By Mike Simpson

UPDATED 6/10/2022

Everyone has moments in their life that stand out in their mind, making them puff out their chest and say, “Heck yeah, I did that!” But when you’re asked, “What are you most proud of?” in a job interview, you may suddenly draw a blank.

Why? Because many people have trouble answering questions that involve a bit of bragging, even if it’s appropriate. Plus, it isn’t uncommon to underestimate the value of your contributions at work, causing you to downplay your capabilities.

Fortunately, coming up with a great answer isn’t as hard as it initially seems. If you aren’t sure where to begin, here are some tips, along with some “what are you most proud of” examples to inspire you.

Why Do Hiring Managers Ask This Question?

While “What are you most proud of?” seems like a straightforward question, it’s actually a bit tricky. Like “What is your greatest accomplishment?” this one functions as a behavioral interview question more often than not.

The hiring manager wants to find out more about how you think and act at work, all while getting some insights into your values and priorities. Plus, as the good folks at Indeed point out, this question lets the hiring manager see how you define success.

When you answer, “What accomplishments are you most proud of?” the hiring manager typically wants to hear about the skills you put to work, too. That gives them more clues about your capabilities, and that’s valuable.

So, it’s open season to brag, right? Well, yes and no. While tooting your own horn a bit is expected, you need to meter yourself. As Work It Daily points out, appearing arrogant “can hurt your first impression.” So, you need to find balance, ensuring you’ll impress without going too far.

How NOT To Answer “What Are You Most Proud Of?”

So, what’s the wrong way to answer the “what are you proud of” question?

First, it’s important to realize that you need to discuss “what are you most proud of” examples that align with the job. Now isn’t the time to talk about how you blew the competition away during a pie-eating contest at a summer festival, as that probably isn’t relevant to the role. However, that’s not to say you can’t relate any personal stories; they just need to connect to the position in some shape or form.

What else should you avoid when coming up with a good brag-worthy story to share with your hiring manager? Try to skip any story that shows your past employer in a bad light. Don’t say things like, “I’m just proud of the fact that I managed to survive the mess that was my last workplace.”

You also want to avoid moments where you achieved something through sheer luck or circumstance rather than hard work and professionalism. Similarly, you also don’t need to share a story that is mind-blowingly amazing or too over the top, especially if doing so makes you seem arrogant.

IMPORTANT: Sharing a story about how good it made you feel to discover that a simple tweak to a program you were building sped the process up by 10%, saving the company time and money can actually be more impressive to a hiring manager than a story about how you managed to salvage a minor sales deal that was going south by hiring a full Mariachi band and having them show up at your client’s office to serenade them with love songs from his hometown for six hours until he finally relented and closed the deal.

Keep in mind, while the Mariachi story is…well…impressive, a lot of hiring managers are more interested in individuals who are motivated to grow and excel in whatever job they’re doing than in self-aggrandized attention-seeking individuals who could potentially cause problems for the company down the road with over the top theatrics or dangerous stunts.

Ultimately, keep your answers realistic, humble, and targeted to the job. Also, make sure that you’re honest. Bragging about something that isn’t true is incredibly risky, especially if it’s something the hiring manager can easily verify.

Just remember, this is just one question the hiring manager could ask you in your interview! That’s why we created an amazing free cheat sheet that will give you word-for-word answers for some of the toughest interview questions you are going to face in your upcoming interview.

Click below to get your free PDF now:

5 Tips for Answering “What Accomplishment Are You Most Proud Of?”

1. Make your proud moment relevant:

When thinking about what moment you want to share with your hiring manager, start by first breaking down the job you’re applying for and seeing if there is anything in your past that could relate to what the employer is looking for now. Focus on moments where you made a contribution to work that really helped out the team or a time you solved a problem.

2. Make your proud moment realistic:

Discussing over-the-top antics isn’t likely to work in your favor. An employer wants an employee who is driven by the feeling that they’re accomplishing realistic goals and constantly looking for ways to push beyond their last achievement and onto the next one.

3. Make your proud moment impactful:

Talk about what led up to your proud moment and why it made you so proud. Was it a task you’d been working on for ages and weren’t having any success but through perseverance and hard work, you overcame the roadblock? Was it tackling something everyone else in your department had given up on, knowing you could make it work?

Whatever it is, talk about what led up to that moment as well as the moment itself.

4. Make your proud moment lasting:

How did you follow up that moment? Did you use that moment as a catalyst to push forward on new challenges? Did you share your success with your team so they could learn from it and achieve their own proud moments?

Talk about what you did after you accomplished your task and how that impacted the people around you.

5. Make your proud moment a launching pad:

No employer wants to hire an employee who achieves something and then just stops. The feeling of pride is an amazing one, and an employer wants an employee who is going to be driven to continue to have moments they’re proud of at work. Talk about how you’ve taken what you’re most proud of and used it as a catalyst to continue to achieve and succeed.

5 Sample Answers

Sometimes, the easiest way to learn how to approach job interview questions is with some sample answers. Here are a few “what are you most proud of” examples, each targeting a different career level.

1. Entry Level – No College

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“I’m most proud of my volunteer contributions at the local soup kitchen. Every two weeks, I would head in to prepare and serve meals to those in need. It was a chance to connect with my community in a new way and to make a difference in people’s lives. Plus, it taught me the value of hard work for the sake of itself, which I feel will serve me well as I join the workforce.”

2. Entry-Level College Grad

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“The accomplishment I’m most proud of is completing my degree with a 3.95 GPA. It’s a reflection of my hard work and discipline, as well as my ability to work well with others on group projects while also shining on independent work. The journey was long and arduous, but the experience prepared me for an exciting career, one that I hope continues to let me learn and grow as I provide value to a new employer.”

3. Mid-Level Individual Contributor

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“At this point in my career, I’m most proud of the time I successfully transitioned every smartphone user in the agency to a new device type. We had to change MDM services within 45 days, and the current smartphone device type wasn’t compatible with the new system. As part of the transition, I had to personally handle and set up 300 smartphones, a process that included installing the MDM app, transferring phone numbers, and reconnecting services like email. Plus, I had to coordinate the transitions with the users, as their current devices would lose their connection once I began. Through organization, planning, and communication, I was able to keep everything on target, completing the transition in just 32 days.”

4. Management Level

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“One moment I’m particularly proud involved coaching a team member to success. When I first began in a management role with a new employer, there was an employee that was struggling to meet their performance targets. While many believed I would need to terminate them, I thought it best to use another strategy first. I adopted a coaching mindset, meeting with them one-on-one to learn more about their struggles and how we could devise solutions together.

“Ultimately, I learned that the employee’s role had changed over time, and they struggled to access appropriate training opportunities to help with the new duties. That allowed me to create a plan to get them up to speed, combining formal classes with a mentor. Ultimately, the strategy succeeded, and they became one of the top performers on the team in just nine months.”

5. Executive Level

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“The moment I’m most proud of occurred just a few years ago. I built a company from the ground up, bootstrapping the endeavor while developing a new logistics technology that improved order tracking and delivery monitoring by providing real-time data to everyone in the chain. The tech streamlined operations in many sectors, boosting operational efficiency for companies of all sizes.

“When I was given a sizable offer by a larger logistics technology company for my business, it made me realize just how monumental the innovation was, making me even prouder of what I’d accomplished. Now, I’m looking forward to harnessing my passion for growth, development, and strategic planning to take another company to similar heights.”

Putting It All Together

So, there you have it, how to answer “What are you most proud of” and make it relevant to the job you’re trying to land. Remember, keep your achievements realistic, relevant, and impactful if you want to ensure that your answer impresses the hiring manager at your next interview.

Good luck!

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Mike Simpson( Co-Founder and CEO )

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan, Penn State, Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page.