How to Answer ‘What is Your Greatest Achievement?’ with Sample Answers
Most of us feel confused or overwhelmed while answering the question, ‘What is your greatest accomplishment?’ during an interview. However, with a little practice and the right approach, you can answer this question easily. To help you frame the perfect answer to this question, we have created this comprehensive guide. In this blog, we will discuss how to answer “What is your greatest achievement?” with sample answers and dos and don’ts during an interview.
Why do Interviewers Ask, “What are Your Greatest Achievement?”
Interviews are conducted to analyze your personality, and a part of it is reflected in your previous experience. It is why you will find the question, “What is your greatest accomplishment?” often asked in the interviews. But is the interviewer just interested in knowing what you accomplished previously? The answer is no. With this question, they:
- Assess your skills and competencies
- Analyze your ability to communicate and present information
- Understand your ambition and motivation
- Evaluate your previous performance
- Check if you fit in their organization’s culture
To confidently answer any question in an interview, you can refer to an online interview preparation course.
How to use the Star Method to Answer: “What is Your Greatest Achievement?”
You might have prepared a long list of achievements, but simply reading the list will not make an impression on the interviewer. Instead, try using the popular STAR interview technique to answer about your greatest achievement.
Here is how you expand the term STAR:
- Situation (S): Explain the context of your achievement. Describe the situation to give the interviewer a background.
- Task (T): Explain the challenges you faced. Remember, stating the issue is essential before providing a solution for it.
- Action (A): State how you overcame the challenges by emphasizing the skills you used.
- Result (R): Describe the outcome and the lesson you learned from it.
How to Choose Your Greatest Accomplishment?
During a job interview, it is important to choose your greatest accomplishment carefully. The selected achievement should not only highlight your skills and abilities but also align with the job requirements and demonstrate your potential value to the employer. To choose your greatest accomplishment effectively, you can follow these steps:
- Consider Achievements Relevant to the Job: When preparing for a job interview, it’s important to think about the specific position you’re applying for and identify the skills, qualities, and achievements that are most relevant to that role. This will help you choose an accomplishment that showcases your ability to excel in areas important to the job.
- Look for Quantifiable Achievements: It’s always a good idea to choose an accomplishment that you can quantify in terms of results. This could include revenue generated, cost savings achieved, time saved, or efficiency improved. Quantifiable achievements provide concrete evidence of your contributions and effectiveness, which can make a strong impression on the interviewer.
- Use Accomplishments that Highlight Your Skills: When selecting an achievement to discuss during an interview, it’s important to choose one that demonstrates the skills and abilities that the employer is seeking. This could include leadership, problem-solving, teamwork, communication, project management, or any other relevant skill set.
- Talk About Impactful Achievements: It’s also important to emphasize the impact of your accomplishment on the organization or project. This could include any recognition or accolades you received as a result, as well as how your contribution made a difference and added value.
- Authenticity is Key: Finally, choosing an accomplishment you feel genuinely proud of and passionate about is important. Your enthusiasm and authenticity will shine through during the interview and can help you make a positive impression on the interviewer.
“What is Your Greatest Achievement?” Sample Answers
Practice is the key to ace any interview. Here are what is your greatest achievement sample answers for you to practice and prepare for your interview.
1. Sample Answers for Graduates & Freshers
Here is a ‘What is your greatest achievement’ sample answer for freshers to practice if you are a recent graduate:
“As a recent graduate, my biggest achievement is completing my degree with a 9.2 CGPA. Another noteworthy achievement was receiving a gold medal in the International Mathematics Olympiad in my second year.
I decided to participate in the Olympiad in my first year. Unfortunately, I scored less despite my efforts. I analyzed my performance and revised my preparation strategy. From then on, I focused on solving topics asked frequently in the Olympiad faster to save time for difficult questions. With consistent efforts in the right direction, I won a gold medal next year.
While I still have to gain professional experience, I believe my analytical and problem-solving skills will help me in my career.”
Also Read: Common Interview Questions for Freshers.
2. Sample Answer for Mid-Level Professional
‘What is your greatest professional achievement?’ can be answered by someone with one to three years of experience in this manner:
“My greatest professional achievement is designing a website for my previous company that helped us increase the online traffic by 75%.
The company displayed useful products on its official website, but we could not reach the target audience. After an analysis, I realized the problem was the complex design of the website.
I redesigned the website with my team to simplify it and highlight essential features. We tested it with some beta users before rolling it out for everyone. The inputs we received helped us optimize it further, and we were able to increase the traffic.
I learned the importance of user experience and how to analyze and test things before implementing them. I can use the things I learned in my future projects for better results.”
3. Sample Answer for Experienced Professionals
Here is a sample answer for an experienced professional with more than three years of experience:
“Throughout my professional journey, I had the opportunity to utilize my skills in some great projects. One of them stands out as my greatest accomplishment. It is the instant chat box that I designed for a healthcare application.
I worked in a location where the ratio of people to healthcare professionals was low. The company aimed to develop an application to help people. I led a team that developed an instant chat box powered by artificial intelligence to provide basic healthcare advice to the locals.
The locals appreciated our efforts, and there was a jump in downloads of our application by 56%. I learned that the latest technology can solve real-life issues quickly and efficiently. Therefore, we must incorporate the new tech and tools to optimize our solutions continuously.”
4. Sample Answer for Internship Opportunity
Here is how you can answer the ‘What is your biggest achievement in life’ interview question for an internship opportunity:
“Having graduated last month, my biggest achievement is maintaining a high cumulative grade point while leading the debating club of my college.
Initially, it was not easy to manage both the academic and extra-curricular front, but with proper scheduling, I was able to do it. I led the debating team in many inter-college competitions, and we secured the first position in four of them.
From these achievements, I have learned two essential skills, time management, and speaking skills both vital for a sales internship opportunity I am interested in pursuing now.”
Also Read: Why Should You be Hired for this Internship.
5. Sample Answer for WFH Opportunity
Here is how you can answer “Tell us about your achievements” for work-from-home jobs in Delhi or any other city:
“As a professional with seven months of experience in this field, my biggest achievement is to become an expert in cybersecurity laws and regulations.
While interning for my previous employer, I realized our dedicated tech team handled cybersecurity threats well. However, we lacked the legal knowledge to tackle the legal issues arising from these threats. After a discussion with my manager, I enrolled in an online cybersecurity law course and upgraded my knowledge in the domain.
With this, I guided my team through the legal procedures to improve and maintain network security while working remotely. I learned that you can upgrade your knowledge and skill set and collaborate in a team efficiently in remote work.”
Tips for Answering ‘What is Your Biggest Achievement?’
To answer this question in an interview, there are certain dos and don’ts that one needs to keep in mind:
Dos
Some quick tips that you can keep in mind while preparing for your biggest achievement answer are as follows:
- Keep the Job Role in Mind: You might have had several accomplishments, but select only those that align with the job role you are applying for.
- Underline the Impact: Merely stating that you achieved something is an incomplete answer. Tell the interviewer about the impact of your achievement to leave a lasting impression.
- Share What You Learned: Always share what you learned from your achievements and how those skills are useful for future jobs.
- Practice Your Answer: Rehearse your answers with friends or family to perfect your body language, tone of voice, and answer delivery to answer confidently.
Don’ts
You now know what you should do while answering the question, “What is your biggest achievement?” in an interview. But there are some common mistakes you should avoid as well. Some of them are listed below:
- Not Providing Examples: One of the common mistakes is not providing examples in your answer. Do not just state that you excelled in extra-curricular activities, be specific about the event or competition you won.
- Stating What You Could Not Achieve: Often, candidates talk about things they failed to achieve before they moved to their achievements. It can leave a negative impression.
- Exaggerating or Being Modest: Do not overstate or understate your achievements. The interviewers will be able to tell if you are not truthful.
- Providing Excessive Details: Do not ramble in front of the interviewers explaining every detail. Keep your answer short and to the point.
- Lack of Confidence: Not being confident in your achievements can hamper your chances because the interviewer will see you as someone who is not confident in your abilities.
Also Read: Top Interview Tips.
Conclusion
Every question in an interview is an opportunity for you to highlight your talent and skills. So, ensure to respond wisely and prepare in advance with the sample answers. “What is your greatest achievement?” is a simple question that requires an intelligent answer. With our guide, you can frame your own answer and respond confidently in an interview.
If you found this blog helpful, check out our blog on how to respond to the ‘What are your salary expectations’ interview question.
FAQs
Answer: A sample answer to the above question, is as follows:
‘As a fresher, one of my proudest achievements was leading a team project during my final year of college. I effectively coordinated various tasks, motivated team members, and ensured project completion ahead of schedule. What made the experience even more rewarding was the positive feedback we received from our faculty. The project helped me gain collaboration and problem-solving skills, which I believe are essential skills for any job.’
Answer: When answering the question, “What is your biggest achievement?” it is important to structure your answer in a clear and concise manner. One effective method that you can use is the STAR technique (situation, task, action, and result):
1. Situation: Describe the context or challenge you faced briefly.
2. Task: Explain your specific role and responsibilities in addressing the challenge.
3. Action: Illustrate the actions you took to overcome the challenge, highlighting your skills and contributions.
4. Result: Summarize the positive outcome or impact of your actions, including any quantifiable results or recognition received.
Answer: When answering the question, during a job interview, it’s important to choose an accomplishment that showcases your skills and abilities that align with the job requirements.
For example, ‘During my internship, I was part of a team that collaborated on a marketing campaign for a new product launch. As a team member, I was responsible for developing a comprehensive social media strategy to promote the product among others. Our efforts surpassed engagement targets by 30%, resulting in a notable 20% increase in product sales within the first month. It helped me gain teamwork and strategic thinking skills.’
Answer: Yes, you can talk about academic achievements during a job interview to effectively highlight skills and qualities relevant to the job. Aside from that, you can talk about any volunteer work or internship experiences that demonstrate relevant skills. For instance, if you have undertaken a research project during your undergraduate studies, you can emphasize the skills you developed and the outcomes you achieved.
Answer: You can briefly mention an obstacle you faced and then highlight how you learned and adapted to overcome it. However, it’s generally advisable to focus on your achievements rather than your failures when responding to this question. So, it’s important to frame your answer in a positive light and showcase your ability to overcome challenges and achieve success.
