It would be great to know exactly what questions the hiring manager will ask you at your next job interview.
We’re not able to read minds, but here is the next best thing: a list of 53 of the most common interview questions and how to answer them, along with some tips on how to come up with your own.
We don’t think you should have a ready-made answer for every interview question (please don’t), but you should spend some time getting ready for what you might be asked, what hiring managers really want to hear in your answers, and how to show that you’re the best person for the job.
Consider this list your job interview answer and question study guide. (Don’t forget to look at our bonus list at the end. It has links to resources on different types of interview questions, like those about diversity and inclusion or emotional intelligence, as well as interview questions by role, like those for accountants, project managers, and teachers. ).
Interviewing at Achieve? You’ll need to be ready for their behavioral and situational interview questions.
Achieve uses the interview process to assess candidates’ core competencies like problem-solving, communication, and leadership.
To help you prepare, we’ll explore some of the most common Achieve interview questions, examples of the best answers, and tips to impress your interviewers.
Overview of the Achieve Interview Process
The Achieve interview process typically includes:
- An initial phone screening with a recruiter
- One or more video interviews focused on behavioral questions
- For some roles, a case study or presentation
Achieve interviews aim to determine your technical abilities, soft skills, and cultural fit. Some examples of common Achieve interview questions include:
- “Tell me about a time you had to be flexible on a project or assignment.”
- “How would you approach giving constructive feedback to a colleague?”
- “Describe a time you set challenging goals.”
Beyond competency-based questions you may be asked Achieve-specific questions like
- “Why do you want to work for Achieve?”
- “What makes you a good fit for our company culture?”
Let’s explore examples and tips for answering Achieve’s behavioral, situational, and company-specific interview questions.
Preparing for Achieve Behavioral Interview Questions
Behavioral questions prompt you to share examples of how you’ve handled situations in the past. Achieve commonly uses the STAR method for structuring behavioral interview answers:
Situation – Set the context.
Task – Explain your responsibilities.
Action – Share the steps you took.
Result – Describe your achievements.
Here are some examples of Achieve behavioral interview questions and STAR model answers:
Q: Tell me about a time you had to be flexible on a project or assignment. What was the situation and how did you handle it?
S: As a project manager, I was leading a website redesign project on a tight 3-month timeline. Two months in, new leadership wanted to pivot our approach based on updated goals.
T: It was my responsibility to adjust our plans and complete the revised project on time.
A: I immediately met with my team and key stakeholders to understand the new goals. We brainstormed and came up with a plan to scale back certain features while prioritizing the new requirements.
R: Despite having to overhaul our approach midway through, we successfully launched the new site on time by being adaptable and collaborative.
Q: Describe a time you set challenging goals. What was the outcome?
S: As a sales rep, I was struggling to hit my Q3 sales targets after falling short for two quarters straight.
T: I knew I needed to set bolder goals to motivate myself.
A: I broke down the yearly target into a daily sales goal. I also committed to making 50 cold calls per day. To learn new techniques, I asked my manager for coaching.
R: With these challenges in place, I exceeded my Q3 target by 20% and reached my yearly sales goal two months early.
Answering Achieve Situational Interview Questions
Situational or hypothetical questions ask how you would handle a hypothetical scenario you might encounter on the job.
Achieve situational interview questions aim to assess your problem-solving skills, judgment, and ethics.
Here are some examples with sample answers:
Q: Your manager assigns you a project, but you don’t have enough resources to complete it. What do you do?
A: I would schedule a meeting with my manager to explain the limitations in a constructive way. I would come armed with data to back up my concerns and propose solutions, like re-prioritizing other projects to free up resources or getting an extension on the deadline. My goal would be finding a solution that sets our project up for success.
Q: If a colleague was struggling to meet a deadline, how would you handle it?
A: First, I would have an empathetic, one-on-one chat to understand if they’re facing any roadblocks. If they simply have too much on their plate, I would offer to collaborate with them and take tasks off their to-do list. I would also consult with the project manager to push back the deadline if needed. Helping a struggling co-worker succeed reflects well on the whole team.
Q: You notice a team member acting unethically. How would you respond?
A: If I witnessed unethical conduct, I would remain professional but take action. First, I would privately speak to the team member, express my concerns, and give them a chance to correct it. If the issue persists, I would escalate it to my manager without making accusations. I would frame it as seeking guidance on upholding ethical standards. Handled properly, this could turn into a learning opportunity.
Preparing for Achieve Company-Specific Questions
Along with assessing your skills and experience, Achieve uses interview questions to determine if you’ll be a culture add.
Expect questions like:
- Why do you want to work for Achieve?
- What makes you a good fit for our company culture?
- What interests you about this role?
Tips for impressing your Achieve interviewers:
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Research Achieve’s mission, values, and culture. Read their website, blogs, and news articles.
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Match your skills to the role. Explain how your experience makes you a strong candidate.
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Show passion for their work. Let your enthusiasm for their mission shine through.
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Prepare questions to ask. Asking thoughtful questions shows your interest in Achieve.
Here are some examples:
Q: Why do you want to work for Achieve?
A: I’m genuinely excited by Achieve’s mission of accelerating potential through personalized development. As someone passionate about coaching, I love that Achieve is scaling coaching through technology to help leaders thrive. The chance to enable growth and transformation aligns with my own values. Achieve’s innovative culture and leading expertise in the coaching space make it my top choice.
Q: What makes you a good match for Achieve’s culture?
A: Achieve’s culture of curiosity, learning, and continuous improvement strongly resonates with me. I’m driven by a growth mindset, constantly seeking out new challenges and feedback to become better. I also love collaborating and know the strength of diverse teams. My coaching background has taught me how empowering an inclusive environment is. I’ll contribute an open, innovative, and metrics-driven approach that matches Achieve’s cultural values.
Q: What interests you most about this role at Achieve?
A: As a career coach, the chance to empower Achieve members to navigate career transitions at scale is extremely compelling. I’m excited by the complexity of understanding each member’s unique goals and challenges to create high-impact development plans. Achieve’s platform also offers capabilities I’m eager to leverage, like actionable analytics. This role would allow me to combine my passion for coaching with cutting-edge technology.
7 Interview Tips to Ace Your Achieve Interview
Here are some final tips to help you have a winning interview at Achieve:
1. Practice STAR responses: Use the STAR method to prepare clear, compelling examples that highlight your skills and achievements.
2. Research Achieve’s culture: Understand their mission and values to thoughtfully address company-specific questions.
3. Review common questions: Be ready for likely behavioral, situational, and experience-based questions.
4. Prepare smart questions: Asking intelligent, researched questions demonstrates your interest.
5. Review your resume: Refresh yourself on your accomplishments and qualifications.
6. Dress professionally: Even for video interviews, dress neat, crisp business attire.
7. Send thank you notes: Follow up with each of your interviewers thanking them for their time.
Using these tips and examples, you’ll be ready to impress your Achieve interviewers. Confidently answer their questions, emphasize your relevant experience, and show your passion for their mission. With preparation and practice, you can land the Achieve job opportunity you want.
4 Are you willing to relocate?
While this may sound like a simple yes-or-no question, it’s often a little bit more complicated than that. One of the easiest situations is if you’re ready to move and would be happy to do so for this chance. If they say no, or at least not right now, you can say again how excited you are about the job, give a short reason why you can’t move at this time, and offer an alternative, like working from home or a local office. Sometimes it’s not as clear-cut, and that’s OK. You can say that you’d rather stay put for xyz reasons, but you’d be open to moving if the right chance came up.
Possible answer to “What’s a time you disagreed with a decision that was made at work?”
When I worked as a finance assistant, it was my job to put together reports for possible business investments. It was important to get the numbers and details right so that leaders could make the best choice. My boss once told me to make a new report on Wednesday morning and turn it in by Thursday at 5 p.m. I knew I had to speak up because I care about doing good work and I wasn’t sure if my boss fully understood what went into each report. At her next available opening, I sat down with my boss and explained my concerns. She was firm that the report would be completed by Thursday at 5 PM. So I decided to ask if there was anyone who could help out. After thinking about it, my boss found another assistant who could put in a few hours. We had to rush to finish the report, but we did it, and the committee was thrilled to see it at the meeting. My boss liked how hard I worked to make it happen, and I was proud that I hadn’t skimped on the quality of the report. They learned how to work as a team and when and how to ask for help, which was helpful. After I told my boss how much time and work goes into each report, he made sure to give them to me earlier. ”.
WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT? (5 GREAT ANSWERS to this TOUGH INTERVIEW QUESTION!)
FAQ
How did you achieve a goal interview question?
What do you hope to achieve sample answer?
What do you want to achieve in your life interview question?
How do you answer interview questions about your biggest achievement?
Good answers will be detailed but also concise. Aim for 60-90 seconds or less when answering interview questions about your biggest achievement. 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.
How do you answer a question in an interview?
Be serious in your answer and focus on your goal. This is not the time to make funny comments or remarks. Answer the question as a professional and describe to the interviewer what your greatest accomplishments are. Honesty is key. Interviewers are trained to notice when someone is faking or making up a story.
What makes a good interview answer?
A strong answer will demonstrate how your skills and experience will make you successful in the new role. As Jennifer explains, “Like with answers to many questions asked in an interview, this is your opportunity to show you have done your research, you understand the role, and you are aligned with the company’s goals and values.”
What type of achievement should you share in a job interview?
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.
