What Is Your Greatest Professional Achievement? How to Answer This Interview Question
"What is your greatest professional achievement?" is your chance to highlight your most impressive accomplishment and show the value you can bring to a new employer. A strong answer demonstrates your impact, skills, and ability to deliver results.
Why Do Interviewers Ask This Question?
Interviewers want to:
- Assess your past performance to predict future success
- Evaluate your ability to create meaningful results
- Understand what you consider important and noteworthy in your career
What Are They Looking For?
When you answer, interviewers are assessing:
- Scale and significance of your achievement
- Problem-solving abilities and initiative
- Leadership and results orientation
- Storytelling and communication skills
- Ability to quantify impact
How to Structure Your Answer
A strong answer follows this structure:
1. Briefly Introduce the Achievement and Its Significance
Set the stage by explaining what you accomplished and why it mattered.
2. Detail the Situation, Actions, and Results Using the STAR Method
Describe the Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Focus on your specific contribution and the impact you made.
3. Connect the Achievement to the New Role
Explain how this accomplishment prepares you to add value in the position you're interviewing for.
Example Answer
"My greatest professional achievement was leading a team to launch a new product line that generated $2M in revenue within its first year. The project required cross-functional collaboration, tight deadlines, and creative problem-solving. I coordinated efforts across marketing, engineering, and sales, and we exceeded our targets by 25%. This experience taught me the importance of teamwork and strategic planning—skills I'm excited to bring to your organization."
Tips for a Great Response
- Choose a recent, significant achievement
- Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result)
- Quantify the impact where possible
- Focus on your specific contribution
- Highlight relevant skills for the role
- Keep it concise but detailed
- Show how it benefited the organization
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Choosing an outdated achievement
- Not quantifying the impact
- Taking too much credit in team efforts
- Focusing on minor accomplishments
- Being too modest or too boastful