How to Answer “What Is Your Greatest Achievement?” with Sample Answers

In any job interview, employers often ask, “What is your biggest professional achievement?”

This question allows them to assess how you view your professional accomplishment and what kind of positive impact you can bring to their organization.

By highlighting your biggest achievement, you showcase your ability to add value, solve problems, and achieve results.

Crafting the perfect answer requires thoughtful reflection and the ability to tell your story in a compelling, concise way.

Learn how to craft a strong response that resonates with potential employers and lands you your dream job.

Why do employers ask “What is your greatest achievement?”

When a prospective employer asks about your biggest accomplishment, they are trying to gauge how you define success.

It’s an opportunity for them to learn more about your ability to achieve measurable outcomes and if those outcomes align with their job description.

Employers also look to see if you have the transferable skills required for the position, whether you’re a project manager or a customer support representative.

Answering this common interview question effectively demonstrates your ability to deliver results, shows how you align with the company’s core values, and provides insights into your leadership skills.

Steps to answer “What is your greatest achievement?”

Steps to answer “What is your greatest achievement?” include choosing the right achievement, using the STAR method, quantifying your success, and emphasizing soft skills.

Choose the Right Achievement

When selecting your professional achievement, pick one that directly relates to the job you’re applying for.

A challenging project or a time when you made a direct impact on your previous role can be powerful examples.

Ideally, the achievement should reflect the relevant skills the employer is seeking.

While recent successes are best, don’t hesitate to mention older achievements if they are highly relevant to the role.

Use the STAR Method

One of the best frameworks for answering behavioral interview questions is the STAR method. Here’s how it works:

• Situation: Set the scene by explaining the context.
• Task: Describe the challenge or responsibility.
• Action: Explain the steps you took to address the challenge, especially how you led or contributed.
• Result: Highlight the outcome, particularly if it’s quantifiable, such as improving customer satisfaction scores or meeting sales targets.

Quantify your success

Quantifying your achievements adds credibility and demonstrates your effectiveness.

For example, if your professional accomplishment involved a complex project, use numbers to showcase the success.

Did you help reduce a decline in customer satisfaction, increase revenue, or complete a project on time?

Employers appreciate when results are presented with data, such as “increased customer engagement by 30%” or “saved the company $100,000 through effective time management.”

Emphasize soft skills

Your biggest achievement likely required more than just technical skills.

Highlight how you used soft skills like communication skills, problem-solving, or teamwork.

Did you lead a development team through a critical project, or perhaps navigate challenges using a proactive approach?

Sharing how you handled constraints or led a project manager role successfully can make your answer stand out.

Sample answers for Steps to answer “What is your greatest achievement?”

For a sales role

“My biggest achievement was surpassing my quarterly sales targets by 30%, which contributed significantly to closing a major revenue gap for the company. This achievement was driven by my deep understanding of the target audience and fostering stronger customer engagement through personalized outreach.”

For a project management role

“I led a cross-functional team to deliver a pilot project two weeks ahead of schedule, saving the company $50,000 in operational costs. My ability to coordinate weekly meetings and ensure clear communication between teams was essential to this success.”

For a marketing role

“One of my proudest accomplishments was developing a content strategy that increased our website traffic by 40% and boosted lead generation by 25%. As the content leader, I worked closely with the marketing team to align our efforts with business goals and improve the quality of life for our clients.”

Mistakes to avoid when answering “What is your greatest achievement?”

Mistakes to avoid when answering “What is your greatest achievement?” include being too vague, bragging or over-embellishing, choosing a non-relevant achievement, and downplaying your success.

Being too vague

Avoid giving examples of accomplishments without specific details. A general response like, “I did well in my last job,” won’t leave a strong impression.

Focus on measurable achievements and specific results, such as improving customer satisfaction ratings.

Bragging or over-embellishing

While confidence is key, avoid exaggerating your role.

Stick to the facts when discussing your proudest achievement and be sure to give credit where it’s due, especially when working on a team project.

Choosing a non-relevant achievement

Make sure your professional achievement is relevant to the job description.

For example, if you’re applying for a project manager position, highlighting an unrelated personal life event, such as organizing a garden club project, won’t resonate with the employer.

Downplaying your success

Many candidates hesitate to speak about their proudest moments out of modesty.

However, it’s important to own your accomplishments. Be proud of your success and use it to show how you can bring value to your dream job.

Answering “What is your greatest achievement?” in an interview

Answering this behavioral question well can make a lasting impression on a potential employer.

Your response should demonstrate your ability to deliver results, use both soft skills and technical expertise, and leave a positive impact on the company.

Reflect on your own proudest achievement, practice your concise answer, and be ready to explain how it aligns with the job you’re pursuing.

In conclusion, use these tips and examples to craft an effective answer to one of the most common interview questions you’ll face.

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