Speaking to Your Accomplishments
In my experience, many job seekers have an ingrained difficulty discussing their accomplishments in an interview, coming off as either timid and uncertain, or braggadocious and self-important. But it’s imperative that we can discuss our accomplishments in a way that is clear, concise, communicative, and humble.
It’s not actually that difficult, if only we approach our interviews as if they were exams, and we study. Studying — read: preparing — is key. If we have specific, thoughtful accomplishments already selected, considered, tailored to the role, and thoroughly memorized, then we’ve given ourselves a substantial advantage before the interview has even started.
More than anything, success here requires a thorough understanding of the interview type you’re preparing for, the position and company in question, and who exactly you’re interviewing with. Your preparation must begin with comprehensive company research. Give substantial time and care to reviewing the job description for the position you’re interviewing for, with a careful eye attuned to diction, sector, supervisor/team structure, and whatever is given special emphasis: accounts, relationships, teamwork, etc. From this, you may be encouraged to select accomplishments that focus on, say, deliverables and financial successes as opposed to other roles where discussing soft-skills or relationships might be superior.
Additionally, take a moment to research the individual you’ll be interviewing with, their role at the company, their job history, and any communications of theirs which may be publicly available. Hopefully, you can get a sense of their demeanor, and, thus, how formal the interview will be.
After this, begin reviewing your own career accomplishments and choose those that you’re genuinely proud of. You’ll have to adapt your presentation to match your prospective employer’s tone, but there’s no substitute for honesty and passion. Choose accomplishments you’re legitimately proud of, even if some are slightly nonstandard, but which you can speak to in legitimate depth, with legitimate enthusiasm. Always give priority to your most recent accomplishments, as well. You may also want to consider diversifying which of your achievements you mention. For instance, listing all your various certifications may prove less compelling than mixing in impressive promotions, team-building successes, large accounts won or secured, or professional relationships forged. When this topic comes up, you’ll likely be asked some version of, “Tell me about some of your professional accomplishments.” It’s an open-ended question. Feel free to lean towards open-ended answers.
Keep in mind that if you’re an entry-level employee, or just lacking significant professional successes, it’s okay to talk about personal and academic accomplishments instead, so long as you can thoughtfully and artfully use them to articulate important, admirable truths about yourself. Few things are inherently disqualifying, just make sure to be considerate about your presentation and understand why each example is important to bring up.
If you’re having trouble composing answers, I encourage you to consider learning more about the STAR interview method. In short summation, STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Using this method, you’ll structure your answers in four parts: First, you’ll discuss the context of a particular situation, then acknowledge your role/responsibility therein, detail your specific actions within the situation, and finally, reveal the end result. You certainly shouldn’t feel required to follow this system exactly, but it’s a helpful framework in which to structure your thoughts and answers. I hope it helps.
With your answers researched and prepared, it’s time to practice. There’s simply no substitute for mock interview experience, full stop, whether that’s with an interview coach, a friend, or with yourself before a mirror. It’s imperative to speak your words out loud, not just to hear their cadence, but to associate those words with a certain tone, rhythm, and naturality that you won’t get from rote internal memorization.
Practice. Practice a lot. Practice with different styles of speech and word choices. This is where you’ll separate yourself from all other applicants, because simply put, few are willing to put in the work. But this is your career. It’s important! If this really is the position for you, it’s worth the extra effort, one more run-through in the mirror, that call to an interview coach for an educated, objective opinion on your performance.
A few last things to keep in mind, obvious as they may be: Be truthful in your interview, avoid prolonged mention of negative situations (at least for the purposes of speaking to your accomplishments), and understand that this is an opportunity to inform, not to gloat. You probably knew all these things already, but, hopefully, it’s helpful to be reminded.
If you have any trouble with the aforementioned strategies, if you want to maximize your performance, or if, for any reason, you’re ready for a professional’s help, hire Ideal Interview Co. now! Strong candidates consult us because it gives them an edge. Get an edge yourself by reaching me, Nancy, on LinkedIn, or at www.idealinterviewco.com/contact.