"What do you consider your greatest achievement outside of work?"

I hate questions like this! I guess you need to make it something which assists in demonstrating a skill that you have....

If it was me I would say 'moving to New York City without a place to live or actually knowing anyone' - I guess you can read into it that its a courageous thing to do and shows that you like a challenge.

But the danger is that it leaves you open to their interpretation.

I still witter on about teaching English in China at 18, but nearly 7 years later, I think that one has had its day ?

I would probably mention my catering efforts for a local festival weher I feed about 350 people 3 times a day for a week, because it is completely unrelated to anything I would be applying for and shows useful skills like organisation and teamwork and keeping calm under prressure.

Its soooooo hard to quantify some stuff you have done: I am proud of lots of aspects of my life, just not sure how many of them are application form suitable.

Mine would probably be something along the lines of coaching archery to students at university and surviving! ?

Honestly, getting married ?

For a job application, would probably be completing my degree, despite several personal problems or completing my Queen's Guide Award. Probably the Queen's Guide Award as it has more transferrable skills.

Ugh I hate questions like this too.. I never know what to put..

I guess mine is going from a complete beginner swimmer (ie hating to go under water, refusing to jump in a pool, only managing a few lengths of self taught crawl and breast stroke) to a PADI Divemaster during which I had to not only do 2 swim tests but face fears about going under water, breathing through my mouth and not nose, going deep etc etc

Swim tests - one for PADI open water - 200m swim, and the other for DM, which was a 4 part test - 400m swim, 800m snorkel / fin swim, float/tread water and 100m towing swim - all of which were timed and you got more points for doing it quicker, there was a cut off and I only got 1 point more than the cut off

I love diving but due to financial, location, temperature. health and work contraints I have been unable to do much this last year and in fact have had to drop from DM status to just master scuba diver as I cant afford to 'maintain' DM status (insurance, medical, padi fees in return for not very much - UK DMs are treated like scivies a bit and dont generally get paid for giving up their time)

I'd probably put my relationship with G&T - over 13 years, I must be doing something right.

At times it has been hard work (but ultimately rewarding). It demonstrates loyalty, dedication, an ability to communicate etc.

Well, quite.

I'm pretty damn proud of organising a kick-ass wedding but that makes me sound a) Like I am the dullest person in the world and b) Like I'm about to sprog and leave the job

I'm proud of paying my way through medical school, and passing my exams while juggling 2 jobs.

I'm proud of being a pretty good big sister/co-carer for my autistic brother.

What I think I'm gonna put is a charity thing I thought of, set up and ran last yr where loads of us taught each other musical instruments in 2 weeks and then took grade 1 exams for the National Autistic Society. We called it a 'Grade-1-a-thon' ?. I don't really care if they think thats crap or twee.

Honestly I think my relationships are the things I'm proudest of. With my siblings but mostly with OH. Aged 16 and 17, noone thought we'd still be together in 6 months but 8 years later we're still having an awesome time ?

Gah, gushing now. Anyway not job-application material methinks.

Mine would probably be programming our heating system so that the heating and hot watter come on at the correct times. It is on a 7 day timer and took me ages to work out!

Becoming the youngest honorary fundraiser and member of the management team for a national childrens charity at 19, I think.

I would probably include that on application forms.

Is it a poor reflection on me that I can never think of anything I've done that I'm proud of, whether in work or out of it? I'm proud of things other people have done, I'm just not sure I've ever done anything pride-worthy.

Representing GB in sport, and winning european championships 3 times.

and no fucking jokes about tiddlywinks baron ?

R-A the woman in my last interview ASKED me about wedding planning. I explained fears about sounding dreadfully dull and twee but she genuinely saw it as a feat of organisation.

Although, again, on an anonymous form, I can see your point.

Yes, we know it was rhythmic gymnastics, Nick (according to JK)

I've no idea. I don't think I've done anything really ?

I think mine would be getting married too. Convincing H that i aren't a moody, selfish demading person and that i'm actually lovely enough for him to want to spend the rest of his life with me.

Work wise not sure really. I won the part-time student of the year award whilst i was studying on my nvq which was pretty good.

I usually say completing my thesis and living and working abroad.

In honesty it would be getting pregnant after years of trying - yay for my body finally doing what it should do - not something I'd ever admit in job situation though ?.

I know people who say doing stuff (running, parachuting etc for charity) if you've done anything like that....

Being with my H for 14 years ranks pretty high to be honest.

I'd probably plump for either representing GB and coming 4th in the World Air Games in 1996 (Hot Air Ballooning) or for a review I got for a play I did a couple of years. The theatre crit described me as "on firecracker form" which I was quite pleased with!

Being in the GB squad and being ranked 3rd in the World in a full contact martial art (1996). Seems like a lifetime ago now, and would love to go back to those days.

Hmm, I think not throttling my son is some days but...

At the time getting my 2i BSc was, it felt like a monumental struggle. My Masters was much easier and then I had to deliberately remind myself every day for 18 months that I didn't want to go to prison and therefore shouldn't use the toxin I got from Portondown to poison my PhD supervisor (P&P and GnT will sympathise on this!). That felt like an achievement ?

Seriously, I'm quite chuffed about helping to organise the first UK conference for families with children affected by a very rare metabolic disorder - it brought families together, often for the first time to meet someone else with an affected child, and introduced them to researchers and medics. I did it while sitting my undergrad finals and that may be why, in part, my BSc was such a struggle!

Probably getting involved in a local sports club and taking it from a loss making position where it nearly closed to being fully self funded and generating a good excess for 2 years.

There are lots of other things I consider great achievements though but this is probably the one I would come out with for a job interview.

Mine is first flying solo. It took me 11 years to get to that point, and I did so much to get there. It took hours of dedication, training and learning laws of the air.

I have been lucky to have a great long flight on my own, and the sensation of looking into the back seat and not seeing someone there telling you what to do, and being able to fly the glider using my own skills that I have learnt was the biggest feedback that everything was worth it. Now, it`s just getting my licence!!

Jeez, how sad is it that everything I think of is in some way related to work. OK, so I am married, planned a wedding, and now juggling raising a child with working part time, but I don't really think of family as an achievement... more something that happened - clearly falling in love, getting married and falling pregnant is as much luck of the draw than an achievement I could have planned? I guess I just don't feel like I am very good at the family stuff... my 3 days a week 21 year old student nanny gets my son to nap better than I do!

In fact, I can't easily think of a single achievement that isn't tied up in work. I am proud of some of my race times (running) like my 1:40 half marathon, but I always think that I could do better (it still bothers me that that was 1:40 and seonds rather than under the 1:40 mark). I was proud of the fact that since the day I left college I have never asked anyone for money or been financially dependent on someone else, although with a new expensive house, sprog and cutting my hours that is no longer the case.

The sad thing is that this has made me realise how much of my self esteem is tied up in my work and my ability to make a living. I guess I need to find something else that I am good at.

Hmm, I think I'm the same. Or at least I was - then I couldn't work any more either, so I was a bit shafted ? The only, only things I can think of are family related, but as you say that's not exactly an achievement. IMO any idiot can have children and bring them up, it's not rocket science. Getting married? Having a relationship? That's not an achievement is it? I mean, it's not something that nobody else can do. It's just normal life.

Good god bostongirl, I did my half marathons in 2hrs10 and I was pleased with that!

I guess my greatest achievements are getting a good degree after a shite time doing my A levels (glandular fever & chicken pox in first year, predicted grades: U,U,U). I lived with nuns in France for 6 months when I was 21 which was quite hard. I think the number of blokes I managed to sneak in was probably an achievement ?

Mine would be passing my driving test on the third attempt. I'd sailed through school as I found academic stuff came naturally and never had to work hard at anything. It made me awfully complacent and probably a bit smug if I'm honest. ?

Driving lessons on the other hand.... I had 2 lessons a week from Sept to May despite acing the theory test with full marks. Driving lessons were the first thing I ever had to work hard at in my life and when the examiner told me I'd finally managed to pass it was the best feeling ever.

Unfortunately my success at school didn't carry over to my degree and I suddenly had to work just as hard as everyone else!

See, personally I think moving 150 miles to be with MrSC, creating a life for myself here after having been a real home body and now being settled here with a mortgage and cat (well I would maybe not say that bit!) was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but I don't think I would say that as moving for your man is probably not a very 'worky' thing to say.

Now, I would say doing my OU course whilst working full time - my assignment grades thus far have all been in the 90s so I'm on track for at least a 2:1 grade if not a 1st. Assignment weeks are hard! Before that I've always said passing my driving test - I know it's something that a lot of people do, but I wasn't a natural driver, it took 2 years of lessons and 3 failed tests before I could pass - it was so hard to go to each test having failed a previous one but I did it, and I actually think I'm a pretty good driver now. Hopefully that shows grit and determination ?