Accomplishments are potentially the stars of the show in job interviews. Most interview questions can be answered with an accomplishments story, and employers will appreciate it if you tell these stories copiously because they provide solid examples of the qualifications hiring managers seek -- whether skills, experience, values, subject-matter expertise, industry knowledge, or other criteria. Employers "want to hear stories that point to a specific and relative outcome or accomplishment, experience, or even a failure they can measure against their perceived needs," writes Allan Hay in Memory Mining.
More than in resumes and cover letters, you can elaborate on your accomplishments in an interview and provide greater detail. Just as in resumes and cover letters, always endeavor to communicate your accomplishments in a way that helps the prospective employer envision you performing the targeted job. Research the key performance indicators the employer seeks in the new hire, and describe accomplishments that align with those criteria (especially important if you seek to move into a new field). See more in this section.
Let's look at the common types of interview questions and examine whether an accomplishment could be included in a response to each type:
Traditional interview questions: Essentially, traditional interview questions are those that don't fit into the other categories described. They are also the kinds of frequently asked questions you've probably been asked in interviews and that you can find lists of all over the Internet -- questions like: "Tell me about yourself." "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" "Why should we hire you?"
Your response to most traditional interview questions is to use a phrase such as "Let me give you an example..." as part of your response. Let's see how this approach works in practice with some questions in this category: