How to Talk About Your Achievements in the Right Way

Mentioning your achievements is essential, especially in an interview setting. But how do you talk about them in the right way, without becoming overly modest? Here are some handy tips to get you off to a great start…

Attitude and Confidence
In an interview, it’s not always what you say, it’s how you say it. Talking about your achievements with a positive attitude, with energy and passion with confident body language and eye contact will impress the interviewer and make your points more powerful.

Be Prepared
Before the interview, plan what achievements you’re going to mention. Maybe talk about how you’ve progressed through your career, a memorable moment in a previous job or education. Being prepared will help you feel more confident, as how you feel at the interview is a significant factor for your success. Remember, how you feel will be communicated through your body language and tone of voice.  

Focus on the Work
Keep the emphasis on your hard work, as you will gain more respect for your triumphs if you show you put in the effort. For example, say “I worked really hard to achieve this” rather than “It was easy, and I didn’t need to put in much effort”. If you did put in the hard work, own up to how challenging the task was and how you strived to accomplish it.  

Tell the Story
Try to tell the story by describing the challenge you faced and how you overcame it to succeed. Explain the steps you took to achieve your goal; by doing this, the interviewer is more likely to understand your achievement. However, try to avoid rambling by keeping your explanation brief, as this will show that you’ve had the time to think about how your achievements have shaped you as an individual.

Use Examples
Remember to back up your points with examples and facts. If you’re able to show your previous work in a portfolio, that’s a great way to make your achievements more credible. However, if this isn’t possible, then use facts that’ll prove your point. For example, say ‘When I stepped into that role, sales doubled’ rather than ‘I was a great worker’.

Gratitude
Express gratitude when explaining your achievements. You can do this by saying, ‘I am thankful that the company gave me the opportunity to…’ or ‘I am so grateful that…’. Showing your gratitude will demonstrate great teamwork and collaboration. Give credit where it’s due by possibly mentioning if you had any help along the way. Acknowledge the co-workers, friends or family that may have helped you achieve your success.

Be Proud
An interview isn’t a time to be modest; it’s to explain why you are so proud of your accomplishments. This, of course, will be due to the hard work you put in to achieve them, by saying ‘I’m extremely pleased that I was able to achieve so much’ will clearly demonstrate that you’re proud of what you have accomplished. Past performance is an excellent indicator of future performance; something an interviewer will be extremely interested in.