One of the questions at a job interview might be “What motivates you?” To answer this question correctly, you should know the key factors that make this question unique. An interviewer wants to know your motives and interests in the company, and the answer might reveal a lot of things.
To answer the “What motivates you?” interview question, you should prepare yourself in advance. You should learn more about the company’s culture and its objectives. At the same time, you should be honest with your answer, without trying to impress anyone.
Impress your employer with unique answers when they ask, “what motivates you?”
There are many possible answers to this question, but first, you should know what is on the interviewer’s mind when they ask you this question.
What Is the background of the “What motivates you?” interview question?
An interviewer wants to know what is your main motivation to work at the selected company. If you like daily challenges and dynamic work, you may not be a good fit for some positions such as data entry jobs or similar options. You should search for a better option.
An interviewer wants to know your personality better and that is why they might ask “What motivates you at work?” You should offer an honest answer that is not always tailored to perfection. Prepare yourself to be open when it comes to your motives and offer an answer that speaks about your personality in the best way.
You can recall the memories of your past jobs and discover what left the biggest impact on your career. It might be the teamwork with your colleagues, the tasks that you did in a good way, or the style of the production of some product or services that you have learned.
No matter the solution that you will find, your answer should reflect on your past achievements and the knowledge that you acquired. The best “What motivates you?” interview answer should be concise and simple and it should not be too long.
How to answer “What motivates you?” in an interview
Before an interview, you should do some research and learn more about the company culture and its goals in the future. If they are searching for new staff, learn why this is the case, and find out how the previous employees left the company.
There must be something that you can learn from the social media posts and the website of the company. Spend some time searching for the right answers and prepare them in advance.
Here are some of the best “What motivates you?” examples and answers.
“I am very motivated by results, and in my previous company, we had very aggressive deadlines and results to meet. We tailored the month-by-month goals and we gave our best to meet these goals. At the end of the year, we succeeded and the whole team was proud of the success.”
“I was responsible for many projects in the past that were part of the organizational structure and business growth. I managed to make the processes easier for my team and this led to more opportunities and more achievements in the business. This gave me the confidence to tackle any project and lead the company in the right manner.”
“I was a data entry specialist, and I love working with datasets. I can spot any change in the company that affects the data in a larger way. With my long experience, I am ready to deal with datasets of any kind. My motivation and attentiveness to detail make me suitable for this position.”
As you can see, a good “What motivates you?” interview answer should be short and it should reveal your best strengths. Once you prepare the best answer, you will be able to present yourself in the best manner.