact and it resulted in legal officers having additional time to invest in their daily work." Here is an anonymous answer example: "it was a weekend when my team got multiple high-priority escalations and the person on duty was struggling to get through all the incoming tickets. i contacted my manager and offered to come in to clear the queue because all tickets had to be resolved by the end of the shift. my manager was reluctant at first because i was on holiday, but i insisted and was finally allowed to step in and lend a hand. as a result, my colleague and i were able to close all escalations by the end of our shift." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Marcie Wilmot said: Wow. This is an excellent example of going above and beyond for a job and for a colleague too! The interviewer will definitely be impressed by your willingness to sacrifice time off to help out your coworkers and please the company's customers. Great job! Here is an anonymous answer example: "• s: in my last role as a tutor, i worked with an a-level economics student. early in this process, i saw that he was struggling with essays even though i had provided him with a solid structure. • t: i needed to find where my training wasn’t effective and help him improve his essay standards. • a: i took an essay into our next lesson and asked him to plan it in front of me. i noticed he was indecisive when applying what he learned and his arguments were weak. i created a separate lesson plan aimed at applying real-world data. • r: this successfully took his essays to the next level and also taught me the importance of paying attention to all the details in a process." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Cindy Ramsey said: Very good use of the STAR format. You're giving enough detail to show creative problem-solving skills which helps the interviewer envision these skills in action.14. What was the greatest cost-cutting measurement you accomplished at your previous employer? 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. Example #1: "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%." Example #2: "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." Example #3: "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." Example #4: "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." Example #5: "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." Example #6: "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." Example #7: "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." Here is an anonymous answer example: "letting go of five staff members cut the payroll by 30%: a huge cost-cutting but a difficult time for those losing their job." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Rachelle Enns said: 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.15. What will you accomplish in the first 90 days of working here? 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. Example #1: "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." Example #2: "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." Example #3: "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." Example #4: "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." Example #5: "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." Example #6: "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." Example #7: "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." Here is an anonymous answer example: "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." In response to the anonymous answer example, here is what Rachelle Enns said: These are all excellent 90-day goals! Very realistic and achievable.

5.

Tell me about a contribution you made to the last team you worked on.

6.

Give me an example of a time when you went above and beyond.

7.

Tell me about an organization or group outside of work that you contributed to.

8.

What accomplishment do you believe was the most difficult for you to achieve?

9.

How do you like to be recognized for your accomplishments?

10.

Tell me about a time that you have helped a co-worker accomplish an important goal.

11.

Tell me about a project you completed recently that was ahead of schedule.

12.

Describe an ongoing problem at your current or former employer, that you were able to overcome.

13.

When were you able to resolve a problem within work?

14.

What was the greatest cost-cutting measurement you accomplished at your previous employer?

15.

What will you accomplish in the first 90 days of working here?

Accomplishment Interview Questions

If you were hired today, what would you accomplish first?

Accomplishment Interview Questions

If you were hired today, what would you accomplish first?

When have you significantly contributed to obtain a corporate goal?

What is the most significant achievement you have on the horizon?

Tell me about your greatest work related accomplishment.

Tell me about a contribution you made to the last team you worked on.

Give me an example of a time when you went above and beyond.

Tell me about an organization or group outside of work that you contributed to.

What accomplishment do you believe was the most difficult for you to achieve?

How do you like to be recognized for your accomplishments?

Tell me about a time that you have helped a co-worker accomplish an important goal.

Tell me about a project you completed recently that was ahead of schedule.

Describe an ongoing problem at your current or former employer, that you were able to overcome.

When were you able to resolve a problem within work?

What was the greatest cost-cutting measurement you accomplished at your previous employer?

What will you accomplish in the first 90 days of working here?