If only you knew every question a hiring manager would ask in a job interview — that would make interviews so much less nerve-wracking. Then you could practice your answers and ensure you make a great first impression.
Luckily, many interviewers ask similar questions to get to know who you are as a person and employee. “What’s your greatest accomplishment?” is one such question, and with some research and practice, you can prepare the perfect answer to this common behavioral question and feel confident in your ability to ace your interview.
Why do recruiters ask, “What’s your greatest accomplishment?”
For 93% of job seekers, the interview is the most stressful part of the hiring process. That’s understandable when recruiters ask you open-ended questions without a definitive correct answer.
But to a recruiter or hiring manager, these questions are essential. Studies find that behavioral questions (ones that showcase how you behave) are 55% effective at determining a candidate’s future success.
By asking, “What accomplishment are you most proud of?” they’re trying to learn information about your personality that your resume doesn’t share. The insights gained by asking about past experiences help them determine whether you’ll fit the company culture.
Sharing examples of your greatest accomplishments helps recruiters assess:
- How you react under pressure: Will you remain in control or become flustered when faced with a stressful situation?
- How you define success: Do your performance standards match the company’s expectations?
- What you consider important: Can you clearly define professional goals and prioritize the necessary steps to achieve them?
- Your motivation: Do you have the work ethic and drive needed to thrive in this role?
What accomplishment should you share?
LinkedIn’s 2019 Global Talent Trends Report showed that at least 75% of companies use behavioral interview questions to screen their candidates. For potential candidates, this means preparing answers to these questions is integral to a successful job interview.
The first step toward answering the “greatest accomplishment” interview question is to select the achievement you want to share. Ask yourself the following questions to identify your options:
- What contribution did I make to help reach company goals?
- Did I positively impact my colleagues as a mentor, manager, or team member?
- How did I help an organization become more efficient?
When answering these questions, be as specific as possible, gaining numbers you can use in your answer. "Successfully oversaw the production of 100 deliverables monthly" is more effective than something unspecific like "Always met my deadlines.”
To narrow down your selection, conduct a little research. Review the job description, company website, and social media profiles for clues into qualities the company values. Press releases and employee reviews are also good information sources.
If you notice the company appreciates employees with a sense of accountability, you could discuss when you stepped in to fill a staffing gap or an initiative you launched to address a recurring work challenge.
Whatever you choose, your accomplishment should demonstrate relatable, transferable skills for the job you’re applying for. And think about the personal values you want to share with the hiring manager and how this accomplishment demonstrates them.
Once you’ve settled on your biggest achievement, it’s time to frame your answer.
Using the STAR method to answer this question
One of the most compelling ways to answer a job interview question is to craft a narrative that draws a listener in. The STAR method is the perfect interview skill to leverage in this situation. It provides a framework for your story arc, allowing you to easily organize your ideas and create a thoughtful, confident answer.
The STAR acronym breaks down the technique’s process:
- Situation: Provide context for your accomplishment by describing the challenge.
- Task: Discuss what this challenge required and what you took on. Emphasize why you were responsible for this task, discussing qualifications related to the position you’re applying for.
- Action: Define how you completed your task, using keywords from the job description to help the recruiter connect your skills to the role’s needs.
- Result: Describe the positive outcome of your work using quantifiable measures. Adding concrete numbers makes a good answer great because the listener can clearly understand how you helped.
Keep in mind that the recruiter is also watching your body language and how you relate to your colleagues to determine fit. Practice your delivery beforehand to ensure your answer is smooth and decisive.
Avoid a humorous approach to a serious question or criticizing your coworkers. You want to show the interviewer you’re a team player who respects the workplace and your colleagues.
5 “What’s your greatest achievement?” sample answers
Here are five examples that use the STAR method to help you brainstorm how to discuss your greatest professional achievement.
1. Entry-level worker — completing demanding graduation requirements
S: In the final year of my psychology degree, I needed to complete 400 hours of community service to qualify for the advanced social work training I wanted to pursue.
T: I had to learn time management and prioritization skills to juggle completing my volunteer service responsibilities and my academic requirements for graduation.
A: Over that year, I used productivity hacks and mindfulness techniques to focus on my work and complete my assignments within the allotted time. I scheduled my classes, volunteer hours, and free time using a visualization tool to help me track my time and prepare for periods of increased demand.
R: I completed my volunteer hours with six weeks to spare and graduated with a 3.8 GPA. It was the highest average throughout my bachelor's program.
2. Experienced worker — improving customer satisfaction ratings
S: The call center I worked for was underperforming, even with incentives. The customer satisfaction rate was a disappointing 65%.
T: I asked my boss if I could review the human resources training materials to see if they needed an update and identify critical missing information that could boost the team's performance. I also requested access to the call tapes to identify any recurring issues holding us back.
A: I spent my lunch periods reviewing the materials and my off-time researching industry best practices. After four weeks, I presented my findings to the management team, identifying gaps in training new hires and recommending updates to agents' scripts. They accepted my suggestions and implemented them the following week.
R: Within the first month of launching the updated onboarding training program, our customer satisfaction rating increased by 10%. At the year's end, we regularly achieved a 90% weekly client approval. And I learned so much about the training and documentation process. This whole experience remains my proudest personal achievement.
3. Volunteer worker — increasing social media engagement
S: Adoption rates had dropped at the cat rehabilitation facility where I volunteer on weekends. As a result, the shelter was overcrowded with cats, and we needed more funds to keep the doors open.
T: I decided to leverage our social media channels to reach a larger audience and increase community interest.
A: Instead of captioning photos of our new arrivals with characteristics like breed, color, and age, I edited the pictures into resume bio shots, adding a list of humorous “employee strengths” to the descriptions. I also added photos of recent “applicants” leaving for their new jobs.
Videos of volunteers playing with some older “candidates” also proved popular. I researched how to work with channel algorithms to organically increase our views without spending limited resources on sponsored ads.
R: That hard work paid off. Our posting rate increased from twice weekly to a daily update throughout the work week. We uploaded videos on Friday afternoons and weekends when they would have the most impact.
Within the first six weeks, our engagement increased by 30%, and since the last quarter, we’ve exceeded our adoption target by 15%, while our charitable contributions have gone up 12%.
I also became very proficient at social media strategizing, which I’m thrilled about. But I think my proudest moment was when Scout, the oldest cat in the shelter, went home with her new family.
4. Health challenge — pursuing goals despite setbacks
S: As part of my goal to improve my overall well-being, I began training for my first 10K run. Six months before the race, I sustained an ankle injury.
T: Determination is my greatest strength, and I still wanted to attempt the run. To recover enough to compete, I needed to commit to a rigorous round of rehabilitation.
A: I worked with my physiotherapist to get back on track. I started small, completing one light workout a day. After one week, I graduated to two daily sessions and gradually increased intensity. Six weeks later, I added daily walks to my activities, along with some stair climbing.
Once I could complete those sessions without pain, I moved on to interval training, where I would alternate between walking and running. At the end of six months of rehab, my physiotherapist declared me fit to compete.
R: I finished my first 10K run without pain, coming in 46th out of 80 competitors. I felt like I won a gold medal. I also learned how to handle setbacks with determination and resilience. And in doing so, I became that much stronger when tackling future challenges.
5. Side hustle — finding a way to make a hobby pay for itself
S: I've always loved nature photography, but it's an expensive pastime. I wanted to see if I could earn enough money doing what I love.
T: I spoke to a few gallery owners to assess potential revenue streams. I discovered that greeting cards and calendars were more popular and could generate more income than selling individual photos.
A: I researched printers to find the most economical service and began laying out wall and desk calendars, plus a series of blank greeting cards. I targeted the local tourist trade by featuring native wildlife, and once I had my inventory, I began selling products at local farmer’s markets.
R: After spending the summer selling my photos at the markets, our local museum’s gift shop and an artist collective offered to stock my products. I sold enough in my first year to upgrade my entire photography kit.
I’ve since expanded my line to include magnets, and I sell prints of my photos online through my website. This whole process has taught me so much about the grit and resilience entrepreneurship takes.
I hope to bring my photography skills to your business, helping you show off your product to your attentive audience.
Build your confidence
Significant accomplishments are something to be proud of. Don’t be shy about sharing them in an interview. Honest enthusiasm for your achievements speaks well to the energy you’ll bring to the job. That’s something a hiring manager wants to see.
Use our interview tips and examples to prepare your reply to “What’s your greatest accomplishment?” This preparation will help you deliver a thoughtful, well-structured answer that conveys your confidence and capabilities — essential requirements for landing your dream job.
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