How do you evaluate success?

  
How do you evaluate success?

Evaluation is a word that can be used to describe a short term, fixed value or worth, or it could mean a mid to long term appraisal charting cumulative worth or value. Therefore you should answer this question referencing both forms of evaluation. Of course success can be gauged in a similar fashion and this should be projected in your response to the question.

This question will also give the interviewer an impression of how you would define success. Careful consideration should therefore be given to this question, if you have done a good amount of research on the company you should be able to tailor your answer to suit. Most company’s today will have some sort of mission statement or corporate aim. For example, BAE systems uses the slogan "Innovating for a safer world". Therefore, within your answer you should make some sort of reference to safety and innovation is often a process that takes time from development to application. Therefore, for this example, you should tailor your answer to long term evaluation.

Example Answers

"I would evaluate success by analysing a process from its initial conception, right up to the final development and eventual safe application. If all criteria have been met along the way, I would consider the project to be a success."

“As a manager I evaluate success by having a happy, productive team, who are all achieving their goals, and are happy in their jobs. That to me is success.”

Panasonic has the slogan "Sense and simplicity". Although this company will inevitably have long term goals and will evaluate its success accordingly, the slogan gives you a brief insight into the ethos of the company. This slogan is meant to be short and snappy so I would revise my answer to the question to reflect this. For example, "I would evaluate success with an in depth analysis of results set against clearly defined aims." This answer, although implying there could be long term trends to follow, shows a preference for taking short term snap-shots to gain results.

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4 comments

  1. In my opinion success depends upon every individual’s perception. But at work meeting our targeted goals should definitely be considered as a success for the company, team and us too. As we say there is no short cut for it.

  2. Meeting deadlines ontime and making my management happy. Your management will be the first to tell you if you have made a mistake, or if you are doing a good job.

  3. Depending on the job you are applying for you could say something like
     
    I evalute sucess in the fact customers return with repeat business, by personally meeting and exceeding the goals I have set or been set, and recieving praise from management
     
    By praise that can be as simple as a "well done"

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