Tell us about your most significant accomplishment.
Sample One
My most significant accomplishment is becoming the youngest Project Architect at Thompson Architecture, the world’s largest retail architecture firm. This resulted mainly from my consistent efforts to go beyond my defined technical roles to assume managerial responsibilities.
Specifically, my managerial potential was highlighted in a project assisting Clothestime to create a new store concept that would appeal to a non-traditional customer demographic. Given the high profile nature of the project, its success was crucial as it would have a profound impact on Thompson’s reputation. However, the frantic schedule of administering five stores within six months soon created an enormous stress on the team.
During this time, I realized that our collaboration was ineffective and lacked an efficient method to track project responsibilities. Despite my status as the most junior member, I immediately volunteered to take on a coordinator role to create a detailed project plan and interactive spreadsheet managing all project deadlines. This enabled team members to clearly delineate our roles and effectively fuse our efforts towards delivery. With my intensive supervision, the resulting stores became a success and met every deadline. Consequently, Thompson was awarded an extension contract to design thirty additional stores.
In recognition, I was promoted to Project Architect, 3 years ahead of other associates. Additionally, I was assigned two subordinates and given managerial authority over a $15M budget to deliver 30 new concept stores for retailer Shoetown. I remain very proud of this experience because it affirms my willingness to step outside my comfort zone and lead an initiative to improve a situation - all very meaningful values to me as I develop personally and professionally.
Sample Two
When my younger brother Joe was born, I was excited to meet him, until my dad warned me that he was disabled. I was terrified that my brother would be like the “retarded” kids whom my friends and I whispered about at school. I felt cheated because he would not be a “real” brother or friend.
Initially, I was ashamed to be associated with Joe, rarely divulging his disability to my peers and never speaking up when my friends used terms like “retard” to mock each other. Slowly, as I matured and began to educate myself on his disability, I grew to admire Joe profoundly. By age 15, I recognized that my initial assumptions about his potential and the potential of our relationship were incorrect. While it was initially frightening to watch him struggle to communicate, it was awe inspiring as he eventually learned to speak. As we worked together, I was humbled by his accomplishments. I realized that I had much to learn from his perseverance and joyful perspective on life.
Today, Joe and I share a rewarding love based on honesty and a great deal of respect, created by our mutual influence on each other’s personal development. While I have worked hard to reach significant goals, both academically and professionally, my most significant accomplishment has been my personal transformation from a young boy, afraid of difference, to a young man who sees the potential in all people – to achieve, teach, learn, and love. I am deeply grateful for Joe’s guidance and the enlightenment he has brought me, and I am tremendously proud to be his brother.