What are your most significant professional achievements?
8 January 2013
Read by 2101 persons
Answer this question by giving examples related to the desired position. And speak in the first person.
"With this question, the employer checks what you excel at to measure how your strengths can be useful to them," says Annie Chauvette, employment counselor for the Centre d'intervention des Basses-Laurentides for employment.
Give a relevant example
"The trap is to name an achievement that is important to you, but that is not related to the position, warns Ms. Chauvette. Only keep achievements that show you have the necessary skills for the job."
"Don't limit yourself to your professional experiences," adds Sylvie Lepage, human resources consultant. "If as a volunteer you organized a fundraiser, it's relevant to mention it for a position in sales and marketing. And prioritize recent events, those that occurred in the last two or three years."
Be specific
"Show what your achievement brought to the company," adds Annie Chauvette. "Describe the action, the context and especially the result. For example, you can say: "In my last job, I reviewed the file classification system, which was several years old. With my new system, employees save time. The company is more efficient."
Highlight yourself
Speak in the first person, says Annie Chauvette. "Even if the example you present is a team achievement, define what your role was. Talk about what you personally accomplished."
To avoid
"Above all, don't say that your greatest achievement is your family," warns Sylvie Lepage. "We know that building a family is a great personal achievement. But here, we stick to experiences directly related to the skills required for the position."
Jobboom.com
Posted January 8, 2013.
"With this question, the employer checks what you excel at to measure how your strengths can be useful to them," says Annie Chauvette, employment counselor for the Centre d'intervention des Basses-Laurentides for employment.
Give a relevant example
"The trap is to name an achievement that is important to you, but that is not related to the position, warns Ms. Chauvette. Only keep achievements that show you have the necessary skills for the job."
"Don't limit yourself to your professional experiences," adds Sylvie Lepage, human resources consultant. "If as a volunteer you organized a fundraiser, it's relevant to mention it for a position in sales and marketing. And prioritize recent events, those that occurred in the last two or three years."
Be specific
"Show what your achievement brought to the company," adds Annie Chauvette. "Describe the action, the context and especially the result. For example, you can say: "In my last job, I reviewed the file classification system, which was several years old. With my new system, employees save time. The company is more efficient."
Highlight yourself
Speak in the first person, says Annie Chauvette. "Even if the example you present is a team achievement, define what your role was. Talk about what you personally accomplished."
To avoid
"Above all, don't say that your greatest achievement is your family," warns Sylvie Lepage. "We know that building a family is a great personal achievement. But here, we stick to experiences directly related to the skills required for the position."
Jobboom.com
Posted January 8, 2013.
