Interview Question: Describe a successful day, what made it successful?

Question forms part of

Civil Service Question Bank
Project Manager Question & Answer Sheet

What the interviewer is looking for by asking this question

There are probably an infinite number of questions that the interviewer could ask you on the day. Some questions are incredibly common appearing in almost every interview you will have, while other questions you might hear once and never again regardless of how many jobs you apply for.

Fundamentally though all interview questions are really trying to find out one of 3 things:

1 – Can you do the job? (Do you have the skills/experience needed?)
2 – Will you do the job? (Do you have the drive/motivation to get the job done?)
3 – Will you fit in? (Does your personality match the workplace culture? Are you likeable?)

That’s it. Those are the 3 things that the interviewer is trying to ascertain. Every question that is asked of you will fundamentally be trying to resolve one (or more) of these 3 things.

Considering the interview question, “Describe a successful day, what made it successful?” it can be seen that this question touches on all three aspects the interviewer is looking for:

Can you do the job? By asking you to describe a successful day, the interviewer is giving you the opportunity to highlight your skills and experiences. Your response should showcase the tasks you have successfully completed, the challenges you have overcome, and the expertise you have gained that would enable you to perform well in the position.
Will you do the job? Your description of a successful day will also reveal your drive and motivation to get the job done. The interviewer will be interested in understanding how you approach your work, set priorities, and stay focused on achieving your goals. Your answer should demonstrate that you are committed to delivering results and that you have the determination to excel in the role.
Will you fit in? The way you describe your successful day can also provide insights into your personality, work style, and how you might fit within the company’s culture. By sharing examples that showcase your adaptability, teamwork, or communication skills, you can demonstrate that you are a likeable candidate who would be a valuable addition to the team.

How Best To Answer ‘Describe a successful day, what made it successful?’

Unless the question you are asked is a straight ‘up or down / yes or no’ style question then you are going to need to learn to describe, expand and elaborate on your answers. The best way of doing this is to follow the B-STAR technique for answering interview questions.

Using the B-STAR technique, you can effectively answer the interview question, “Describe a successful day, what made it successful?” while providing a comprehensive response that highlights your skills, motivation, and cultural fit. Here’s how you can adapt the B-STAR method to this question:

B – Belief – Share your thoughts and feelings about what constitutes a successful day at work. This could include factors such as productivity, collaboration, or overcoming challenges.

S – Situation – Describe a specific day or situation where you experienced success at work. Keep the description brief and easy to understand, focusing on setting the context for your actions.

T – Task – Explain your role in the situation and what you were responsible for. Emphasize your active involvement in making the day successful, whether that means leading a team, solving a problem, or completing a project.

A – Activity (or action) – Detail the steps you took during that day and why you took them. Explain how you prioritized tasks, collaborated with colleagues, or utilized your skills to achieve success. This part should make up the majority of your response.

R – Result – Describe the outcome of your actions, ideally using quantifiable metrics to illustrate your success (e.g., increased sales by 15%, reduced project delivery time by two weeks, or improved team efficiency by 20%).

While the B-STAR method provides a useful framework, remember that it is descriptive, not prescriptive. Feel free to adapt the structure to best showcase your experiences and effectively convey your qualifications for the job.

What You Should NOT Do When Answering Questions

Do not avoid the question.

Do not describe a failure (unless specifically asked).

Do not downplay the situation.

Do not overhype the situation.

Do not say you have no experience with the subject matter.

Do not reject the premise of the question.

Do not have a passive role in the situation.

Do not give a one-sentence answer.

Do not overly describe the scenario and miss the action

Describe a successful day, what made it successful? – Example answers

Project Manager Example

I believe that a successful day is when I’m able to manage my time effectively, collaborate with my team, and achieve meaningful results that contribute to the overall success of the organization.

There was a day when our team was facing a tight deadline to submit a critical project proposal. My role as the project manager was to ensure that we completed the proposal on time while maintaining high quality and addressing all the client’s requirements.

To achieve this, I started by prioritizing the tasks and delegating responsibilities based on each team member’s expertise. I also set up checkpoints throughout the day to monitor progress and address any issues or roadblocks. Additionally, I maintained open lines of communication with both the team and the client, ensuring that everyone was on the same page and aware of the expectations.

As a result of our collaborative efforts and my proactive management, we submitted the project proposal ahead of the deadline. The client was extremely satisfied with our work and awarded us the contract, which ultimately led to a 30% increase in revenue for our department.

Marketing Specialist Example

I believe that a successful day is when I can effectively use my skills, solve problems, and contribute to the growth of the organization, all while maintaining a positive attitude and fostering a supportive work environment.

There was a day when our marketing team faced an unexpected issue with our email campaign tool, which threatened to delay a crucial product launch. As the marketing specialist, my role was to find a solution that would enable us to deliver the email campaign on time without compromising its quality or effectiveness.

To tackle this challenge, I first assessed the issue and determined that it was due to a software glitch. I reached out to our email campaign tool’s customer support and described the problem in detail. While waiting for their response, I researched alternative methods for deploying the email campaign, in case the issue couldn’t be resolved promptly.

Fortunately, customer support provided a workaround that I implemented immediately. I then tested the campaign thoroughly to ensure that it was functioning properly before deployment. Additionally, I shared my learnings with the rest of the team to help prevent similar issues in the future.

As a result, we were able to deliver the email campaign on schedule, which led to a successful product launch with a 20% increase in leads compared to our previous campaigns. Our team’s ability to adapt and resolve the issue quickly also earned praise from management, demonstrating our resilience and problem-solving abilities.

Interview Question: Describe a successful day, what made it successful? – Answer Tips