During a job interview, employers will likely ask both straightforward and open-ended questions. Seeing the smiles on their faces and watching them improve makes me look forward to work. Having a sense of duty is necessary for the development of a strong identity. Show you’ve done your research about the program you’re applying to – you can do this by listing specific classes or activities you’ll want to participate in if you are selected for admittance. Achieving each milestone motivated me to keep working and helped me to ensure that the event ran smoothly. Usually, open-ended questions are used to better understand your personality, work style and qualifications and identify whether you would be a good fit for the role, team and culture. Make sure the example demonstrates a time you used your motivation to add value to an organization in some way. By identifying and expanding on your motivations, you can leave the interviewer with a positive impression and clearer expectation of how you’ll be as an employee. If you want to create a positive employee experience, you’ve got to truly believe that employees matter in helping your business move forward and achieve its goals. When preparing your answer, also think about the skills and abilities that will be the most useful for this job. After all, most people are motivated by many factors, including pay, prestige, making a difference, seeing results, and interacting with interesting people. A teacher, for example, may draw motivation from helping students learn something new and witnessing them excel. The data from these reports help drive and determine how the company charts its next steps and makes sales goals for the following months. From the employee’s point of view, this means providing clear direction about where the business is headed so your team understands how their jobs relate to the company’s overall goals. The components of the inner work life — motivation, emotions, and perceptions of how the above three things work together — feed each other. Whatever the reason, focus on the motivating factors of your employees and you will help them work to their potential. Losing motivation can stop us in our tracks. Practice a Response: If you write out some ideas of what motivates you, it will make it easier to answer the question during the interview. Honest answers can help reveal what circumstances help you feel excited and enthused. Telling a story about your achievements is always a good way to show the interviewer your accomplishments. It can be hard to think of a good answer for this question on the spot since it requires a bit of self-reflection. Know what motivates you, and keep your response on target so that you don’t confuse the interviewer by sharing too much information. Here are the nine (9) things that ultimately motivate employees to achieve and for leaders to be more effective. It gives me an opportunity to leave home and see different scenes; I get to practice being with my breath, be calm and be aware at different circumstances; It makes me appreciate more my time off work and thus use it even more wisely; It gives me around 40-50 minutes of reading daily (my commute to and from work) Knowing what tactics and methods to use to regain your motivation can help you get back to feeling positive and driven to accomplish tasks. That’s why I became a nurse, and why I’m pursuing a position in pediatrics. Or, if you’re applying to a role at a startup company, you might talk about why fast paced work environments motivate you. A candidate who can quickly provide a well-crafted, natural explanation of what keeps them motivated on the job is someone who is likely also a self-starter and knows how to stay on track. No one feels motivated 24/7 (not even me!) The course wasn’t easy, and I spent many nights studying late, but I passed with an A. Both candidates bring with them strong advantages, and this question can help interviewers narrow their pool down to the individual who is the best fit for the position and the company. A key to being happy—and good—at your job is being motivated. When you answer this question, be honest. They also want to determine whether your motivators will be a fit for the job's duties and the company's culture. Setting and reaching deadlines gives me such a sense of accomplishment. I think as a nurse you need to be caring because you really are caring for people all throughout your day. Try to give yourself 15 to 20 minutes for every hour you work. Much like asking about your greatest strengths and weaknesses, interviewers ask what motivates you as a way to learn how well you know yourself. There are two main reasons hiring managers ask this question: The best candidate for a job will be naturally energized by the responsibilities and experiences associated with the position. ", Part-Time Job Interview Questions About Your Contributions, Job Interview Question: 'What Do You Hope to Accomplish Here? In addition, it’s always helpful to include how your motivations would drive your future with the company. In your letter of motivation for a master’s degree, highlight your past academic and professional experiences. This shows interviewers that you may have a deeper dedication to the role. If you love the work and don’t want to leave just because a few people give you sour looks, change your attitude or work on conflict resolution within the office. Choose something specific to be your motivation. In this case, the interviewer could infer that because the candidate is motivated by a challenge, they’ll likely perform well under pressure and help the company thrive. I like it when I have a concrete goal to meet and enough time to figure out a strong strategy for accomplishing it. If you see yourself growing in this position long-term because you are passionate about the job responsibilities, be sure to explain that. Think about it: How great does it feel when you know you’ve gotten a launch off the ground or made great progress on big project? If you are just like every other ordinary people, you have no idea what motivates you in life: you have no idea why you wake up each morning and you have no clue what you want to do with your life. You may also want to seek help if your lack of motivation is affecting your daily functioning. We know you’ve heard it before, but it’s worth repeating: You should love your job. Share an example. By showing their willingness to provide quality care in order to see others succeed, the candidate indicates how their motivation makes them a passionate and dependable employee. Whatever you say about your motivation, you need to back it up with examples from your studies, work experience and/or extracurricular activities, and it should relate to the skills and … The interviewer is looking for insight into why and how you are motivated to achieve workplace goals and succeed at the job. Why It Works: The candidate is motivated both by data analysis and by being able to provide information to his team. Communicate self-motivation. Lead 5 Things That Motivate People to Give Their Best Work Keep your job if your boss is setting the stage for this kind of work environment. Why It Works: This response works well because it’s focused on achievements and results. For example, perhaps you saved a company money, completed a project ahead of schedule, or solved a problem for an employee. Understanding common mistakes can help you avoid them during your interview. Inner work life is what’s going on in your head in response to workday events that affects your performance. Motivation is a powerful tool. Why interviewers like this: This answer shows that the candidate is intrinsically motivated which is especially useful in fields such as the medical industry which can be physically and emotionally taxing. Related: What to Wear: The Best Job Interview Attire. !”If you’re feeling like you’ve been spinning your wheels, try this: At the end of each day or week, make a “Got Done” list (the opposite of t… For example, if you are applying to be a manager, framing an answer around relationshipbuilding and helping others succeed and meet goals might be a stronger answer than a discussion about learning new things or working with clients. The information on this site is provided as a courtesy. Why It Works: This response shows the interviewer that the applicant is motivated by several factors—management, scheduling, and teamwork—and has the ability to multitask. When were you most looking forward to a day at the office? Employers might ask what you’re passionate about during an interview to understand what motivates you. If you tailor your answer to exactly what you think the employer wants to hear, you will likely come off as insincere. The more specific you can be about the situation while still keeping your answer concise, the better. Working the same job every day may make it difficult feel motivated ever morning, but this is perfectly normal from time to time. Instead of mentioning the salary, use this question to show how much you value other aspects of a job, and how committed you will be to the role. After all, you spend a huge portion of your life at work. Address one or a few specific motivations and discuss a particular experience that demonstrates how it positively impacted your work. The more you know about the organizational goals of the employer, the better equipped you’ll be to respond. It can also be a challenge to figure out the best way to respond. Advertising. Try to identify any trends. For example, if you say that you are driven by results, give an example of a time you set a goal and met (or exceeded) it. For the hiring manager, it's important to learn whether your motivators are inline with the job's responsibilities. I worked once for nearly 3 months, 12+ hours a day for 7 days a week. Being motivated at work makes getting your work done easier and more enjoyable. Giving an honest answer will also help you see if you are a good fit for the job and company. Having a sense of duty, a place to go, things to accomplish and achieve is a great motivation. It also helps them get a better idea about you personally to see if you’re a good fit for the company. One that’s pretty common, but might catch you off guard, is, "What motivates you?" Indeed is not a career or legal advisor and does not guarantee job interviews or offers. A good work culture promotes high peer to peer learning, genuine feedback, complaint redressal and suggestion implementation. Providing insight into the forces that motivate you at work can be a window into your personality and work style, thereby helping your interviewers understand you as both a person and a potential employee. There are many ways to do this, but it should be clear that you will perform work without needing a manager to frequently guide you. Goals should also, whenever possible, trigger intrinsic, rather than extrinsic, motivation. When you respond, it’s best to focus on work-related motivators. For example, if you’re interviewing for a recruiter position, you might briefly discuss your previous struggles with finding the right job and how that further motivates you to help others in their job search. Too much motivation in one area will weaken other parts of your game. Think about the reasons you were drawn to your line of work, aside from compensation. Interacting … Perhaps today isn't the day you are going to complete the big project, but keep in mind that anything you do at work (no matter how small) is more than what you would have accomplished if you called in sick. If you're motivated by a challenging workplace, for example, you may not be the best fit for a routine data entry job. What strategies would you use to motivate your team. I have always wanted to ensure that my company's clients get the best customer service I can offer. What other motivation tips work for you? It can make us procrastinate, doubt our skills and abilities, and take us off the path to success. This gives credibility to your answer. The intent should be your driving motivation! Most people wake up each morning because they have to go to work. If possible, discuss how your motivations align with the employer’s mission or culture. “The gratification of overcoming an obstacle is my greatest motivator. Motivation is something that many people struggle with at some point in their careers. I'm really driven by results. It let’s the employer know they’re self-motivated and willing to leave their comfort zone to meet ambitious goals. Motivation in the workplace is the key to getting the most out of your employees. This will help the interviewer see how your motivation can benefit the company. I love creating an organized schedule for completing a task and achieving my goals on time. While having motivation can help you be successful at work, it’s not always easy to find or maintain. When you’re applying for a job, you’ll hear a lot of interview questions—and some are trickier than others. Review these sample answers and tailor your response to match your credentials to what the employer is seeking. A bottom-up feedback approach without high bureaucracy is my ideal motivation for doing a good job.” Possible Answer #10 “A healthy work culture and a competitive environment is my motivation to do a good job. Give me a spreadsheet and questions, and I'm eager to figure out what's driving the numbers. If possible, discuss how your personal passion relates to your professional motivation. In fact, feeling unmotivated from time to time is a normal state in any type of professional work. On the other hand, nothing is worse than working all day and thinking “What did I even do today? Motivation is not a long-standing emotion. Stacey Lastoe started writing short stories in the second grade and is immensely grateful to have the opportunity to write and edit professionally. ", What the Interviewer Really Wants to Know, How to Answer Interview Questions About What Motivates You to Sell, How to Answer Job Interview Questions About What You Have to Offer, Best Sales Interview Questions and Answers, Best Answers for the Most Common Job Interview Questions, Answers for Common Interview Question for Sales Positions, 100+ Job Interview Questions and Example Answers, Answer the Interview Question: "What Do People Criticize About You? Eleven reasons to go to work. Focus on Your Achievements: Focus your response on the motivators that are the closest match to the employer’s job requirements. Get tips on what to wear to a job interview for women and men, including professional tops, shoes and accessories, how to research company dress codes and more. For example, if you liked the prospect of working at a startup to build a new software application, you might say you’re motivated by the opportunity to create something innovative or see the tangible results from your efforts. (Another common variant of this interview question is, "What are you passionate about?” which also tries to determine what makes an interviewee feel excited and fulfilled.). Understand that each employee has unique driving forces. If you’re new to the professional world, consider what motivated you to do your best in internships, volunteer positions or classes. I felt like a zombie. When did you come home from work bursting with stories and feeling enthusiastic and excited? However, with some soul-searching and initiative, you should be back to enjoying work in no time. This is a broad and open-ended question, which can make it hard to know how to answer. While you may be most motivated by receiving a regular paycheck, that answer is not very inspiring from an interviewer's perspective. The most important strategy is to keep your answer relevant to the role requirements. This is a low-stress way to get motivated to work because it just involves showing up and a little bit of planning. For instance, if the company’s mission is to connect the world through social media, you might share a story about a personal or professional connection you made through the platform and discuss why that inspires you to contribute to their success. When my energy is low, I tend to focus on organization that preps me for days when my energy is higher. Why It Works: With this answer, the candidate focuses on why customer service is important, how she develops her skills, as well as how she achieves positive results. Consider the company culture. In asking this question, interviewers hope to figure out what makes you tick. “I’m motivated by the fact that, when I leave work at the end of a shift, I know I’ve helped make a difference in the lives of my patients and their families. Think about the reasons you were drawn to your line of work, aside from compensation. It was a real thrill to accomplish that. I'm motivated by digging into data. The teams achieved 100% on-time delivery of software products. Being a nurse is a rewarding career because you are constantly helping your patients get healthy again and to see that you helped someone like that on such a personal level is very rewarding. Here are some examples that excite employers (but make sure to back up any statement you give with a specific example): I love working with people. Jobs can be very demanding at times and it is easy to get burnout if you are working 12 to 14 hours a day 6–7 days a week. It can also help to remember that your answer should support your ultimate interview goal: compel the employer to hire you. How to Answer “What Motivates You?” (With Examples), What to Wear: The Best Job Interview Attire, List of Weaknesses: 10 Things to Say in an Interview, 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before a Job Interview. Take some time to research the company and the job prior to the interview. When you tie your motivations to the evolution of your career with this employer, it assures them that you’ll be a committed employee. My second word is rewarding. There's a big difference between the candidate who's motivated by building teams and establishing strong relationships with coworkers, and the candidate whose best day is working independently on a report that improves the company's bottom line. For example, you may realize your favorite memories from each of your previous positions involved reaching a difficult goal or solving a complex problem. I was motivated both by the challenge of finishing the projects ahead of schedule and by managing the teams that achieved our goals. This shows the interviewer that the applicant has both the hard and the soft skills required for success in the role. Maybe you enjoy having the ability to assist others or putting your creative skills to use. Set up a coffee meeting or a conference call with someone at the office who is typically upbeat and creative. By answering in an honest but thoughtful way, you can impress your interviewer and demonstrate that you are the right person for the job. Other people like to accomplish goals and feel as if they are contributing to something larger than themselves, something important, an … It’s positive and it shows what the candidate has accomplished.