achievement in your life essay

Essay About Achievements: Top 5 Examples and 6 Prompts

Are you having problems writing your essay about achievements? Then, continue reading this article for samples and prompts to guide you in your writing.

Achievement influences our expectations and self-growth. It’s also often connected with an individual’s progress in life. It gives way for recognition in attaining a goal through standards. 

Achievement acknowledges successes, productiveness, and involvement. But sometimes, achieving doesn’t result in a feeling of satisfaction. Writing an achievement essay is usually based on experiences from yourself or others. You can explore different viewpoints, such as what they consider an “achievement,” how to overcome weaknesses, or why they want a specific achievement. Below are 5 examples and 6 writing prompts to assist you in your essay:

1. The Greatest Achievements In Life by Gerard Reese

2. greatest professional or academic achievement by james taylor , 3. essay on achievements from my professional life by bdoan, 4. my accomplishment by taylor wood, 5. when my weakness became my greatest accomplishment by jay merrill logan, 6 writing prompts on essay about achievements, 1. ways to achieve within different settings, 2. achievements in the small things, 3. how to build confidence, 4. the power of overcoming fear, 5. steps to be successful, 6. guide to building a strong character.

“Nobody succeeds on the first try, we take our mistakes and learn from them. Mistakes are the things that help us strive for greatness, which is why failure should not be viewed as something negative, but more as something we can use to attain [what] we want in life.”

Reese’s piece on achievement talks about learning from failure and trying again until you reach success. Time and failure are contributors to our achievements. He emphasizes that failure can be a steward and teacher to help us get where we want to be. He also provides lists of individuals who encountered crises in their lives until they reached their most successful phases. 

“My father always instilled in me the importance of education. He knew very well that in order for his children to be successful he needed to set them up for success and place them in a position where we would be afforded the opportunity to succeed.”

Family significantly impacts one’s interpretation of what achievements are about. Taylor’s essay highlights the idea of what his father taught him about education and success. He mentions how he embarked through life while keeping his father’s acknowledgment of his potential in the field he has chosen. His essay shows that family shapes one’s belief about what’s considered a successful life.

“I consider the experience in Japan as a big achievement and an important step in my career. The fact that I could master the complex situation gave me much self-confidence and showed that I could manage people successfully even in difficult situations. Today, this unique ability of handling teams attributed me as a strong leader for my people.”

Bdoan’s essay focuses on past experiences and how she handled cultural differences and beliefs, leading to her successful professional life. To achieve fulfillment in work, she breaks the barrier, communicates effectively, and embraces Japanese culture, which she set as a significant setting stone in her career life.

“Through the influence of my best friend, I have motivated myself to spend two hours during the night before I go to sleep to master the lessons the teacher has discussed in class. This helped me greatly since I would no longer have to cram and study everything for the exams later.”

Wood’s essay highlights the external factors that contributed to his achievements. External factors can lead a person to success or frustration. Through a piece of great advice, he changed his lifestyle by allowing himself to move forward and build a quality life. He compares this to Newton’s First law of motion, which he quoted and put at the beginning of his essay.

“…the more I thought about my own greatest personal academic achievement, I realized it was simply getting an A in a college history class my freshman year. Succeeding in this upper-level history class set the tone for all my future college courses and gave me the confidence I needed to achieve greatness, and I am not even a history major.”

Logan talks about his worst subject, History. He recounts how he approached his professor and overcame his weakness. This essay points out that words from others can influence self-growth and confidence. He says he developed faith in his study during college and attained his most outstanding accomplishment.

Are you having problems connecting your ideas smoothly? See this guide on transition words for essays.

After reading through the samples above, it’s time to explore your desired achievement subjects. Here are six prompts about achievements you can use:

Everyone sets expectations for themselves, dependent on the environment they’re in. It can be at work, school, or home. In these cases, the result is just as important as the process.

You can focus your essay on a relatable viewpoint, such as a student who wants to get A+ grades or an office worker who wants to get the Employee of the Month Award. Discuss ways they can excel in their surroundings. Your essay will serve as a guide to help them grow personally and professionally.

Achievements don’t need to be grand. Sometimes, simply getting out of bed is an achievement, especially for those suffering from mental illnesses such as depression. Center your essay on the simple things that can be considered achievements in their way. 

Your essay will not only serve as a reminder that it’s essential to appreciate the small things. It will also comfort those who are going through a hard time.

This topic asks you to highlight the relationship between confidence and achievements. You can interview someone confident in themselves. Ask for tips on building confidence and relay them to your readers while explaining the opportunities they can get by believing in themselves more.

In this busy world, fear is one of the most significant setbacks for people in accomplishing their goals in life. In this essay, you can explain to your readers how acknowledging their fears will help them advance.  

You can also conceptualize the effect of anxiety in achieving your desires and help you set your standard in developing self-growth. Feel free to share your experience with fears and how you plan to deal with them.

To be successful is everyone’s goal. However, sharing steps and tips on how to achieve success is general prompt many writes about. To make your piece stand out, you can tailor it to a group of individuals. For example, a student’s image of success is going on stage and graduating with honors.

Someone’s character is critical to achieving achievements. You can write about a well-known individual who went against the usual route of how success is reached. Such as Steve Jobs, who founded Apple but was a college dropout. 

There are many ways to reach a goal. Tell your readers that they don’t need to follow the conventional method of accomplishing things to get their hands on the achievements they crave.

Do you want to be more confident with your writing? Here are 11 essay writing tips you need to learn today!

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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Student Essays

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12 Essays on my Achievements [ Academic & Extra Curricular ]

The achievements, successes or accomplishments we gain in school are the part of best school life years.  Those achievements in middle, high school or college student life may include personal academic achievements and sports or extracurricular achievements. They may be greatest, the best or the bad but we never forget them.

List of Topics

My Achievements  in Life | Individual, Academic & Extra Curricular Achievements | My Achievements that I am Proud of

Achievements are the desires that we love to have for. They are our those goals we struggle to achieve. The achievements in personal or professional life are the true identity of a successful and struggling person. The following essay reflects the importance of achievements and a firm call for us to set and struggle to achieve those aims.

1. Essay about the Achievements that You are Proud of

Achievement is associated with the targeted goals or aims in life. When we define our action in relation to something like a goal a task is created. A task when fulfilled is called an achievement earned. The struggle in life is the sum total of our achievements, success, failures, mistakes.

Therefore, my achievement, my success or my accomplishment is the name given to my fulfilled goals. The failure, in turns, is the names given to my mistakes, my setbacks, and my loss. Every person in life has some achievements, accomplishments, rewards and successes earned. At the same time mistakes, failures and setbacks as well.

My achievements, my successes and my accomplishments are the one that make me happy and proud. Whereas, my mistakes, my failures and setbacks make me strong and bold.

There are various kinds of achievements one may have. There are some examples of achievements like personal achievements, academic achievements, sports achievements etc. There are various roles in which one achieves something. Taking myself as an example it would be like my achievements as a teacher, my accomplishments as student in school, college or in personal life.

My Academic Achievement

Academic achievements are those gains that are accomplished by a student during his high school, college or university life. These achievements are really the ones you remain prideful throughout your entire life.  Everyone who is well taught has some personal achievements including academic achievements as well.

• My student life has given me many academic achievements that I must be proud of. Some of my academic achievements I have listed below.
• My first academic achievement is that I have successfully completed my education till now with A+ throughout. It is my greatest achievement of life
• My second greatest academic achievement is that I have successfully got admission in my desire career. My parents are proud of me.
• They always wanted me to be a great doctor. It is my passion to serve my country.
• My third biggest academic achievement is that on the basis of good scores and my professional degree, I got study scholarship for UK. I really loved my studying experience there.
• My last academic accomplishment is that I am currently serving successfully as the head of city’s biggest health institute.

Related Post:   BEST LINES & MORE SENTENCES ESSAY ON MY SCHOOL.

2. My Sports (Extracurricular) Achievements Essay

Extracurricular activities are the part of a healthy person. I always take pride in participating in various extracurricular activities in my school. There are a few extracurricular achievements I must be proud of.

•  My first extracurricular achievement was that I won a medal in annual inter schools speech and debates competition. I won first prize in class 5th.
• I am also an avid reader and good writer. My second extracurricular achievement was that I won a cash prize of 10,000 rupees on a essay writing competition. I won with my essay on “Save trees Save Earth” during inter schools essay writing competition. I was in 7th grade at that time.
• I have great interest in sports. I can play cricket very well. It was my biggest sports achievement that I helped my team win the tournament this year, in class 10th. I was awarded man of the match. It is a moment of pride and my greatest extracurricular success.

Achievements and success are the part of one’s life. These are my achievements in my school as a student. I feel a great sense of pride for my student life accomplishment. I will try my level best to add more best personal achievements in my coming life days.

3. Short Essay On My Achievements that I am Proud of

Achievements are the signs of good student life. They show the talent, the worth and the status of a student. To achieve something we work hard and we become focused. Therefore, we learn a lot of things like self discipline , hard work, dedication, self respect and motivation.

School life achievements are good and they must be the part of student’s life. I have a good many my school achievements. I must be proud of whatever I have achieved through out my personal life. I am the student of class (your current class). Currently I am studying at the school (Write the name of your school). Throughout my years of schools I have achieved valuable success.

I have some personal achievements, some academic achievements and a few extracurricular achievements. I have been a diligent and dedicated student of my school. In fact, I am the favorite student in my school. It is my greatest achievement that I have been getting A+ in all of my exams and assessments.

This achievement is in fact due to the hard work done under the guidance of my teachers and prayers of my parents. I always take interest in extracurricular activities. I am good speaker and good at playing cricket. It is my great extracurricular achievement that I secured first prize in inter schools debates and speech competition, held last month.

All of my school fellows and my teachers are proud of me. Apart from that I represented my team in annual inter schools cricket tournament. We successfully won the final match. It is my biggest sports achievement of student’s life. I will never forget.

I am grateful to my school teachers and my parents. Thanks to those achievements and set goals I struggled and worked hard. Thereby, I have known how to work hard and how to make achievements. My school achievements are surely going to help me to grow and gain more in my upcoming life days.

4. My School Achievements Paragraphs:

As a high school student, my school achievements hold a special place in my heart. They represent all the hard work, determination and passion that I have put into both academics and extracurricular activities.

One of my proudest achievements is being part of the school’s debate team. Being able to voice my opinions confidently and effectively has always been something I struggled with. However, with the help of my coaches and teammates, I was able to improve my public speaking skills and even won several regional and state-level competitions.

Apart from debating, I have also excelled in academics. Throughout high school, I have maintained a GPA of 4.0 and have been consistently ranked at the top of my class. This has not only brought me personal satisfaction but also earned me recognition from my teachers and peers.

In addition to academics, I have been actively involved in community service projects organized by my school. Through these initiatives, I have had the opportunity to give back to society and make a positive impact in my community. One of the most memorable moments was when our team raised funds for a local orphanage and spent an entire day playing and interacting with the children. It was a heartwarming experience that taught me the value of compassion and empathy.

Moreover, I have also been an active member of various clubs and organizations in school, such as the Interact Club and National Honor Society. These extracurricular activities have not only allowed me to explore my interests but also develop important leadership skills.

Overall, my school achievements have shaped me into the person I am today. They have taught me the importance of hard work, perseverance, and teamwork. I am grateful for all the opportunities that my school has provided me with and will always cherish the memories and lessons learned. However, I also understand that these achievements would not have been possible without the support and guidance of my teachers, parents, and peers. I am proud to be a part of such a supportive and nurturing community that values both academic excellence and personal growth.

5. Short Essay on My School Achievements as a Student:

My school life has been a roller coaster ride filled with ups and downs, but one thing that has remained constant is my determination to excel. Whether it was academics or extracurricular activities, I always pushed myself to be the best version of myself. As I look back on my journey, I am proud to say that my hard work and perseverance have paid off in the form of numerous achievements.

In terms of academics, I have always been a diligent student. I consistently topped my class and was awarded several academic excellence certificates. Along with maintaining good grades, I also actively participated in various school competitions like debates, elocution, and quizzes. These experiences not only helped improve my knowledge but also boosted my confidence.

Apart from academics, sports have always been a huge part of my life. I represented my school in various inter-school sports competitions and won several medals for both individual and team events. Being a part of the school’s sports teams also taught me important skills like teamwork, time management, and discipline.

Another achievement that I am extremely proud of is winning the title of “Best All-Rounder Student” in my school. This award is given to the student who excels in academics, sports, and extracurricular activities. It was a great feeling to be recognized for my overall performance and it motivated me to continue striving for excellence.

In conclusion, my school achievements as a student have not only brought me recognition but also shaped me into a well-rounded individual. I am grateful for all the opportunities my school provided me to showcase my talents and I will always cherish these memories. So, if you are a student reading this, remember to work hard and never give up on your dreams because your efforts will surely pay off in the end. Let your achievements speak for themselves!

6. Short Essay on My Greatest Accomplishment as a Student:

As a student, I have had the opportunity to learn and grow in various aspects of my life. However, if I were to choose one accomplishment that stands out above all others, it would be my ability to balance academics with extracurricular activities.

Throughout my academic journey, I have always been passionate about learning and achieving good grades. But at the same time, I also wanted to explore my interests in music, sports and volunteer work. Initially, it was challenging to juggle between academics and extracurriculars, but with determination and time management skills, I was able to excel in both areas.

One of the most significant milestones for me was when I received an award for academic excellence while simultaneously being recognized as the best athlete in the school. This achievement not only showcased my academic abilities but also highlighted my talent and dedication towards sports.

Moreover, I have always been drawn towards community service and making a positive impact in society. While balancing academics and extracurriculars, I actively participated in various volunteer projects, including organizing fundraisers for underprivileged children and contributing to environmental conservation efforts. Being able to balance my academic responsibilities and still make a difference in the community has been an incredibly fulfilling accomplishment for me.

In conclusion, balancing academics with extracurricular activities has been my greatest accomplishment as a student. It has taught me valuable lessons about time management, perseverance, and the importance of pursuing one’s passions.

This achievement not only reflects my hard work but also represents my holistic approach towards personal and academic growth. So, I encourage all students to strive for a balance between academics and extracurriculars, as it can lead to a well-rounded and fulfilling educational experience.

7. Short Achievement Essay For College:

As a college student, I have had my fair share of achievements and accomplishments. But one particular achievement stands out to me the most – being able to balance academics, extracurricular activities, and personal commitments.

During my high school years, I was always involved in various clubs and organizations such as student council, debate team, and community service groups. While these activities were fulfilling and allowed me to develop my skills in leadership, communication, and time management, they also required a significant amount of my time and energy. At the same time, I had to maintain good grades and prepare for college applications.

Juggling between these responsibilities was not an easy task, but it taught me invaluable lessons that have helped me succeed in college. I learned how to prioritize my tasks, manage my time effectively, and deal with pressure and stress. These skills are not only essential for academic success but also for personal growth.

Furthermore, being involved in extracurricular activities has allowed me to develop a diverse set of interests and expand my knowledge beyond the classroom. It has also helped me build strong relationships with my peers and mentors, which have been crucial in my personal and academic development.

Overall, I am proud of my ability to balance multiple commitments and still maintain a high level of achievement. It has not only helped me achieve success in college but also prepared me for the challenges of the real world. Through this experience, I have learned that hard work, determination, and time management are key factors in achieving one’s goals and making the most out of college life.

So, my advice to fellow college students would be to not only focus on academics but also explore opportunities outside the classroom and strive for a healthy balance in all aspects of your life. You will be surprised at how much you can achieve when you find that equilibrium. Cheers to achieving more accomplishments in the future!

8. Short Essay on I am Proud of My School Because:

I am a student of XYZ School, and I am proud to be a part of this institution. This school holds a special place in my heart because it has shaped me into the person I am today. It has not only provided me with academic knowledge but also taught me important life lessons that will stay with me forever.

One of the main reasons why I am proud of my school is because of its commitment to academic excellence. The teachers here are highly qualified and dedicated to their profession. They go above and beyond to ensure that we understand the concepts clearly and excel in our studies. Moreover, the school provides us with all the necessary resources to support our learning, including a well-stocked library, computer labs, and extracurricular activities.

This has helped me develop a love for learning and strive to do my best in all my academic pursuits.

Apart from academic excellence, my school also focuses on holistic development. It encourages students to participate in various extracurricular activities such as sports, music, art, and debates. These activities have not only helped me discover my interests but also taught me important values like teamwork, discipline, and time management.

Furthermore, my school promotes a culture of inclusivity and diversity. It celebrates different cultures and encourages students to respect each other’s differences. This has helped me develop an open-minded perspective and appreciate the uniqueness of every individual.

In conclusion, I am proud of my school because it not only provides quality education but also instills important values that will guide me throughout my life. It has given me a strong foundation to build upon and has prepared me to face the challenges of the future with confidence. I will always be grateful for the role my school has played in shaping me into a well-rounded individual.

9. Short Essay on High School Accomplishments:

My high school experience was filled with ups and downs, as I’m sure most people can relate to. However, despite the challenges, I am proud of the achievements I made during those years.

One of my biggest accomplishments in high school was becoming a member of the National Honor Society. This was a goal I had set for myself since freshman year, and achieving it in my junior year was a moment I will never forget. Being part of this prestigious organization not only recognized my academic achievements but also allowed me to give back to the community through various service projects.

Another achievement that holds a special place in my heart is winning first place in the state science fair. Science has always been a passion of mine, and being able to showcase my research and receive recognition for it was an incredibly rewarding experience.

But my high school achievements weren’t just limited to academics. I also excelled in sports, particularly on the varsity soccer team. My team and I won multiple championships, and being a part of such a close-knit group taught me valuable lessons about teamwork and perseverance.

Lastly, I am proud of how much I grew as an individual during my high school years. From overcoming personal obstacles to taking on leadership roles in various clubs and organizations, I learned the importance of resilience and adaptability.

Overall, my high school achievements are a testament to the hard work and determination I put into everything I do. They have shaped me into the person I am today and will continue to inspire me as I embark on new challenges in the future. So, I encourage all high schoolers to set goals for themselves and never give up on achieving them, because the satisfaction of success is truly worth it. Now go out there and make your own high school achievements! The sky’s the limit!

10. Short Essay on My Great Achievement in Life:

Everyone has their own opinion on what constitutes as a greatest achievement in life. Some may view landing their dream job or marrying the love of their life as their biggest accomplishment, while others may see personal growth and overcoming obstacles as theirs. For me, my greatest achievement in life is something that I never thought was possible and it’s something that has shaped me into the person I am today.

Growing up, I struggled with self-confidence and always felt like I wasn’t good enough. This led me to constantly doubt myself and my abilities, which ultimately hindered my personal growth. However, a few years ago, I made a conscious effort to break out of this mindset and started taking small steps towards self-improvement.

One of the biggest challenges for me was to step out of my comfort zone and try new things. It was terrifying at first, but I slowly started seeing the positive impact it had on my life. I began to gain confidence in myself and my abilities, which allowed me to take on bigger challenges without fear or hesitation.

But the moment that truly solidified this as my greatest achievement was when I decided to pursue something that I never thought I could do – running a marathon. Despite never being a runner, I trained for months and pushed myself to the limit on race day. Crossing that finish line was one of the most empowering experiences of my life and it’s something that I will always cherish.

This achievement taught me that with determination, hard work, and self-belief, anything is possible. It also showed me that my greatest achievements in life are not just about reaching a specific goal, but the journey and growth that comes with it. I am proud of where I am today and I am excited to see what other challenges and accomplishments lie ahead. So, my greatest achievement in life isn’t just one moment or event, but rather an ongoing journey of self-discovery and personal growth.

11. Short Results Day Speech:

Hello everyone,

Today is a very special day for all of us. It’s Results Day! I can see the excitement and nervousness in each one of your faces. Believe me, I know exactly how you feel because I have been there myself.

Firstly, congratulations to all the students who have received their results. Your hard work and dedication has paid off and you should be proud of yourselves. Your journey has just begun and you have achieved a major milestone.

For those who may not have received the results they were hoping for, it’s important to remember that this is not the end. There will be other opportunities and challenges in your life, and this is just one small part of your journey.

I want to remind all of you that success is not defined by a piece of paper. It’s about your attitude, determination and resilience in the face of challenges. Your grades do not define you, but rather your character and values.

As you move forward, remember to always believe in yourself and never give up on your dreams. Celebrate your achievements today, but also continue to strive for excellence in everything you do.

I wish you all the best in your future endeavors and I have no doubt that each one of you will go on to do great things. Congratulations once again and keep reaching for the stars!

12. Short Essay on My Achievement in School as a Teacher:

As a teacher, my ultimate goal is to inspire and empower my students to reach their full potential. Every day, I strive to create a positive learning environment where my students feel motivated and encouraged to learn. Over the years, I have had many accomplishments as a teacher, but one that stands out to me the most is the impact I have made on my students.

During my time as a teacher, I have seen numerous students who struggled with their studies and lacked confidence in themselves. These students often felt discouraged and believed that they were not capable of achieving success. However, with patience, hard work, and dedication, I was able to help these students overcome their obstacles and witness them excel in their academics.

My achievement as a teacher is not just measured by the grades my students receive, but also by the positive changes I see in them. It brings me great joy to see my students grow not only academically, but also as individuals. I have had students come back to me years later and tell me how much of an impact I had on their lives, which is truly humbling.

As a teacher, I have learned that every student has their own unique learning style and it is my responsibility to cater to each one of them. I constantly adapt my teaching methods to ensure all my students are engaged and understand the material. This approach has not only helped me achieve success as a teacher, but also helped create a lifelong love for learning in my students.

In conclusion, my greatest achievement as a teacher is the positive impact I have made on my students’ lives. Being able to inspire and empower them to reach their full potential has been an incredibly rewarding experience. As a teacher, I am constantly learning and growing alongside my students, and I look forward to many more achievements in the years to come.

1. What are some accomplishments for school?

Answer: School accomplishments can include academic achievements, sports achievements, leadership roles, community service, awards, or recognition for various school-related activities.

2. How to start an accomplishment essay?

Answer: Begin an accomplishment essay with a strong, attention-grabbing introduction. You can use a compelling anecdote, a significant event, or a personal reflection related to the accomplishment you want to discuss.

3. What are your target achievements for this school year?

Answer: Your target achievements for the school year can vary, but they may include improving grades, getting involved in extracurricular activities, aiming for leadership roles, or setting personal goals for self-improvement.

4. Should I include high school achievements on my resume?

Answer: It’s generally a good idea to include significant high school achievements on your resume if you’re a recent graduate or if they are directly relevant to the job you’re applying for. However, as you gain more work experience, these high school achievements can be phased out in favor of more recent and relevant accomplishments

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Greatest accomplishment essay example and topic ideas.

Developing a college essay on accomplishment may seem easy on the surface, but a hard nut on the inner. Why? Most students have not developed the necessary skills and tactics needed to give such an essay a perfect look it deserves. Nevertheless, we are here to help you develop that and make your essay one of the best achievements ever made. At the end of this post, you will be more proud that Isaac Newton, who saw a mango falling from a tree.

An accomplishment essay should have the following components :

• The challenge
• The outcome
• The significance

First things first, we will start with an accomplishment essay example, which will form the basis of our discussion. Let’s do this!

The Greatest Accomplishment Essay: How I Made it in Life “When I was growing up, I had one purpose in mind, to be my boss. Well, many may find it absurd that a young lad who barely knew all the letters of the alphabet would dream of such. As crazy as it may sound, that was my dream, and I had no intention of looking back. The same urge still burned in me ten years later. No doubt that my passion for leadership was in my DNA, and nothing could stop me from achieving it. What is success? One person defined it as the accomplishment of a purpose or an aim. We create success on our own, and this is how I made my success story. I grew up in a humble background, with my mother taking both parental roles. We lived from hand to mouth, and there are times when we would go for two or three fortnights without a meal. Being a single mother, she had to ensure that her two children were well fending for with the little that she could afford. She would take up any job position; a cleaner, a homemaker, a cook, and even one time, a garbage collector. All these were for the best of her children. Don’t think that I was blind to all these sufferings. There are times that she would take me on these jobs, and I had a first-hand experience of how difficult they were. That is where I started developing a longing for a better life. Not just for me, but my family and all the others who were going through the same ordeal. From the little pennies I collected, I began my little savings account. A bank wouldn’t accept my little coins, and so I had a metallic tin, which I dubbed, “my treasure box.” As time went by, my little treasure box began being heavy. One day I decided to open it when I counted the amount; it was kind enough to buy a few packets of sweets. I bought the first three packets, and lucky enough, all of them sold out. The urge to buy more packs of sweets developed, and within no time, I had a small kiosk. Through several ups and downs, I managed to open a small shop with not just sweets but also other essential commodities. The shop did well, and I moved to a mini-market where I would do wholesale and retail services. I eventually opened a supermarket, and that is where my fortune came. Due to the excellent progress of this supermarket, I opened another branch, and the business began expanding. From a sweet seller to the director of a supermarket with branches nationwide! That is how I became my boss by creating opportunities for people like me who did not have a source of income.”

A personal accomplishment essay is as simple as that. You do not have to hustle for the so-called “great” stories. Look for that one achievement in your life and give it your best shot.

Topic Ideas for Writing the Greatest Accomplishment Essay

Show the great strides you made in your education and the accolades you received for the same.

Describe how your interest in medicine drove you to become a doctor

How does one not achieving a specific goal contribute to his/her failure?

• The Importance of Accomplishment Discuss the privileges, results, and social impact of an accomplishment

Things to Avoid in an Accomplishment Essay

A good essay on accomplishment should not:

• Be of an ancient achievement
• Involve a friend, family, or marriage unless the story is genuinely distinctive and has a substantial impact.

To sum up, writing one of the most significant accomplishment essays bears a couple of requirements in mind. You should critically ask yourself specific questions and, after that, reflect on the experiences that answer those questions. If you have a problem on how to do this, we have experts with years of experience who can help you navigate through.

We also offer professional wring assistance with more essay samples for your inspiration. Contact us today.

Essay on My Greatest Achievement In Life

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Greatest Achievement In Life in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Greatest Achievement In Life

My proudest moment.

My greatest achievement in life is not about winning a big trophy or getting the highest score in class. It is about learning to read. Reading was hard for me. I would look at books and feel lost. But I did not give up. I practiced every day, sounding out words and slowly making sense of sentences.

Hard Work Pays Off

After many weeks, I could read a whole book by myself. I felt like I had climbed a huge mountain. This success taught me that with patience and hard work, I can overcome tough challenges. Now, I love reading new stories, and it has opened up a world of knowledge and adventure.

250 Words Essay on My Greatest Achievement In Life

Everyone has a moment in their life that stands out as special. For me, my greatest achievement came when I learned to read. It might sound simple, but it changed everything for me.

The Challenge of Reading

When I was younger, I found reading really hard. The letters seemed to dance on the page, and I just couldn’t make sense of them. I watched my friends read easily, and I felt left behind. But I wanted to enjoy stories and learn new things, so I kept trying.

Practice and Patience

I practiced every day after school. My family helped me, and my teacher gave me extra attention. Slowly, the letters started to stop dancing. They began to form words, and the words turned into sentences. It was like a light turned on in my brain.

The Joy of Reading

The day I read my first book on my own was my greatest achievement. It was a short story about a cat who went on adventures. But to me, it was more than just a story—it was proof that I could do something I’d once thought was impossible.

Looking Forward

Reading opened up a world of knowledge and imagination. Now, I can learn about space, dinosaurs, and faraway lands. I can read instructions, signs, and even write essays like this one. It’s amazing how one skill has given me so much. That’s why learning to read is my greatest achievement in life.

500 Words Essay on My Greatest Achievement In Life

Introduction to my greatest achievement.

Everyone has moments in their life that they are very proud of. These are times when they have done something that makes them feel happy and successful. My greatest achievement in life is not about winning a big prize or being the best at sports. It is about learning to read and write very well.

The Challenge of Learning

When I was younger, reading and writing were hard for me. I would look at the pages of a book and feel lost. The letters seemed like a secret code that I couldn’t understand. Writing was also tough. My hand would get tired, and the letters looked messy. Many of my friends could read and write without any trouble. I felt left behind and sad.

Working Hard to Improve

I knew I had to get better at reading and writing. So, I started to practice every day. I would sit with books and try to make sense of the words. I asked my teachers for help, and they gave me extra lessons. My family also supported me. They would read with me and encourage me to write short stories.

Overcoming the Obstacles

The more I practiced, the better I got. Slowly, the letters started to make sense. I began to recognize words and could soon read whole sentences. Writing also became easier. My hand didn’t get as tired, and my writing became neater. I felt like I had unlocked a secret treasure chest full of stories and knowledge.

The Joy of Success

After months of hard work, I could finally read books on my own. I started with simple stories and moved on to bigger books. With each book I finished, I felt more confident. Writing stories became one of my favorite things to do. I could share my thoughts and ideas with others, and that felt amazing.

Why This Is My Greatest Achievement

Some people might think that reading and writing are small things, but for me, they are huge. They opened up a world where I can learn new things every day. I can travel to magical places in my mind just by reading a book. Writing lets me create my own adventures and share them with the world.

In conclusion, my greatest achievement in life is learning to read and write very well. It was not easy, but I did not give up. This achievement is special to me because it has changed my life. I can now enjoy books, do well in school, and express myself through writing. It has taught me that with hard work and determination, I can overcome any challenge.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on My Grandfather
• Essay on My Goal As A Teacher
• Essay on My Future Profession Lawyer

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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January 31, 2024

Strategy for Writing an Accomplishment Essay (with examples)

Maybe you’re familiar with macros – the nutrients your body needs to function. Achieving the proper balance of macros leads to optimal health. When it comes to writing your MBA personal statements and application essays, it might be helpful to think of your accomplishments as the carbohydrates, protein, and fat – in other words, the macros – you need to make your submissions the best they can be. A fascinating brainstorming session among Accepted’s admissions consultants revealed that applicants don’t always understand how MBA adcoms define an accomplishment, so we wrote this post to explain what goes into the recipe for an enticing “accomplishments sandwich” and remove the guesswork on your part. Here are the simple macros:

Carbohydrates = Impact and Initiative

Protein = Overcoming Obstacles

Fats = Demonstrating Leadership

Carbohydrates are known as the “staff of life,” something nearly everyone considers a staple of their diet. Similarly, for your accomplishment essay, your “carbs” are what will . 

For example, maybe you took the initiative to boost membership in a group or led a team to victory. Perhaps you built a coalition in student government. Or you increased sales, cut costs, or found a solution to a problem that paved the way for a critical deal to go forward.

When you assess whether your achievements belong in a greatest accomplishment essay, think impact and initiative . 

Do awards count? It depends. If you won an award for a published story, an athletic competition, or some other “personal best,” then yes, those would be excellent choices for an essay about a personal achievement. More often, however, you will be asked to write about a significant achievement with impact beyond your own personal growth . In these situations, an award you’d like to write about would have had to result from an effort – either academic or professional – that involved a team or people other than yourself. This is the kind of achievement that transcends a “personal best.”  

By now, you can probably see the difference between a primarily personal achievement and a career-related one. You might even already recognize which of your accomplishments are notable enough to write about. But let’s say you don’t have much that feels important enough. How you can identify potential experiences for your accomplishments essay?

A good place to start is by reviewing your resume. Ideally, it will be loaded with as many quantifiable achievements as possible, from both professional and extracurricular roles. If you work in marketing and clinched four new accounts in a single year, leading to a promotion, that’s an achievement. If you work in a social service agency and developed a new intake system for clients that the agency adopted, leading to a more organized and streamlined process, that’s an achievement. In college, you might have been involved in a student organization that promotes career development and leadership among minority students, and even became president of that organization. That’s an achievement.

Which experiences on your resume stand out to you now? No doubt you’ll start to see things popping out at you.

Seemingly small achievements can also be big. The following sample essay offers a great example where the impact seems limited to one person but radiates outward: 

From the first day I was tasked to mentor a new hire, Thomas, it was a challenge. He had strong work experience in product development at his previous job, but he was soft-spoken and reserved, and had a strong stutter. I felt pain for him as he struggled to complete a word or a sentence, but it was also awkward for both of us as I waited for him to finish his point. During a department meeting, someone actually rolled her eyes as Thomas was answering a question. I just glared at her for being so cold. At our weekly department lunches, which were meant to be a relaxed social time for everyone, Thomas hung back quietly, seeming like he was a million miles away. 

I still didn’t understand why Thomas seemed a little slow to catch on to the ways of our department. He was clearly very intelligent. It was taking me longer to complete my own work because of the extra time I was spending with him on his assignments. One afternoon on a whim, I invited him to join me for dinner at a popular burger place. He looked surprised but agreed.

That night broke the ice. Thomas relaxed and enjoyed his dinner, and I noticed his speech was more fluid as well. We discovered a mutual love of soccer and political thriller novels. I really enjoyed his company and told him so. We went out again the following week to an Italian place that he chose. On our third “date,” Thomas opened up about a broken engagement that happened just before he started this new job. He knew that his grief was distracting him, clouding his thinking, and making his stutter worse. 

“I know I’ve not been easy to train,” he told me, “but I’m starting to come out of it now.” After that night, Thomas’s work improved rapidly. He risked speaking up more at the weekly lunches and at meetings, and everyone was patient when he struggled to say something, though those occasions were less frequent. 

I consider this mentoring experience one of my greatest accomplishments, because in trying to befriend a coworker, I not only gained a true friend for myself but also helped him gain confidence and perform to his capacity at work. It was the first time in my life I felt I had such a strong and positive impact on another person. It showed me the power of small gestures of friendship and understanding. 

This writer’s decision to offer a listening ear to a coworker who was clearly in some sort of distress became an inspiring achievement that was both personal and professional. His actions had impact that flowed outward beyond just Thomas to the entire department and organization. 

Protein= Overcoming Obstacles

Overcoming obstacles such as a lack of resources – time, money, talent, or people – magnifies your accomplishments. Our best-laid plans rarely go smoothly, so make sure you discuss any difficulties you faced. By the way, the obstacle can work “double-duty,” representing a failure that you experienced and chose to learn from, while also showing that you emerged wiser and more capable at the end. When discussing either obstacles or failures, make sure not to blame other people or circumstances, or to complain about the unfairness of it all. Pointing fingers makes you look small and as though you want to avoid accountability. State the facts simply, and the situation will speak for itself. 

Here’s an example of how one applicant dealt with a significant obstacle: 

My book launch had been planned for nearly one year. This was my first book, a biography about my great-grandmother, a trailblazing homeopathic physician who lived at a time when even regular women MDs were a rarity. I wanted to self-publish but knew there was a huge amount of work involved that I didn’t feel suited for. There was editing, design, layout, marketing, getting the book accepted into the book distribution system, logistics, and more. Most published books are quickly forgotten and sell few copies. I didn’t want that to happen to mine. 

My solution was to sign an agreement with my friend Haley to publish my book. She was a talented graphic artist who had set up her own publishing company to publish her husband’s book. Our agreement spelled out our individual financial obligations and responsibilities, but I had a nagging worry. Her marriage was tumultuous, and she could make impulsive decisions. 

Six weeks before the publishing date, a popular book blogger promised a 5-star review on her blog. I also sold an excerpt to a women’s magazine with more than 4 million readers. I was still doing my “happy dance” when Haley called to tell me that our deal was off. She was leaving her husband and driving to stay with her mother, who lived in another state. She said she’d be in touch to work something out. She didn’t say when.

I was furious and anguished. My biggest problem was that the book’s ISBN (identification) numbers for print and digital downloads were assigned to Haley’s company and could not be reassigned to anyone else. Haley also had the distribution and payment agreements in her name. I could have kicked myself for not listening to my intuition, which warned me against working with someone whose life was so upside-down.

I researched my options. The ISBNs could not be transferred to me, but if I bought her publishing company, I would also own her ISBNs. I had no idea if Haley would agree to this or how we would work out terms, but the only way to save my book was to do the very thing I had tried to avoid: become a publisher myself. 

The following week, Haley agreed to sell me her publishing company for a token amount. It had no assets, and I had already paid for all book-related costs, except for Haley’s time. She also promised to help me with the transition of all the accounts. I decided not to look too far ahead and just focus on giving my book the best send-off into the world that I could. I named the publishing company after my great-grandmother. 

This story about a close call with a publishing disaster revealed the writer’s achievement of stretching beyond what she thought she could do and moving forward because she had to. Making lemonade out of lemons this way was certainly an achievement worth sharing.  

Let’s review where we are so far with our “macros”       

Protein = Overcoming Obstacles 

Now, let’s incorporate our “fats.”       

Leadership accomplishments that work well in application essays usually involve one’s ability to influence, motivate, persuade, direct, and work effectively with others. This adds much needed energy to your essay.                

Think about how you have worked with other people – how you led a team, what you learned, and so on. What specifically did you do to demonstrate leadership skills? What did you learn about leadership , and how have you grown as a leader through the experience?

In this next example, the writer’s accomplishment through leadership seemed almost accidental:

My job teaching in a private school began uneventfully. I had a class of bright 4th graders, with only a handful expected to be “challenging.” I loved my supervisor, Monica, who was a gifted teacher but new to her role as a team lead overseeing the 3rd and 4th grades. In addition to having one class of her own, Monica was supposed to create interventions for struggling students, incentivize specific behavior or achievements, plan events and trips, and offer guidance to teachers. 

Monica quickly showed that her skill set was strong in the classroom but not in administration. She let requests from teachers for interventions or advice pile up, and she got testy when I reminded her that I was waiting for her feedback. I wanted to work with her and not against her, so I offered to help. I suggested we meet twice a week after school to review her in-box, which was when I discovered that just by having me sit and listen to her discuss the situations, she focused much better. Although I only had two years’ experience as a teacher, Monica still seemed to value my opinion on handling awkward situations, such as when a wealthy parent who was on the school’s board of directors refused to face the reality of her daughter’s chronically aggressive behavior in class. This case was bigger than the both of us. We agreed that Monica needed to bring it to the headmistress of the school for her intervention.

About halfway through the year, Monica and I were still meeting regularly. It was an unexpected partnership, and it was clear to both of us that she wanted to return to full-time teaching. I realized that the administrative tasks and decision-making came more naturally to me than to her, and that after a few more years of teaching experience and a master’s degree in education, I might enjoy having a job like hers. 

Another person in her situation might have simply become angry or resentful at my trying to play a role in her job. She could have shut me out completely. But Monica and I became friends, and I learned a lot from watching her dynamism in the classroom. Additionally, she courageously told the headmistress about our arrangement and asked if the school could pay me for my extra hours – which it did. 

This was a totally unexpected situation that helped me realize that I wanted to take a fork in the road of my career in education. 

Finding the experiences in your life where you have shown initiative and impact, overcome obstacles, and demonstrated leadership will help you write an essay deserving of a chef’s kiss!

Are you thinking about what you could include in a winning accomplishments essay? Team up with Accepted’s consultants for help identifying your best material. As your partner and guide in this process, we will ensure that your selections make you stand out for all the right reasons!

By Judy Gruen, former Accepted admissions consultant. Judy holds a master’s in journalism from Northwestern University. She is also the co-author of Accepted’s first full-length book, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools . Want an admissions expert help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• From Example to Exemplary , your guide to writing outstanding essays
•   Four Ways to Show How You’ll Contribute in the Future
• Four Tips for Highlighting Your Strengths in Your Application Essays

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Frequently asked questions

How do i write about my achievements and qualities.

Through specific stories, you can weave your achievements and qualities into your essay so that it doesn’t seem like you’re bragging from a resume.

Frequently asked questions: College admissions essays

When writing your Common App essay , choose a prompt that sparks your interest and that you can connect to a unique personal story.

No matter which prompt you choose, admissions officers are more interested in your ability to demonstrate personal development , insight, or motivation for a certain area of study.

The Common App essay is your primary writing sample within the Common Application, a college application portal accepted by more than 900 schools. All your prospective schools that accept the Common App will read this essay to understand your character, background, and value as a potential student.

Since this essay is read by many colleges, avoid mentioning any college names or programs; instead, save tailored answers for the supplementary school-specific essays within the Common App.

Most importantly, your essay should be about you , not another person or thing. An insightful college admissions essay requires deep self-reflection, authenticity, and a balance between confidence and vulnerability.

Your essay shouldn’t be a résumé of your experiences but instead should tell a story that demonstrates your most important values and qualities.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding your message and content. Then, check for flow, tone, style , and clarity. Finally, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors .

If your college essay goes over the word count limit , cut any sentences with tangents or irrelevant details. Delete unnecessary words that clutter your essay.

If you’re struggling to reach the word count for your college essay, add vivid personal stories or share your feelings and insight to give your essay more depth and authenticity.

If you’ve got to write your college essay fast , don’t panic. First, set yourself deadlines: you should spend about 10% of your remaining time on brainstorming, 10% on outlining, 40% writing, 30% revising, and 10% taking breaks in between stages.

Second, brainstorm stories and values based on your essay prompt.

Third, outline your essay based on the montage or narrative essay structure .

Fourth, write specific, personal, and unique stories that would be hard for other students to replicate.

Fifth, revise your essay and make sure it’s clearly written.

Last, if possible, get feedback from an essay coach . Scribbr essay editors can help you revise your essay in 12 hours or less.

Avoid swearing in a college essay , since admissions officers’ opinions of profanity will vary. In some cases, it might be okay to use a vulgar word, such as in dialogue or quotes that make an important point in your essay. However, it’s safest to try to make the same point without swearing.

If you have bad grades on your transcript, you may want to use your college admissions essay to explain the challenging circumstances that led to them. Make sure to avoid dwelling on the negative aspects and highlight how you overcame the situation or learned an important lesson.

However, some college applications offer an additional information section where you can explain your bad grades, allowing you to choose another meaningful topic for your college essay.

Here’s a brief list of college essay topics that may be considered cliché:

• Extracurriculars, especially sports
• Role models
• Dealing with a personal tragedy or death in the family
• Struggling with new life situations (immigrant stories, moving homes, parents’ divorce)
• Becoming a better person after community service, traveling, or summer camp
• Overcoming a difficult class
• Using a common object as an extended metaphor

It’s easier to write a standout essay with a unique topic. However, it’s possible to make a common topic compelling with interesting story arcs, uncommon connections, and an advanced writing style.

Yes. The college application essay is less formal than other academic writing —though of course it’s not mandatory to use contractions in your essay.

In a college essay , you can be creative with your language . When writing about the past, you can use the present tense to make the reader feel as if they were there in the moment with you. But make sure to maintain consistency and when in doubt, default to the correct verb tense according to the time you’re writing about.

The college admissions essay gives admissions officers a different perspective on you beyond your academic achievements, test scores, and extracurriculars. It’s your chance to stand out from other applicants with similar academic profiles by telling a unique, personal, and specific story.

Use a standard font such as Times New Roman or Arial to avoid distracting the reader from your college essay’s content.

A college application essay is less formal than most academic writing . Instead of citing sources formally with in-text citations and a reference list, you can cite them informally in your text.

For example, “In her research paper on genetics, Quinn Roberts explores …”

There is no set number of paragraphs in a college admissions essay . College admissions essays can diverge from the traditional five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in English class. Just make sure to stay under the specified word count .

Most topics are acceptable for college essays if you can use them to demonstrate personal growth or a lesson learned. However, there are a few difficult topics for college essays that should be avoided. Avoid topics that are:

• Overly personal (e.g. graphic details of illness or injury, romantic or sexual relationships)
• Not personal enough (e.g. broad solutions to world problems, inspiring people or things)
• Too negative (e.g. an in-depth look at your flaws, put-downs of others, criticizing the need for a college essay)
• Too boring (e.g. a resume of your academic achievements and extracurriculars)
• Inappropriate for a college essay (e.g. illegal activities, offensive humor, false accounts of yourself, bragging about privilege)

To write an effective diversity essay , include vulnerable, authentic stories about your unique identity, background, or perspective. Provide insight into how your lived experience has influenced your outlook, activities, and goals. If relevant, you should also mention how your background has led you to apply for this university and why you’re a good fit.

Many universities believe a student body composed of different perspectives, beliefs, identities, and backgrounds will enhance the campus learning and community experience.

Admissions officers are interested in hearing about how your unique background, identity, beliefs, culture, or characteristics will enrich the campus community, which is why they assign a diversity essay .

In addition to your main college essay , some schools and scholarships may ask for a supplementary essay focused on an aspect of your identity or background. This is sometimes called a diversity essay .

You can use humor in a college essay , but carefully consider its purpose and use it wisely. An effective use of humor involves unexpected, keen observations of the everyday, or speaks to a deeper theme. Humor shouldn’t be the main focus of the essay, but rather a tool to improve your storytelling.

Get a second opinion from a teacher, counselor, or essay coach on whether your essay’s humor is appropriate.

Though admissions officers are interested in hearing your story, they’re also interested in how you tell it. An exceptionally written essay will differentiate you from other applicants, meaning that admissions officers will spend more time reading it.

You can use literary devices to catch your reader’s attention and enrich your storytelling; however, focus on using just a few devices well, rather than trying to use as many as possible.

To decide on a good college essay topic , spend time thoughtfully answering brainstorming questions. If you still have trouble identifying topics, try the following two strategies:

• Identify your qualities → Brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities
• Identify memorable stories → Connect your qualities to these stories

You can also ask family, friends, or mentors to help you brainstorm topics, give feedback on your potential essay topics, or recall key stories that showcase your qualities.

Yes—admissions officers don’t expect everyone to have a totally unique college essay topic . But you must differentiate your essay from others by having a surprising story arc, an interesting insight, and/or an advanced writing style .

There are no foolproof college essay topics —whatever your topic, the key is to write about it effectively. However, a good topic

• Is meaningful, specific, and personal to you
• Focuses on you and your experiences
• Reveals something beyond your test scores, grades, and extracurriculars
• Is creative and original

Unlike a five-paragraph essay, your admissions essay should not end by summarizing the points you’ve already made. It’s better to be creative and aim for a strong final impression.

You should also avoid stating the obvious (for example, saying that you hope to be accepted).

There are a few strategies you can use for a memorable ending to your college essay :

• Return to the beginning with a “full circle” structure
• Reveal the main point or insight in your story
• Look to the future
• End on an action

The best technique will depend on your topic choice, essay outline, and writing style. You can write several endings using different techniques to see which works best.

College deadlines vary depending on the schools you’re applying to and your application plan:

• For early action applications and the first round of early decision applications, the deadline is on November 1 or 15. Decisions are released by mid-December.
• For the second round of early decision applications, the deadline is January 1 or 15. Decisions are released in January or February.
• Regular decision deadlines usually fall between late November and mid-March, and decisions are released in March or April.
• Rolling admission deadlines run from July to April, and decisions are released around four to eight weeks after submission.

Depending on your prospective schools’ requirements, you may need to submit scores for the SAT or ACT as part of your college application .

Some schools now no longer require students to submit test scores; however, you should still take the SAT or ACT and aim to get a high score to strengthen your application package.

Aim to take the SAT or ACT in the spring of your junior year to give yourself enough time to retake it in the fall of your senior year if necessary.

Apply early for federal student aid and application fee waivers. You can also look for scholarships from schools, corporations, and charitable foundations.

To maximize your options, you should aim to apply to about eight schools:

• Two reach schools that might be difficult to get into
• Four match schools that you have a good chance of getting into
• Two safety schools that you feel confident you’ll get into

The college admissions essay accounts for roughly 25% of the weight of your application .

At highly selective schools, there are four qualified candidates for every spot. While your academic achievements are important, your college admissions essay can help you stand out from other applicants with similar profiles.

In general, for your college application you will need to submit all of the following:

• Your personal information
• List of extracurriculars and awards
• College application essays
• Transcripts
• Standardized test scores
• Recommendation letters.

Different colleges may have specific requirements, so make sure you check exactly what’s expected in the application guidance.

You should start thinking about your college applications the summer before your junior year to give you sufficient time for college visits, taking standardized tests, applying for financial aid , writing essays, and collecting application material.

Yes, but make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, respects the word count , and demonstrates the organization’s values.

If you plan ahead, you can save time by writing one scholarship essay for multiple prompts with similar questions. In a scholarship tracker spreadsheet, you can group or color-code overlapping essay prompts; then, write a single essay for multiple scholarships. Sometimes, you can even reuse or adapt your main college essay .

You can start applying for scholarships as early as your junior year. Continue applying throughout your senior year.

Invest time in applying for various scholarships , especially local ones with small dollar amounts, which are likely easier to win and more reflective of your background and interests. It will be easier for you to write an authentic and compelling essay if the scholarship topic is meaningful to you.

You can find scholarships through your school counselor, community network, or an internet search.

A scholarship essay requires you to demonstrate your values and qualities while answering the prompt’s specific question.

After researching the scholarship organization, identify a personal experience that embodies its values and exemplifies how you will be a successful student.

A standout college essay has several key ingredients:

• A unique, personally meaningful topic
• A memorable introduction with vivid imagery or an intriguing hook
• Specific stories and language that show instead of telling
• Vulnerability that’s authentic but not aimed at soliciting sympathy
• Clear writing in an appropriate style and tone
• A conclusion that offers deep insight or a creative ending

While timelines will differ depending on the student, plan on spending at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing the first draft of your college admissions essay , and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Don’t forget to save enough time for breaks between each writing and editing stage.

You should already begin thinking about your essay the summer before your senior year so that you have plenty of time to try out different topics and get feedback on what works.

Your college essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s weight. It may be the deciding factor in whether you’re accepted, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurricular track records.

In most cases, quoting other people isn’t a good way to start your college essay . Admissions officers want to hear your thoughts about yourself, and quotes often don’t achieve that. Unless a quote truly adds something important to your essay that it otherwise wouldn’t have, you probably shouldn’t include it.

Cliché openers in a college essay introduction are usually general and applicable to many students and situations. Most successful introductions are specific: they only work for the unique essay that follows.

The key to a strong college essay introduction is not to give too much away. Try to start with a surprising statement or image that raises questions and compels the reader to find out more.

The introduction of your college essay is the first thing admissions officers will read and therefore your most important opportunity to stand out. An excellent introduction will keep admissions officers reading, allowing you to tell them what you want them to know.

You can speed up this process by shortening and smoothing your writing with a paraphrasing tool . After that, you can use the summarizer to shorten it even more.

If you’re struggling to reach the word count for your college essay, add vivid personal stories or share your feelings and insight to give your essay more depth and authenticity.

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit to write a developed and thoughtful essay.

You should aim to stay under the specified word count limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely. However, don’t write too little, as it may seem like you are unwilling or unable to write a detailed and insightful narrative about yourself.

If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words.

In your application essay , admissions officers are looking for particular features : they want to see context on your background, positive traits that you could bring to campus, and examples of you demonstrating those qualities.

Colleges want to be able to differentiate students who seem similar on paper. In the college application essay , they’re looking for a way to understand each applicant’s unique personality and experiences.

You don’t need a title for your college admissions essay , but you can include one if you think it adds something important.

Your college essay’s format should be as simple as possible:

• Use a standard, readable font
• Use 1.5 or double spacing
• If attaching a file, save it as a PDF
• Stick to the word count
• Avoid unusual formatting and unnecessary decorative touches

There are no set rules for how to structure a college application essay , but these are two common structures that work:

• A montage structure, a series of vignettes with a common theme.
• A narrative structure, a single story that shows your personal growth or how you overcame a challenge.

Avoid the five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in high school.

Campus visits are always helpful, but if you can’t make it in person, the college website will have plenty of information for you to explore. You should look through the course catalog and even reach out to current faculty with any questions about the school.

Colleges set a “Why this college?” essay because they want to see that you’ve done your research. You must prove that you know what makes the school unique and can connect that to your own personal goals and academic interests.

Depending on your writing, you may go through several rounds of revision . Make sure to put aside your essay for a little while after each editing stage to return with a fresh perspective.

Teachers and guidance counselors can help you check your language, tone, and content . Ask for their help at least one to two months before the submission deadline, as many other students will also want their help.

Friends and family are a good resource to check for authenticity. It’s best to seek help from family members with a strong writing or English educational background, or from older siblings and cousins who have been through the college admissions process.

If possible, get help from an essay coach or editor ; they’ll have specialized knowledge of college admissions essays and be able to give objective expert feedback.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding message, flow, tone, style , and clarity. Then, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors.

Include specific, personal details and use your authentic voice to shed a new perspective on a common human experience.

When writing about yourself , including difficult experiences or failures can be a great way to show vulnerability and authenticity, but be careful not to overshare, and focus on showing how you matured from the experience.

First, spend time reflecting on your core values and character . You can start with these questions:

• What are three words your friends or family would use to describe you, and why would they choose them?
• Whom do you admire most and why?
• What are you most proud of? Ashamed of?

However, you should do a comprehensive brainstorming session to fully understand your values. Also consider how your values and goals match your prospective university’s program and culture. Then, brainstorm stories that illustrate the fit between the two.

In a college application essay , you can occasionally bend grammatical rules if doing so adds value to the storytelling process and the essay maintains clarity.

However, use standard language rules if your stylistic choices would otherwise distract the reader from your overall narrative or could be easily interpreted as unintentional errors.

Write concisely and use the active voice to maintain a quick pace throughout your essay and make sure it’s the right length . Avoid adding definitions unless they provide necessary explanation.

Use first-person “I” statements to speak from your perspective . Use appropriate word choices that show off your vocabulary but don’t sound like you used a thesaurus. Avoid using idioms or cliché expressions by rewriting them in a creative, original way.

If you’re an international student applying to a US college and you’re comfortable using American idioms or cultural references , you can. But instead of potentially using them incorrectly, don’t be afraid to write in detail about yourself within your own culture.

Provide context for any words, customs, or places that an American admissions officer might be unfamiliar with.

College application essays are less formal than other kinds of academic writing . Use a conversational yet respectful tone , as if speaking with a teacher or mentor. Be vulnerable about your feelings, thoughts, and experiences to connect with the reader.

Aim to write in your authentic voice , with a style that sounds natural and genuine. You can be creative with your word choice, but don’t use elaborate vocabulary to impress admissions officers.

Admissions officers use college admissions essays to evaluate your character, writing skills , and ability to self-reflect . The essay is your chance to show what you will add to the academic community.

The college essay may be the deciding factor in your application , especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurriculars.

Some colleges also require supplemental essays about specific topics, such as why you chose that specific college . Scholarship essays are often required to obtain financial aid .

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Home — Essay Samples — Education — Academic Achievements — The Role of My Academic and Personal Achievements in My Life

The Role of My Academic and Personal Achievements in My Life

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• Women at Cambridge
• Chapter 1 : The achievements that matter most, and why

The Meaning of Success

• Introduction
• Chapters and themes overview
• Chapter 2 : The challenges experienced by women working at Cambridge
• Chapter 3 : Gender and its effect on working life
• Chapter 4 : Admired qualities and role models
• Chapter 5 : Advice, insights and learning from experience
• Conclusion and findings
• Contributors
• Events archive
• Chapters and themes

Achievements are the building blocks that enable someone to construct a sense of themselves as a success. The achievements that matter most combine to form a version of success that has meaning and substance for the individual. Achievements also provide tangible evidence that colleagues, competitors and the wider world use to judge a person as more or less successful.

Different people find different evidence compelling, so it is no surprise that there was variance in the achievements that were seen to hold greatest weight for women at Cambridge. There was also a recognition that achievements could be ephemeral, highly personal and evolve over time or in relation to context. Nonetheless, clear patterns did emerge. These patterns, which are outlined below, point to potential mismatches between the achievements that are traditionally viewed as markers of success and the ones that participants valued the most. As such they indicate areas that organisations might want to consider if they are interested in developing a more sophisticated and gender-inclusive sense of what it means to be successful.

Being able to pursue interesting, high-quality work that has a positive impact

The vast majority of participants wrote about the importance of having interesting, stimulating work that gave them a sense of pleasure, pride and even joy. Constructing careers in which it was possible to have the freedom and autonomy to pursue work that mattered was an achievement in itself.

“There is nothing more exhilarating than to find out something for the first time – something that may have existed for over a billion years, but was never known before.”

Margaret Robinson

The women we spoke to took great pleasure in the quality of their work, whether that meant pride in the elegance and clarity of a piece of research or reorganising an administrative system in a way that actively contributed to the effectiveness of a department. Work was particularly prized if it demonstrated a creativity that took people or ideas to the next level and raised the standard of what was possible. Many participants still seemed to retain a sense of ‘wide-eyed wonder’ in relation to their work, and talked about the enduring memories of early breakthroughs. If they got external recognition, these achievements became even more tangible and helped to build self-confidence.

There was an awareness of the world beyond Cambridge, and many people talked about wanting to connect, using everything from blogging, lecturing and conferences, through to the more conventional route of publication. Participants talked about becoming part of a wider intellectual or professional community, which then became a source of support, acknowledgement and stimulation. It was clear that they had an appetite to keep learning and developing throughout their careers.

“My previous jobs had always been ‘just a job’, but I feel that the role I hold now is more important than that; it has purpose and gives me a lot of satisfaction.”

Helen Marshall

Work was almost always seen as a core part of the participants’ lives. Many of them found that it gave them a clear sense of purpose and was fundamental to their sense of who they were. Whilst work was rarely pursued to the exclusion of all else, it was nonetheless a central part of their existence. Some people talked about putting their heart and soul into their work, and also described the often gruelling journey they had undertaken to achieve a particular outcome.

The appetite to make a tangible impact through their work was clearly discernible. Inevitably, the type of impact participants were able to achieve varied considerably, depending on their specific areas of expertise, their seniority and the scope of their role. Although the nature and scale of the impact varied, the need to have an impact didn’t. Some participants took simple pleasure in the incremental improvements that were the fabric of their daily work, or in the persistent effort necessary to land vital grants and donations. Others pointed to keynote moments such as coordinating the press conference for a Nobel Prize winner from the University, or securing a medical breakthrough that would help to address a life-threatening illness. Several participants talked about taking pride in having changed their field with a particular discovery, but they did so with no more or less pride than those in service or support roles who helped to create the conditions for such a breakthrough, for example by ensuring a lab was safe and fully resourced.

Securing awards, promotions and other acknowledgements of achievement

The vast majority of participants had a healthy interest in securing acknowledgement for their efforts, particularly if it came from individuals or institutions that they themselves rated. In contrast, little value was attached to being able to secure the corner office or a larger desk with each new job. Promotion was an important marker of success for many, although it was more noticeable as a theme amongst academics than non-academics. For those for whom promotion was a factor, it signified vindication for hard work and validation from one’s peers.

“Gaining personal promotion was a real vindication of the effort that I had put in – despite one colleague telling me ‘it was just because they needed to promote women’.”

Getting a professional qualification, degree or doctorate was clearly valued by both academics and non-academics. This was even more the case when it had been achieved whilst under significant pressure, perhaps as a result of studying as a part-time or mature student. For some there was a sense of achieving second time around, perhaps after a less successful first degree, requalifying for a new career or after having left school early.

For many it was important to be acknowledged within their professional sphere beyond Cambridge. As well as the obvious indicator of being widely published, such acknowledgement could take the form of fellowships, prizes and medals, or becoming chair of an influential body outside the University. The elected nature of many of these achievements gave them additional validity, as it constituted feedback from one’s peers. Additional sheen was added if they were the first or one of very few women to have secured such recognition.

“To have the respect of my friends and colleagues because of the work I do gives me a sense of achievement.”

Helena Earl

There were also roles and achievements beyond those directly related to people’s careers that held great significance, such as being a part-time judge or a school governor, leading a Brownie troop or being awarded a Blue in a particular sport.

Maintaining a happy and healthy family life as well as a career

This particular achievement, and its centrality to the participants’ notion of what it meant to be successful, was commented on more than any other. Participants would not view themselves as an overall success if their achievements in the work sphere fundamentally undermined family life. If they could see themselves as having integrated their work and home lives in a way that was broadly healthy and viable, then it was an achievement based on deeply held beliefs about what mattered most to them in life.

“I am very fortunate in being able to combine all the things I love most. They are my husband and children, pursuing the questions in science that excite me and being able to help others to do the same.”

Ottoline Leyser

The topic of gender, family and work will be explored in more detail in a subsequent chapter, but in terms of being an ‘achievement’, it is this sense of being able to have both a career and a family that stands out. The equation really seemed to work when people challenged the framing of an ‘either/or situation’, where either work or home life had to pay an extortionate price to allow the other aspect to thrive. Both were essential and needed to be integrated, rather than compartmentalised. This is not to say that tension and tough choices were eradicated, but for the people who saw this as an area of personal achievement those choices were managed in a way that broadly worked. Compromises were made, and few if any of the participants espoused the idea that you could have everything you wanted all the time. Pragmatism, informed by a clear sense of what really mattered, was the order of the day.

Being a good parent and grandparent was of paramount importance to many, as was maintaining enduring and mutually supportive partnerships. Whilst family life took many different shapes, there remained a consistent message about how vital it was. Many people talked about family indirectly feeding into their achievements in the work sphere by bringing a greater focus or a different perspective. Making time to enjoy one’s family despite time pressures was seen as an achievement in itself.

“With the demands of motherhood I needed to restrict my time in the lab, and this increased my focus and resulted in my science really taking off.”

Gillian Griffiths

For those with children, seeing them thrive and turn out well was a source of great pride – although many were wary of claiming this as their own achievement. Several pointed to the basic accomplishment of surviving the sleepless nights and energy-depleted years that come with very young children, whilst others enjoyed the fact that their teenagers would still talk to them!

It’s a truism to say that families are complicated, and for some people surviving unhappy childhoods, divorce or illness within the family was an achievement in its own right. Being able to secure an education despite family obstacles or to hold down a job whilst coping with a relationship breakdown both counted as achievements in the family sphere.

“I have recovered from an unhappy childhood and an unsuccessful marriage to a position where I feel happy and valued.”

Patricia Fara

Handling challenge, complexity and change

Achievement is not just about the happy, shiny things – it is also about withstanding tough times and challenging situations. Resilience demonstrated under pressure is perhaps the darker side of achievement, but is in many ways just as important as the more obvious markers of success.

“I am very proud of the fact that I have been able to pick myself up when things have gone wrong – as they have, not infrequently.”

Athene Donald

No career is a seamless progression upwards, and many of the participants were able to process the inevitable bumps in the road in a positive way. There was pride in having withstood a range of setbacks, from failing to secure a particular promotion or having a grant application turned down through to conquering debilitating performance anxiety as a musician. The capacity to pick oneself up, bounce back and carry on regardless was something that participants clearly valued in themselves and others. This was also evident amongst those who talked about forging a career whilst having a chronic illness or depression, or providing support to a family member who was experiencing difficulties. Navigating adversity seems to have had the effect of sweetening subsequent achievements.

“My greatest achievements are often directly related to my greatest challenges.”

Kirsty Allen

There was also a link with boldness and risk-taking that suggested many people weren’t just coping with challenge but were being actively stimulated by it. There were individuals who seemed to thrive under arduous field conditions without running water or electricity, whilst others jumped into the unknown by taking a job in a different discipline or on a different continent. There was an appetite to seek out situations that were scary because they offered the promise of new learning opportunities and excitement.

“I think one reinvents oneself each time one makes a serious move; it is very rewarding to be able to make major changes, stand back from the process and reassess.”

Wendy Pullan

Being a role model or pioneer

To be a pioneer is also to take on the challenges associated with being the first, or one of a small number of trailblazers. This pioneering spirit showed up in various ways, including being the first in their family or school to attend university, being the first woman in a particular post, being the lone woman round a corporate board table or defying expectations by succeeding despite a lack of formal qualifications.

Being a pioneer was not exclusively linked to gender, but was often accentuated by the limited numbers of women in certain positions or subject areas. Some women also became more conspicuous having had a non-linear or unusual career pattern, such as pursuing academia late in life, making a significant career change, returning to work after many years away or being a senior woman in a successful job share.

Visibility brings with it a degree of scrutiny. It brings a sense of being a role model whether you like it or not, simply based on the fact that your colleagues, both men and women, will be aware of what you do. Some of the women we spoke to were more at ease with this notion than others. At their best, role models provide evidence of what can be achieved, for example as a mother returning to work, a mature student, a woman in science or coming from a working-class background. Some participants talked about wanting to set an example for their own children, or wanting to have a tangible impact by making a particular subject more accessible to a diverse range of students.

“As someone with a state school background who read Modern Languages at Jesus in the early nineties, encouraging talented students from all backgrounds to consider applying to Cambridge is important to me.”

Nicola Hardy

Exercising leadership, authority and influence

“That my seniority as an academic has enabled me to work with others to facilitate steps towards significant culture change within the University has heartened me greatly.”

Many of the women at Cambridge expressed a sense of achievement when talking about the effective use of power and influence. Whilst there was clear frustration about obstacles in the way of securing leadership roles, when they got to positions of influence they wanted to do something constructive with their authority. They felt a pride in not shirking the responsibility that comes with leadership at all levels. This showed up in a range of ways, including stepping up as spokesperson for a major project like the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), establishing a new programme for entrepreneurs, setting up a flagship clinical unit, leading an institution to full college status and helping to get a new sports centre built.

“Being influential in something bigger than my personal research agenda means being a part of delivering change.”

Sarah Worthington

Leadership was not just found at the most senior levels or in the highest-profile projects. It was equally vital in the day-to-day exercise of influence to improve the working conditions of others, for example, by actively mentoring young women, turning around a failing department, bringing in technological advances or making sure a redundancy situation was handled fairly.

Having a positive effect on and engagement with others

Linked to the idea of exercising effective leadership was a strong interest in enabling the progression of others. People described the vicarious thrill that came with helping team members, or junior colleagues, to establish themselves as successes. Offering support could take the form of mentoring, helping people to identify their strengths, creating a good working environment, inspiring passion in a subject, enabling someone to cope with a setback or simply being a great teacher. It was seen as a privilege to be in a position to develop others and as such was not something to be taken lightly.

“I encourage people to develop themselves and not to be held back by feelings that, first, it’s not their place to develop themselves beyond their prescribed role and second, that it’s something beyond them.”

Susie White

Several women mentioned the pleasure of being thanked by those they had helped, but at the same time they were not dependent on such gestures of appreciation. It seems that this area of achievement is one that can be understated, and one that is experienced both privately and through the successes of others.

Engagement with people was not just to do with helping more junior colleagues but also about developing a robust network of supportive friends and peers. This was seen by many as both an achievement and a necessity. Good friendships that sustained over time, and despite geographical separation, were a source of great mutual support and fun. They frequently led to positive professional collaborations and encouraged the establishment of successful teams. Many of these collaborations extended beyond Cambridge and as such actively contributed to the University maintaining its global reputation. Making a difference through having a positive effect on others also fed into thoughts about leaving a legacy that would extend beyond an individual’s own career or lifetime.

Demonstrating authenticity, integrity and roundedness

“Work(ing) collaboratively with the various personalities one encounters whilst retaining the integrity of one’s own values and instincts.”

Corinna Russell  

The women we spoke to were adamant that who they were and how they worked mattered as much as the tangible outcomes they achieved. The ends did not justify the means. Integrity and authenticity were standards that they used to measure both themselves and others. They wanted to be known for behaving in a way that gained them a reputation for fairness and decency. They repudiated the idea that you could only be nice or competent but not both. Being thought of as ‘nice’ can be a way of damning with faint praise, but when reframed by participants it came to be associated with things like highly effective interpersonal skills, consistency of behaviour, clear communication and articulation of purpose. Participants tended to express real distaste for people who intentionally trampled others underfoot. They felt that something could only really be claimed as an achievement if it was secured without compromising themselves or their values.

In talking about authenticity, participants emphasised the importance of doing things their own way, not mimicking others. There was particular mention of not imitating men in order to get on, and being able to write, talk and act in a way that was recognisably their own. They also valued being able to pursue their own ideas and finding a niche that was suited to their particular attributes. Securing a situation where they could do work they really cared about meant they were more likely to perform well, rather than wasting energy bending themselves out of shape to fit in.

“I am pleased that I found a way to talk and write that felt as if it was me.”

Achieving in a way that was authentic also made it easier to claim success rather than seeing it as down to luck. It underpinned the self-confidence that comes with feeling responsible for shaping one’s own career and having taken or created opportunities. Several women talked about having achieved through their own determination and often in the face of opposition.

“The achievement that means most to me in life is my garden. It is my creative outlet and my sanctuary. I’m proud of the fact that I have managed to retain a creative outlet in my administrative career.”

Isobel Humphrey

Authenticity also implied a sense of roundedness and breadth, which meant that the women valued other aspects of their being, not just their work. Music, gardening, photography, fundraising and sport were all mentioned as important pursuits, not just hobbies. Achievement at the expense of having this kind of hinterland was not generally seen as a price worth paying.

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Essays on Greatest Achievement In Life

My greatest achievement in life is graduating college with a degree in psychology. Earning my college degree was a long road filled with hard work and dedication, but it was all worth it when I received that diploma.I started out as an undergrad at the local community college. I took night classes while working full-time during the day to pay for books and tuition costs. It seemed like every semester there were more classes added to my already tight schedule, making it difficult to manage both school and work commitments. Eventually I transferred to a four-year university where I could take most of my classes during regular business hours so that I could focus on one thing at a time instead of juggling two different sets of deadlines each week. That’s when things got really tough. Balancing coursework, exams, internships, part-time jobs, social activities and family obligations required me to stay organized and disciplined”especially since sleep often took a backseat.After several years (and many late nights) spent studying and attending classes, I finally graduated with honors from my university program”a momentous accomplishment that made me feel incredibly proud of myself. This experience taught me the importance of perseverance; no matter how overwhelming or challenging something may seem at first glance, if you keep your head down and stick with it eventually you will get through whatever obstacle lies in front of you. And most importantly: Never give up on yourself.

Entrepreneurship is both an art and science practiced in the world of business. Most of the wealthy people in the history of the United States were great entrepreneurs from the beginning. The likes of Henry Ford, Rockefeller and Vanderbilt started as small scale entrepreneurs but made it to the top. This paper focuses on Bill […]

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How To Answer “What Is Your Greatest Achievement?” (Samples)

July 18, 2022 by Hannah Morgan

“What is your greatest achievement?” is an interview question that can trick a lot of applicants. On the surface, it seems like an easy opportunity to show off.

So why do so many job-seekers answer it so poorly?

This guide will teach you the right way to talk about your greatest work accomplishments in a job interview. We’ve even included some sample answers to help you prepare!

Table of contents

Why do interviewers ask “what is your greatest achievement, how to answer this question, what you should avoid saying, sample answers.

“What is your greatest achievement?” is an interview question that’s designed to do more than just give you a reason to brag. Your resume likely gives hiring managers a clear picture of your capabilities, and you may even choose to highlight some of your most significant accomplishments in your application. But this question goes further and serves multiple purposes.

For one, it’s a genuine opportunity for interviewers to learn more about your professional career. It’s your chance to provide more details about your successes and convince decision-makers why you’re the candidate to hire. A strategic answer can remind interviewers why you have made it this far in the hiring process, and it could give them the final push to make an offer.

Secondly, the question lets hiring managers know that you’re success-oriented. Some people are fine going with the flow and doing the bare minimum to succeed in a job. Of course, companies don’t want to hire those people. They want folks who will go above and beyond to make a real difference at the organization.

Asking about your greatest achievements can show interviewers that you want to do more. It highlights your determination to do better and leave a lasting impact on the company. That’s the type of person they want to hire. They want people willing to go above and beyond to make the organization great.

Another reason you might hear “What is your greatest achievement?” is because it shows what you consider to be a professional accomplishment. Everyone’s definition of success is different. Your colleague might think that getting to work on time every day for a whole month is a significant achievement. But if you’re a true go-getter, you know that’s the bare minimum and not anything to brag about.

How you respond says a lot about what you think and how you view your successes. Are they genuinely worthy of praise, or do your ideas of achievement not align with the company at all? Those are the things interviewers want to know.

Personality and behavior-based questions like this aren’t as easy as they initially look. Like all interview questions, this one is multi-faceted and will impact what hiring managers think of you. As a result, it’s not a question you want to create an answer for on the spot.

“What is your greatest achievement?” is a question that requires some thought and careful planning to answer. Here are a few tips to help you develop an answer that’s sure to impress.

1. Go with a Professional Achievement

The best tip you can get about this question is to keep things professional.

Everyone has personal goals they’re proud of, and you might feel tempted to bring them up. Unfortunately, doing so doesn’t help you. Hiring managers aren’t interested in learning about your kids, family life, or any other personal accomplishment that means a lot to you.

It sounds harsh, but it’s the truth. Interviewers are there to fill a role and see if you’re the right person for the job. Bringing up personal achievements isn’t the best course of action. It goes back to the earlier point about how this question highlights what constitutes success in your eyes.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t be proud of those personal accomplishments. But they’re not what you should use when crafting your answer.

Instead, keep things professional! Think about your previous work experience and all you did in former positions. If it helps, consider making a list you can reference. Jot down the things you’ve done well and lean in on what you did differently than your colleagues.

Find the achievement that matters most, and focus on ways you helped your former employers reach new levels of success. Your answer should serve as another opportunity to talk yourself up and let hiring managers know why you should be their top choice.

2. Pick a Recent Accomplishment

Ideally, the greatest accomplishment you answer with should be from the last two to three years. Anything further back than that becomes less relevant and potentially less impressive.

Interviewers want to know how you work now. Telling a story about what you did a decade ago doesn’t highlight how you work in the current market. Things move fast these days, and what was impressive several years ago might not be the same now.

Sure, game-changing successes are worth talking about, no matter how long ago they were. But for most people, it’s best to stick with something recent and easy to corroborate through reference checks.

If you’re new to the job market, that can be tough. But even fresh graduates can highlight something unique (here’s a guide on how to get a job with no experience if you want some more tips). Maybe it’s a reward you won or a scholarship highlighting your academic prowess. Those examples can work well.

That said, try to choose something related to the job. For example, you could talk about things you did differently at an internship or how you improved operations at your retail job while you made your way through school. Whatever the case, keep it recent.

3. Make It Relevant to the Job You Want

Of course, your goal when talking about your best work achievement should always be to connect your response to the job you’re trying to land. Relevancy is key. While interviewers don’t always expect you to draw those connections, it can pay off.

Try to choose a story that highlights a specific relevant skill. Do plenty of research before your interview to better understand what the company is looking for from a new hire. Pay attention to the organization’s goals and overall mission.

If you have an achievement that has to do with those details, you can easily connect the dots and make yourself look like a fantastic candidate.

For example, say you’re trying to land a managerial role leading a large team of professionals. One way you could keep your response relevant is by choosing a team success you contribute to. An answer like that would show that you work well in teams and have success doing so.

Don’t hesitate to get a little creative with your thinking. Sometimes, the best response isn’t the most obvious. But when you can draw the lines and make a connection to the role you’re trying to land, you can hit a home run.

4. Provide Some Details

Whenever possible, provide factual details. It’s one thing to say that you did something amazing. But your story leaves a greater impact when you have the proof to back it up.

Quantifiable data is one of the best things you can have to support your greatest achievements. Let’s say you made changes that significantly boosted your former employer’s bottom line. Instead of hoping that your words paint a picture of what you did, provide the details interviewers love to hear.

You could tell them how much you helped increase revenue, talk about the profits you brought in, or provide figures showing how much you reduced operating costs. 

PEPI is a good acronym to remember. Did your actions affect:

PEPI: productivity, efficiency, performance or impact .

Any piece of quantifiable data to show interviewers exactly what you accomplished goes a long way. You don’t have to have hard evidence or provide documentation. If you have it on hand, that’s great! 

However, the primary goal is to have figures you can spout off. Letting the interviewer with a somewhat precise figure is much better than being vague.

“What is your greatest achievement?” is a question that might seem easy to answer at first. However, there are certain things interviewers are looking for. They’re actively listening for reasons to support a hiring decision and red flags for why you might not be a good fit.

Everyone’s answer to this question is unique and based entirely on past experiences. But there are a few things you should try to avoid across the board.

Irrelevant Personal Accomplishments

Earlier, we mentioned the importance of keeping your answer job-related. This is so crucial that we’ve dedicated a separate section to it here as well!

Personal accomplishments are acceptable to talk about at other times. But when you’re trying to land a job, your goal is to focus on your career and professionalism. It’s best to leave personal matters out of the equation entirely.

The biggest reason you want to avoid personal details is that it can come off that you don’t honestly care about succeeding in this position. Remember: One of the many reasons why interviewers ask this question is to see what motivates you .

Talking about things that don’t relate to the job makes hiring managers think you’re only there for a paycheck. They might feel like you’re only going to do the bare minimum and not push to leave a positive impact on the company.

Talking about irrelevant personal achievements is a surefire way to get yourself out of the running.

Over-the-Top Bragging

Being asked to talk about your greatest accomplishments is an excellent opportunity to talk yourself up and let interviewers know without a shadow of a doubt that you’re an applicant they want.

That said, there’s a line between showing your stuff and going over the top! Interviewers want to know about your most significant accomplishments. They don’t want to hear you go on and on about how amazing you are!

Keep it humble! Over-the-top bragging can be insufferable, making you sound like a drag to work with daily. While your qualifications are crucial, it’s not the only thing interviewers will use to determine if you’re a good fit.

You have to be likable and capable of working with others. Bragging too much may turn the interviewer off, making them think you aren’t a good fit for the company culture.

Don’t be afraid to talk yourself up, but dial it back and remember to have some humility and credit your coworkers when talking about your greatest professional achievements.

Vague Responses and Lies

Here’s a common mistake people make when they’re unprepared. “What is your greatest achievement?” is a question that can catch you off guard if you don’t think of a response ahead of time. It’s not easy to answer on the spot without putting a little thought into it.

As a result, some people end up providing super vague responses that don’t have much substance. For example, you might grasp at straws and answer with a generic response that only highlights basic skills. It happens more often than you would think!

Of course, those responses aren’t helpful. In fact, they can harm you because it shows that you didn’t come prepared.

The same goes with flat-out lies. Some interviewees will try to make something up on the spot when they can’t think of a notable achievement to talk about. 

Lying is never a good idea. Most interviewers are great at reading body language and can often spot lies when they come. But even if they don’t realize it’s a lie during the interview, they can contact references and get the truth.

Suppose they figure you out and deem you a liar. If that happens, your chances of getting hired plummet! It’s best to keep things honest and prepare an actual answer to this question long before you go into your interview.

Long-Winded Answers

Finally, try to keep your answer concise. Drawn-out responses aren’t great for displaying your communication skills or showing that you’re self-aware. 

You want to show that you can organize your thoughts and speak clearly under pressure. Rambling will only do the opposite.

When talking about your greatest work accomplishment, try to keep the answer under two minutes. Start by summarizing the problem, discussing how you addressed it, and what came from your efforts. There’s no need to go into lengthy backstories.

Provide the most important details, and organize your thoughts into an easy-to-answer response. The best way to do this is to use the STAR interview method (also known as PAR or CAR).

This question doesn’t have to be a big deal. You should put thought into it and have something prepared, but there’s no need to have a tremendous speech. Most interviewers don’t even like it when it feels like your response is over-rehearsed.

Don’t stress out too much about the question. Jot down your main points and form your answer organically. As long as you hit the key points and keep the response succinct, it’ll leave the impact you want.

Need some inspiration to develop a knockout answer to this common interview question? We have you covered!

While you can’t take these answers verbatim, you can use them as guidance when creating your own. Each of these responses is unique, but they check off every box and do a fantastic job of highlighting why the applicant is the right person for the role.

In this first example, the applicant wants to talk about the difference they made at their previous job. The response provides relevant details quickly and concisely. Best of all, they use quantifiable data to add some authenticity to the story.

“My greatest achievement is turning around the marketing department at my previous company. When I first joined the marketing team, we struggled to meet goals. With support from my supervisor, I developed an innovative marketing plan and implemented it into our existing strategies.

Within six months, the team started utilizing my plan as the blueprint for other campaigns. We started to exceed our goals by as much as 30 percent. According to the sales team, the new marketing plans helped bring in around $2 million in revenue for the company during the second half of the fiscal year we introduced them.”

For our next example, the applicant is a mid-level professional interviewing for a leadership role in an HR department. They talk about a major change they implemented at their former company and how it helped improve daily operations. The answer is more complex, but it paints the picture in a clear way that’s easy for hiring managers to understand its relevance.

“One of the things I’m most proud of is how I helped save time and resources for my previous company as an HR administrator. When I started my job at that organization, I noticed that the department had difficulty locating files and managing documents. It took a lot of valuable time and made simple tasks take far longer than they should.

I knew that there were better ways to handle those essential duties, so I took the initiative to implement new HR software. The software helped centralize file management, making crucial employee documents easy to find in one place. It eliminated the need for manual filing and dramatically improved accessibility for the entire department.

Our timesheets showed that we cut back the time we usually spend looking for files by about 10 hours.”

In the final sample response, the applicant doesn’t have much professional experience. But, they do have an impressive accomplishment from an internship. They lean on how they made a difference in that role. While minor, their actions had a considerable positive impact on the company they worked for at the time.

“The proudest achievement of my career thus far happened during my internship for [COMPANY]. I interned as a customer support representative. The program wasn’t big, so I was only one of a handful who held that intern position.

I didn’t have many colleagues to learn from so I learned about the product on my own and asked as many questions to other representatives whenever I could. Eventually, I collected information I could reference whenever I received a customer call.

I noticed that I was repeatedly receiving questions from customers about the same thing. So, I created a document with responses to make things easier. I shared that document with other representatives before it became a dedicated FAQ page on the company’s website.

Within six months of that page going live, the average number of support tickets we received dropped by about 30 percent.”

As you can see, there’s a lot more to answering “What is your greatest achievement?” than meets the eye. But like any question, all it takes is a little preparation to turn this into an opportunity to impress your interviewer!

Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including  Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success .

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How To Write A Powerful Essay On Achieving Goals (+ Example)

Writing an essay on achieving your goals can be a great opportunity to share your accomplishments.

Goal setting is a useful strategy to get the most out of life and set yourself up for success. However, there are many things to remember regarding proper goal setting and achievement. When writing a blm argumentative essay , it’s important to provide context on the history of the Black Lives Matter movement and the issues it seeks to address. This can help the reader understand the significance of the essay’s thesis and arguments. Let’s get to grips with the process of goal setting and come up with a powerful essay on achieving goals.

Structuring Your Essay on Achieving Goals:

How to write an introduction.

Any academic essay must have a strong beginning. It will establish your point of view and inform the reader of what to expect. An introduction should:

• Attract the reader’s attention with a ‘hook’. You can achieve this by quoting a shocking statistic, quote, fact, or controversial statement.
• Give some background or historical information about the topic. For instance, psychological theories and models on effective goal setting and achievement.
• Present your thesis (main point of your essay) e.g., “Rewarding achievement is the most effective means by which employers can increase workplace productivity”.

How to Write The Main Body of Your Essay

There should be a minimum of three paragraphs in your essay. Each one is a ‘mini-essay with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Each should include:

• Topic sentence: inform the reader about the subject of the paragraph, e.g., “how to measure goal attainment”, or “effective workplace goal setting”.
• Evidence sentences: inform the reader about the evidence you’ve uncovered, e.g., a business model and study on effective workplace goal setting.
• Analysis sentences : inform the reader of your thoughts on the evidence and its significance. For example, “Model A clearly shows how employers are to set realistic goals with employees and this model has proven to be successful in study x”.
• Concluding sentence: summarize what you’ve learned about the topic and how it relates to the essay question. For instance, “Setting realistic goals for employees is straightforward and likely to increase successful goal achievement in the workplace”.

How to Write a Conclusion

• To signal the essay is ending, use a suitable word or phrase , such as ‘In summary’ or ‘With all of this in mind’.
• Reread your introduction to remind yourself of your thesis. After that, either paraphrase or respond to the thesis.
• Summarize the key points stated in each of the assignment’s paragraphs. So, if you wrote three key body paragraphs, the conclusion should include three main themes.
• Give your readers a concluding line on the main issue and possibly attempt to urge them to further ponder the topic in its wider context.

Example Of An Essay About Achieving Your Goals

So, let’s put all this information together and check an example essay on achieving goals: Effective Methods to Increase the Likelihood of Goal Achievement Achieving goals can be extremely rewarding and result in a more satisfying and successful life. Many people set goals yet cannot achieve them. However, there are ways to avoid or reduce the likelihood of missing the mark. By ensuring that goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound), using visualization techniques, and rewarding goal attainment, the chances of success increase. First, ensure your goals are SMART. This means that goals should be specific and measurable in terms of outcomes, e.g., test scores . Goals should be achievable and realistic to the person’s capabilities and resources available. Also, a goal should apply to the person’s work, education, hobbies, or interests and include a deadline. If there is no specificity of outcome, there’s no real way to see how someone has improved—or how they might be falling short. And if goals are not SMART, they are more difficult to achieve. Second, by imagining and visualizing the feelings and outcomes of achievement of the goal , the likelihood of high achievement increases. The imagination can be a powerful tool. Imagining the feelings of accomplishment helps to increase self-efficacy and motivation. A Canadian study found that imagery skills moderate the effect of mental practice on self-efficacy. The effects of visualization techniques are valuable in goal achievement. Third, once the goal has been accomplished, a reward is required. Getting a reward for hard work will increasingly motivate an individual to set and achieve the next goal. The offer of a reward gives employees and students an extra boost of motivation. Rewards help the cycle of goal setting and goal achieving to continue. In summary, by ensuring the goals set are SMART, visualizing and rewarding success, goal achievement becomes more likely. Achieving goals is a cyclic process that’s possible to master if the right method is in place.

The Basics of Setting and Achieving Goals

Getting things done is often more difficult than you may think. You may have a strong desire to see positive changes, including better grades, weight loss, or passing an educational course. But success requires more than just motivation. The right goal-achievement skill set can help you see the exact steps you need to perform to take your life to the next level. Of course, it all starts with setting a goal and there’s a useful (SMART) acronym to remember:

Goals should be specific and free of generalizations, or they are unlikely to get done. Instead of stating that your goal is to improve your English skills, make it more specific by stating that your goal is to learn and use one new word every weekday to boost your English vocabulary.

A goal should be measurable because you need to keep your finger on the pulse and know where you’re at. For instance, a test or assessment score can provide evidence that you have reached your goal.

A goal needs to be possible to achieved. If it’s beyond your capabilities or requires resources you cannot access, then you will set yourself up for failure.

Goals must have some relevance. It is pointless to set a goal if it’s not relevant to your life, work, education, interests, hobbies, etc.

You must set a completion date for your goal. If you do not set a deadline, you may lack the motivation to reach it. Once you have your SMART goal, record it clearly on paper or a mobile device and then visualize the outcome of achieving that goal. Imagine how happy you will feel when you achieve it. This vivid mental imagery will provide you with the extra motivation to go for it. Finally, when you reach your goal, it’s time to celebrate! Reward yourself with a trip, an item you desire, relaxation time with friends, or whatever else that will make you feel happy.

Ready to write an essay about achieving goals?

Hopefully, the information in the article has given you the basics to help you write a powerful essay on achieving goals. I also hope that this article has helped you think about how you can work toward achieving your own goals. There are many great books about the science of goal achievement. I especially recommend ones written by Brian Tracy , as they have helped me a great deal in my pursuit of happiness . You can also create an engaging presentation about achieving goals and objectives using this  goal presentation template . Next up, you may want to explore an ultimate guide to writing expository essays .

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Interview Questions

Comprehensive Interview Guide: 60+ Professions Explored in Detail

“What Is Your Greatest Achievement?” (Sample answers)

By Biron Clark

Published: November 20, 2023

Employers LOVE to ask questions about your greatest professional achievement or accomplishment… and they expect a detailed example or story in the job interview, so you need to be ready.  In this article, I’m going to show you how to answer, “What is your greatest achievement?” with example answers, mistakes to avoid, and more.

Let’s get started…

Why do interviewers ask this question

Expert interviewers ask behavioral questions like “what’s your greatest professional achievement” to unpack all sorts of basic truths about the applicant. It’s a strategic approach designed to show employers:

• how you respond to stress
• your standards for success
• your goal-drive 
• and your level of professionalism. 

How to Choose Your Greatest Achievement for Interviews:

“What is your greatest achievement/accomplishment?” is a behavioral interview question. To pick the right answer to share, consider your background as well as the job description for the role you’re interviewing for. The best answers to this interview question will show the hiring manager that your greatest accomplishment is both impressive and also relevant to their team’s needs.

Follow these steps to determine what type of achievement you should share in the job interview:

1. Pick an accomplishment that’s as recent as possible, and somewhat relevant to this job and career.

If at all possible, you should be choosing a greatest accomplishment that happened somewhat recently in your career and demonstrates that you’re a great job candidate for this position that you want now. If your most impressive accomplishment is five years ago, you can still use it. But I’d encourage you to think about whether you have a similar accomplishment from the past one to two years, perhaps in your last job. Hiring managers tend to appreciate recent work experience more than distant experience, so job seekers should aim to share recent stories when possible in the interview process.

The bottom line is: If you’re debating between a few options of achievements to share, you should always choose the more recent story, and the one that’s more relevant to the job you’ve applied for. Then get specific and talk about RESULTS. Show exactly what you achieved and why it was a significant accomplishment. How did it help you? How did it help your team or your employer at the time? If you just graduated and your accomplishment was in an internship or in a university class, what did you learn, what challenges did you overcome, and how did this help you get to where you are today?

2. Pick a professional achievement even if employers don’t specifically ask for one.

Sometimes employers will ask for your greatest professional achievement, and sometimes they’ll leave it open to interpretation and simply say, “What is your greatest achievement?” No matter how they phrase the question, keep your answer focused on a professional achievement.

This will do a few things for you:

First, it’ll make the task of preparing and practicing an answer easier. This way, you only need to have one answer for however they phrase the question. You’re 100% ready whether they ask, “What is your greatest professional achievement?” or just for your biggest achievement in general.  And, since you’re in a job interview, it’s best to talk about a professional achievement anyway. So focus on a work-related achievement when you give your example or story, and you won’t run the risk of sharing something that the employer finds odd or irrelevant. If you’re job searching with no work experience , then your academic experience is the closest thing you have. In this case, you should give an example of your greatest achievement from a class project or from your academic studies. (It could be achieving a high GPA, finishing first in your class, practicing and delivering a speech in front of a class, being the first in your family to graduate with a degree, or anything like that).

Watch: How to Answer “What Is Your Greatest Achievement?”

How to deliver your answer.

Now that we’ve discussed how to choose your greatest achievement, let’s look at how to organize and deliver your answer. When answering any behavioral interview questions such as this, it’s best to organize your response with the STAR Method , which is short for: Situation, Task, Action, Result. This is a way to structure your answer to make sure hiring managers can follow your story and to make sure you don’t get sidetracked when explaining the achievement. You’ll notice this format in the sample answers coming up. You start by explaining the general situation. Were you in a previous job? Which role? How long ago did this happen? Then, explain the task at hand. What needed to be achieved or solved? Next, what action did you choose and why? Finally, what was the result, and what did you learn from the experience if anything? That’s the best way to explain your greatest accomplishments to ensure that you don’t give a long-winded answer that’s too confusing to follow.

Good answers will be detailed but also concise. Aim for 60-90 seconds or less when answering interview questions about your biggest achievement.

Deliver Your Answer With Confidence

Interview questions that require you to brag about yourself aren’t easy, but you need to be ready to sound confident and show off what you’ve done. This isn’t the time to be humble or timid. When employers ask, “What is your greatest professional achievement?” they want you to sound passionate and proud. So think about a great professional accomplishment that you’d be genuinely excited to talk about. That’s the best way to make sure you have the right level of energy when giving your answer.  After this, review the details of the story and situation. You want to be specific when telling this story; it’s always more impressive to share specific facts and details.

I’ll give you an example… Which sounds better:

A) “My greatest accomplishment is graduating near the top of my class last year” B) “My greatest accomplishment is graduating in the top 3% of my class of over 2,000 students last year, with a GPA of 3.88”

The second answer is going to be more memorable and more impressive, so that’s why you should review your own story/example you plan on giving to refresh yourself on as many details as possible. The more specific you can be, the more confident and convincing you’ll be, too!

“Tell Me Your Proudest Accomplishment or Greatest Achievement” Example Answers:

Now that you have a general idea of what to do when you answer these questions about your proudest accomplishments/achievements, let’s look at some example answers:

Example Answer for Your Greatest Achievement or Accomplishment (Entry-Level):

My greatest professional achievement was completing my Bachelor’s degree in 4 years with a 3.8 GPA. I had no financial support from my family and had to work a full-time job while pursuing my Economics degree . This taught me to prioritize my time, build great habits and stay focused on my goals. I’m proud of this accomplishment and I feel that what I learned is going to give me a big advantage in my career now.

Example Answer for Your Greatest Achievement or Accomplishment (Experienced):

My greatest professional achievement was turning around the success of my last employer’s Marketing department. When I joined, the entire team was struggling and we were failing to hit our quarterly goals. I was hired to create a new marketing plan, which I designed and implemented without any guidance. Within 6 months, we were achieving 20-25% above our goals, and my marketing plan brought in an additional $3 million in revenue for the company through the second half of last year. This additional revenue brought the company from an operating loss each quarter to profitability.

After you give your answer, you should definitely expect follow-up questions. When employers ask for examples of your greatest achievement, it’s to find out about you as a person – your interests, your strengths, etc. This isn’t just a question that the interviewer asks and then moves on from. So don’t panic when they ask for more details or continue with related questions. The best stories will grab an interviewer’s attention and make them curious about other accomplishments, and they’ll want to hear more about your previous roles and past experiences.

If you hear a follow-up question or a comment like, “oh, tell me more about ___,” it’s a sign you gave a great answer. That’s why the interviewer wants to know more. So stay confident and calm , and when you prepare for your interview, you should think about the questions they’re most likely to ask you AFTER you share the story of your biggest achievement. What piece of the story are employers likely to want more information about? What might they not understand the first time you tell it?

Example Answer for Your Greatest Achievement or Accomplishment (STAR method):

Situation: “I recently completed a year-long assignment as a front desk and admin assistant at a busy marketing firm. At the time that I was hired, I was a shy, quiet student with low organization skills and zero software experience.  Task: My predecessor left suddenly, so I was thrown into the deep end with a crash course in phone etiquette and a list of programs to master. It was up to me to stop the front desk and admin tasks from spiraling out of control. Action: After 2 weeks, I was communicating confidently via phone, taking 40+ calls daily, and redirecting them as needed. After a month, I had mastered their vendor management, client management and project management software and was already working beyond my role description. By the second month I was helping to draft and track expense reports and receipts, and managing travel plans and expenses, all through diverse software products.  Result: The experience taught me that, no matter how daunting the learning curve, I’m proactive, smart and organized enough to take it in my stride. I’m technical at heart, I have great communication skills, and I am no longer shy. Although I was asked to stay on, my goal is to start at a cybersecurity firm where I can learn the ropes and, hopefully, take on additional responsibilities in future.”

Example Answer for Your Greatest Achievement or Accomplishment (Template answer):

If you look carefully, you’ll see that the following example answer also follows  the STAR formula, and it’s a great way to structure your answers to questions like “what’s your greatest career achievement?”  

It’s simple, just follow the instructions below and fill in the blanks with a recent and RELEVANT story from your own experience. If you’re unsure of what to write in a space, use the sample answer above as a reference:

• First, describe the context or situation: 

I was previously employed as a at a busy . At the time that I was hired, I was .

• Next, describe the challenge, responsibility or task: 

I was thrown in the deep end with , and it was up to me to .

• Now, explain the action you took to meet the challenge: 

I . I learned . I mastered . I helped to .

• Lastly, describe what you learned from the experience: 

The experience taught me that, no matter how the task may be, I’m enough to take it in my stride.  My goal now is to use this experience to succeed in a role like the role of and one day to .

What to avoid when answering

• Avoid bragging – even if your experience isn’t directly related to the role, by structuring the answer to highlight your own behaviors, skills and strengths, you can show the employer what a great fit you’ll be – without the need to brag. Instead, be real, be honest and be yourself!
• Avoid being overly descriptive or using “um”, “ah” and “like” too much – efficient verbal communication is an important part of any job. Prepare well (you know the formula) and keep your answer confident and concise!
• Avoid irrelevant or personal accomplishments – stick to professional accomplishments, even if the interviewer doesn’t specify as much!

Make Sure to Practice Your Answer

Nothing comes out perfect the first time – so make sure to practice a few times before going into your next interview! Go over the key points you want to share, and make sure you can explain the story clearly while transitioning from one key point to another. Note: I don’t recommend memorizing word-for-word. That’s a good way to panic in the interview, forget a piece, and make a mistake. Instead, I’d do what I described above – think of your story as a series of key points to talk about, and make sure you can remember to hit each point and transition smoothly between them. Make sure you can get from the beginning of your story to the end when explaining your greatest achievement to employers, without forgetting any pieces of your story. Once you can do this a few times, you’re ready for the interview.

Answering Your Greatest Achievement or Accomplishment in Interviews – Quick Instructions

• Don’t be shy or humble. This interview question is a chance to brag about yourself and share what you’re truly proud of professionally
• Pick a professional accomplishment whether or not they specifically ask for something professional
• Pick an accomplishment that’s relatively recent if possible, and something that is related to your current career path and the job you’re interviewing for
• Choose something that had a large overall impact on your career; something important and significant
• Get specific and talk about real results and data whenever possible. What was the impact of your work?
• After you answer this interview question, be ready for follow-up questions. Even if you gave an outstanding answer, the employer might want to learn more
• Practice your answer. Nothing comes out perfect the first time, so run through your explanation for what is your greatest professional achievement before the interview starts

If you follow these steps, you’ll have a great answer any time an employer asks, “What is your greatest achievement?” and other similar interview questions.

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Really, those above tips are very helpful to me as a fresher. Thanking you

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Guest Essay

When I Became a Birder, Almost Everything Else Fell Into Place

Mr. Yong is a science writer whose most recent book, “An Immense World,” investigates animal perception.

Last September, I drove to a protected wetland near my home in Oakland, Calif., walked to the end of a pier and started looking at birds. Throughout the summer, I was breaking in my first pair of binoculars, a Sibley field guide and the Merlin song-identification app, but always while hiking or walking the dog. On that pier, for the first time, I had gone somewhere solely to watch birds.

In some birding circles, people say that anyone who looks at birds is a birder — a kind, inclusive sentiment that overlooks the forces that create and shape subcultures. Anyone can dance, but not everyone would identify as a dancer, because the term suggests, if not skill, then at least effort and intent. Similarly, I’ve cared about birds and other animals for my entire life, and I’ve written about them throughout my two decades as a science writer, but I mark the moment when I specifically chose to devote time and energy to them as the moment I became a birder.

Since then, my birder derangement syndrome has progressed at an alarming pace. Seven months ago, I was still seeing very common birds for the first time. Since then, I’ve seen 452 species, including 337 in the United States, and 307 this year alone. I can reliably identify a few dozen species by ear. I can tell apart greater and lesser yellowlegs, house and purple finches, Cooper’s and sharp-shinned hawks. (Don’t talk to me about gulls; I’m working on the gulls.) I keep abreast of eBird’s rare bird alerts and have spent many days — some glorious, others frustrating — looking for said rare birds. I know what it means to dip, to twitch, to pish . I’ve gone owling.

I didn’t start from scratch. A career spent writing about nature gave me enough avian biology and taxonomy to roughly know the habitats and silhouettes of the major groups. Journalism taught me how to familiarize myself with unfamiliar territory very quickly. I crowdsourced tips on the social media platform Bluesky . I went out with experienced birders to learn how they move through a landscape and what cues they attend to.

I studied up on birds that are famously difficult to identify so that when I first saw them in the field, I had an inkling of what they were without having to check a field guide. I used the many tools now available to novices: EBird shows where other birders go and reveals how different species navigate space and time; Merlin is best known as an identification app but is secretly an incredible encyclopedia; Birding Quiz lets you practice identifying species based on fleeting glances at bad angles.

This all sounds rather extra, and birding is often defined by its excesses. At its worst, it becomes an empty process of collection that turns living things into abstract numbers on meaningless lists. But even that style of birding is harder without knowledge. To find the birds, you have to know them. And in the process of knowing them, much else falls into place.

Birding has tripled the time I spend outdoors. It has pushed me to explore Oakland in ways I never would have: Amazing hot spots lurk within industrial areas, sewage treatment plants and random residential parks. It has proved more meditative than meditation. While birding, I seem impervious to heat, cold, hunger and thirst. My senses focus resolutely on the present, and the usual hubbub in my head becomes quiet. When I spot a species for the first time — a lifer — I course with adrenaline while being utterly serene.

I also feel a much deeper connection to the natural world, which I have long written about but always remained slightly distant from. I knew that the loggerhead shrike — a small but ferocious songbird — impales the bodies of its prey on spikes. I’ve now seen one doing that with my own eyes. I know where to find the shrikes and what they sound like. Countless fragments of unrooted trivia that rattled around my brain are now grounded in place, time and experience.

When I step out my door in the morning, I take an aural census of the neighborhood, tuning in to the chatter of creatures that were always there and that I might have previously overlooked. The passing of the seasons feels more granular, marked by the arrival and disappearance of particular species instead of much slower changes in day length, temperature and greenery. I find myself noticing small shifts in the weather and small differences in habitat. I think about the tides.

So much more of the natural world feels close and accessible now. When I started birding, I remember thinking that I’d never see most of the species in my field guide. Sure, backyard birds like robins and western bluebirds would be easy, but not black skimmers or peregrine falcons or loggerhead shrikes. I had internalized the idea of nature as distant and remote — the province of nature documentaries and far-flung vacations. But in the past six months, I’ve seen soaring golden eagles, heard duetting great horned owls, watched dancing sandhill cranes and marveled at diving Pacific loons, all within an hour of my house. “I’ll never see that” has turned into “Where can I find that?”

Of course, having the time to bird is an immense privilege. As a freelancer, I have total control over my hours and my ability to get out in the field. “Are you a retiree?” a fellow birder recently asked me. “You’re birding like a retiree.” I laughed, but the comment spoke to the idea that things like birding are what you do when you’re not working, not being productive.

I reject that. These recent years have taught me that I’m less when I’m not actively looking after myself, that I have value to my world and my community beyond ceaseless production and that pursuits like birding that foster joy, wonder and connection to place are not sidebars to a fulfilled life but their essence.

It’s easy to think of birding as an escape from reality. Instead, I see it as immersion in the true reality. I don’t need to know who the main characters are on social media and what everyone is saying about them, when I can instead spend an hour trying to find a rare sparrow. It’s very clear to me which of those two activities is the more ridiculous. It’s not the one with the sparrow.

More of those sparrows are imminent. I’m about to witness my first spring migration as warblers and other delights pass through the Bay Area. Birds I’ve seen only in drab grays are about to don their spectacular breeding plumages. Familiar species are about to burst out in new tunes that I’ll have to learn. I have my first lazuli bunting to see, my first blue grosbeak to find, my first least terns to photograph. I can’t wait.

Ed Yong is a science writer whose most recent book, “An Immense World,” investigates animal perception.

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