Ace Your Next Interview: How to Answer the Personal Achievement Question
Have you ever been asked the question “Tell me about a personal achievement that you’re proud of?” in a job interview? It can be a tricky question to answer, as candidates try to balance between showcasing their strengths and accomplishments without coming off as arrogant or boastful. In this article, we’ll explore some tips and strategies on how to answer this question effectively, and increase your chances of acing your next job interview.
Understanding the Personal Achievement Question
Before we dive into how to answer the personal achievement question, it’s important to understand why interviewers ask this question. Employers are not only interested in your skills and experience, but also in your personality, values, and behaviors. This question is designed to assess your ability to set goals, overcome challenges, and demonstrate your strengths. It’s an opportunity to showcase your resilience, creativity, leadership, and problem-solving skills, and demonstrate why you’re the best fit for the job.
Preparing Your Response
The key to answering the personal achievement question is to prepare in advance. This means taking time to reflect on your past experiences, identify your accomplishments, and select a specific example that aligns with the job requirements and reflects positively on you. Your response should follow the STAR method, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. Here’s how it works:
Situation: Briefly describe the context of the achievement. What was the problem or challenge you faced?
Task: Explain the tasks and responsibilities you were given to address that challenge.
Action: Describe specific actions you took to tackle the challenge. What skills did you use? What obstacles did you overcome?
Result: Explain the outcome of your actions. What was the impact of your achievement on the company, team, or stakeholders? What did you learn from the experience?
The key is to make sure that your response is relevant to the job you’re applying for, and showcases the key skills and qualities that the company is looking for. Avoid focusing on the result alone, but rather, emphasize your thought process, decision-making skills, and leadership potential.
Example Responses
Here are some sample responses to the personal achievement question that use the STAR method to demonstrate both accomplishments and skills:
Example 1:
Situation: “At my previous job, I worked as a sales manager for a start-up company in the tech industry. Our revenue growth had plateaued, and we were struggling to acquire new customers.”
Task: “My task was to develop and implement a new sales strategy that would help us reach our revenue targets within the next quarter.”
Action: “I analyzed our sales data and identified our most profitable segments, then developed a targeted email marketing campaign that incentivized new customers to sign up. I also created a referral program that rewarded existing customers for bringing us new business.”
Result: “As a result of my efforts, we were able to increase our revenue by 25% within the next quarter, and acquired several new high-profile clients. The campaign generated a 40% increase in customer engagement, and the referral program resulted in 20% of our new business being referred by existing customers.”
Example 2:
Situation: “When I was in college, I was part of a student-led project team that was tasked with developing a solar-powered car for a national competition. Our team had limited resources and faced competition from other universities with better funding and equipment.”
Task: “My task was to lead the project team and coordinate the design, manufacturing, and testing of the solar car.”
Action: “I worked with the team to identify the key design features that would optimize our car’s performance, and leveraged our connections with local businesses and sponsors to secure donations and equipment. I also implemented a project management system that helped us stay on task and meet our deadlines.”
Result: “Our solar car won the national competition and was featured in several national news outlets, raising awareness of our college’s innovation and technical expertise. The experience taught me invaluable skills in leadership, collaboration, and project management, which I’ve brought to my subsequent work experiences.”
Conclusion
Answering the personal achievement question in a job interview requires preparation, strategy, and self-awareness. By using the STAR method to structure your response, and selecting a relevant example that showcases your skills and accomplishments, you can demonstrate why you’re the right candidate for the job, and increase your chances of landing the role. Remember to focus on the problem, your specific actions, and the outcome, and avoid exaggerating or embellishing your achievements. With practice and confidence, you’ll be able to ace your next interview and land the job of your dreams.
