How to answer "Who has impacted you the most in your career, and how?" in a job interview

Life is a journey full of ups and downs! We meet hundreds of people. And some are bound to have a lasting impact on your life.

So, in an interview, how can you best answer, “Who has impacted you the most in your career, and how?”

Asking "Who has impacted you the most in your career, and how?" is a way for your interviewer to see what you've learned and how you work with other people.

They want to understand the following:

• Why you started in your field and if you can articulate it.

• How you've taken advice and learned from others.

• The skills you learned from this person.

• The difficulties you overcame.

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The interviewer needs an answer, and you are the answer! You know yourself best and who has impacted you the most. Let's learn how to answer it effectively.

While this question is about the impact of someone else, remember that the interview is still about you. Follow the points below:

• Be specific about how the person has positively influenced you and your career.

• Highlight your specific contributions and achievements.

• Choose individuals who have directly impacted you, rather than historical or political figures.

• Emphasize your role and efforts in your accomplishments.

Here are some strong examples that follow the points above:

Example #1: Supervisor

While I have many people to be grateful for, one stands out. My previous CEO, John Smith, was my greatest supporter and believed in my skills when I did not. He has continued to mentor and educate me in the healthcare field. He has expanded my knowledge beyond healthcare and built my skills in education, teaching other students to be quality clinicians themselves.

Example #2: Family

My mother is someone who has significantly shaped the person I am today, and my career goals. She has shown me the value of education and teaching through her tenacity and ability to make students and others feel welcome and ready to learn. I will continue to carry this throughout my career as I teach my future generation of students.

Linda is answering questions back-to-back in her job interview for an entry-level sales representative role. The interview asks the next question, "Who has impacted you the most in your career, and how?" Linda takes time to think about her past experiences and is going to talk about:

A: Politician Theodore Roosevelt, who impacted her in her recent university classes on leadership.

B: Her coworker, who she could always count on for a meaningful discussion.

C: Her first supervisor, who was her mentor in her previous sales role and helped her identify and qualify potential customers.

D: Her best friend, who has taught her about loyalty and kindness.

Start by prepping for the interview and researching the company's needs according to the job description. Focus on what they want from you and then connect what they need with your qualities and what you have learned from your influential person of choice.

Continue by thinking about who the influential person is in your life and speak from the heart here. This can be a:

• Family member

• Teacher

• Friend

• Coworker or supervisor

• Community member

• Coach

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The interviewer wants to know what you have learned and any relevant character traits or abilities you have developed. Concentrate on these points in your answer:

• Highlight specific skills the person has taught you.

• Explain any challenges that the person helped you overcome in your experiences.

• Mention how this person assisted you in learning.

• Describe how they impacted you personally and in your career.

Always refer back to how it will benefit the company or organization, like improved communication or organizational skills.

You can also refer to some of the job descriptions and explain how your skills match. Leave a positive impression and how you're qualified for the job! Here are some examples of how to connect your skills to the job description:

Response #1:

In my career, I would say [the most impactful person to you] has most impacted my career. She knew how to resolve conflicts and lead teams effectively. Her leadership style was relayed effectively to our team. To this day, I continue to incorporate many of her leading methods, including how she treated her coworkers and team with respect and was detail-oriented. I anticipate applying these critical skills to this role.

Response #2:

In my previous role, [the most impactful person to you] impacted my career the most. He led projects with confidence and maximized the individual strengths of our team members to accomplish a shared goal. As I continue my career, I always incorporate his team-building skills and leadership style to create effective and motivated teams. I aim to utilize these skills for this role.

Here are two more examples of strong responses to the interview question:

Scenario 1:

I would say my first supervisor has most impacted my career. She knew how to resolve conflicts and lead teams effectively. She relayed her detail-oriented leadership style effectively to our team. To this day, I continue to incorporate many of her leadership methods, including how she treated her coworkers and team with respect.

Scenario 2:

The most impactful person in my career would be my college soccer team's captain because of her ability to address issues, resolve them efficiently, and effectively find compromises. The communication skills I learned from her have made me a better communicator and highly organized in all my work as I continued in my career.

Photo by Cytonn Photography on Unsplash

Be prepared to answer, "Who has impacted you the most in your career, and how?"