5 Tips to Answer ‘How Do You Define Success?’ in Interviews

Recruiters and hiring managers ask for your definition of success to determine how you view and achieve goals, approach your work, and outline your priorities.

“How do you define success?” and similar variations (such as “What does success look like to you?” and “How do you evaluate success?”) are common interview questions because sharing what success means to you helps demonstrate your work ethic and goals. The hiring manager aims to understand what motivates you by asking this behavioral interview question. It will also help them determine if you’re a good fit with the company culture.

Job seekers may consider this a tough interview question, but there is no wrong answer—everyone views success differently. Here are some tips for answering this common interview question:

1. 1. Self-reflect on your achievements. Think about a time you set a goal and achieved the desired outcome. You can define success on your own term when you take time for self-reflection. Take notes on personal and professional goals and achievements as you come up with a sample answer to this job interview question. Even examples of success from your personal life will help demonstrate your work ethic and determination.
2. 2. Provide clear and specific examples. As you discuss your definition of success, show the interviewer how you've put your notion of success into practice by offering past achievements. Mention specific examples of how you achieved a goal or outlined milestones and highlight one of the greatest achievements on your résumé.
3. 3. Familiarize yourself with the company’s view of success. Interview preparation is critical, so research the company’s values and mission statement before your job interview. Review the job description and imagine how this role contributes to the company’s goals and would have a positive impact on the company’s objectives. If you share the company’s vision or goals, mention those values, especially if the potential employer is a mission-driven nonprofit.
4. 4. Use data to show impact. When describing relevant past experiences, incorporate metrics to show the hiring manager how you measure success with data. Include an example with a quantifiable outcome, such as how a project you worked on contributed to the company’s financial goals.
5. 5. Emphasize collaboration as a key component to success. A definition of success that highlights team goals and collective accomplishments demonstrates that you value collaboration and teamwork.

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