How to Answer: Tell me about your greatest work related accomplishment.
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."
Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback
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Stephanie's Feedback
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Kevin's Feedback
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"¢ T: Leaving home, moving to a new city, starting a new chapter of your life can be challenging to settle into.
"¢ A: I wanted to reflect on my journey and help, and this was a great opportunity.
"¢ R: It was very satisfying to see them grow as people, and even more so that 10 out of 15 decided to become mentors the next year."
Cindy's Feedback
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Background/situation: During my previous role as a project manager, I managed an Environmental Assessment (EA) Study to identify and protect a corridor for the extension of a road, which was required to support economic development in the area. It was a prominent corridor through the Business Park, and the extension of the road was expected to generate significant interest from local business groups. Adjacent landowners within the subject area were interested in developing their lands for residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial purposes. Thus, accessibility for existing and future land developments and to support/promote alternative modes of travel (i.e. walking, cycling, transit) were the goals of the project. A thorough consultation program was required to solicit, receive and address comments and input from those individuals and groups.
Task: My key role was to follow the minimum mandatory public consultation, as per the planning requirement in the Environmental Assessment Act. Thus, starting from advertising the Notice of Study Commencement through the Notice of Study Completion, I was proactively monitoring project key stakeholder engagement. Two local developers had a greater interest in the project and were not ready to buy in the preferred roadway alignment option, especially on the preferred option. Thus, the conflict posed a great risk to the project's success.
Action:
It was very important to negotiate with both developers for a win-win solution prior to going for the POH. I met one-on-one with both and listened to their concerns and needs. After some negotiations with each, I proposed a solution for further discussion and it was acceptable to both.
Result:
The negotiation with key stakeholders was a great success as both had their interest in land development. The POH went smoothly through the end.
I effectively managed the main component of the planning process, i.e., Consultation, using my interpersonal skills. I successfully resolved conflicts and closed the project on time and under budget."
Chad's Feedback
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Stephanie's Feedback
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I was the account receivable then and recognized the need for a stronger collection payment initiative.
I did some research and found out the root cause of the delayed payment. After I addressed it and worked with the IT team, we implemented the changes (Result) After three weeks, we reported a 20% increase in cash on hand."
Marcie's Feedback