Accomplishments are one way to measure your success in the workplace. It's a good idea to think about your accomplishments before your interview so that you'll be prepared to reel off a string of them. This is not the time to be modest, but don't bore the interviewer to death with your heroic tales; focus specifically on the actions you took and the results you obtained. The best thing about accomplishments is that they can be examples from your professional career, academic years, or personal experiences.
Q: Tell me about a major accomplishment in your life.
YES: As the publicity director of a tiny, alternative publishing house, it can be difficult to get major sources to review our books. Because the subjects we cover are often far from the mainstream, many television shows and review publications find our topics a bit too controversial. Last year, we published a book that I really thought could be a number one bestseller. Though I always put forth a lot of effort to publicize all of the books we published, I was particularly interested in seeing this little gem find its way from obscurity to popularity. Because of my efforts, coverage of this book was astronomical, and the book became a New York Times bestseller, with both the author and the book becoming household names.
NO: My purchasing skills saved my last company from financial ruin.
Talk to the interviewer about the accomplishment in your life that you are most proud of. The accomplishment should be work related, but it doesn't have to be. Be honest and be specific. Don't just throw out a general statement (“I won an award”); describe the steps you took to accomplish this goal and how all your hard work paid off in the end. One job seeker brought along a picture of herself receiving a prestigious award from a well-known celebrity at an industry awards dinner. It stimulated conversation and made an impression on the interviewer, who would be likely to remember the candidate after the interview was over. Don't exaggerate or boast, as interviewers have ways of finding out the truth. Don't be long-winded; instead, focus on your actual accomplishments and the steps leading up to them. The interviewer wants to know whether you will be able to contribute something to this company; this is a great opportunity to prove that you can.
Essential
Your interviewer is doing all the talking, and you're relaxing, certain that you're sailing through the interview. But beware. This can mean the interviewer is either inexperienced or anxious to sell you on the job and fill a position that's difficult to keep staffed.
Q: Tell me about a contribution you've made to a team accomplishment.
YES: In my current company, all projects are group projects. My last work group was made up of five very intelligent and very creative people. However, the overall technical skills were a bit lacking. People knew how they wanted our presentation to look, but they didn't know how to go about achieving it. I am an avid computer user and have taken several classes in graphic design. I think our group's final product was a good mix of creativity and technology. I used my computer skills to help our team come up with a fantastic presentation that the client accepted without hesitation.
NO: While I like autonomy over a team situation, when I am placed within a group setting I think that I am very effective as the leader. I'm not afraid to take control over the group. I'll handle the brunt of the work if the others can't keep up.
Even if you spend most of your time working independently—or work independently because you choose to—the interviewer wants to be reassured that you deal with other people well. When placed within a group setting, do you immediately try to take control or do you offer up a certain expertise? Think about the kinds of tasks you've performed before in group settings, and the skills that you have mastered. What would the other members of your team say about your contributions? Would they want to work with you again? Would they consider your skills vital to the team's success? Offer proof, using specific examples, that you delivered more than the team expected and that the team would compliment your contributions to the group's efforts.