How do you deal with the job interview question 'what motivates you?'
As you prepare to answer this question, consider:
- What do you like to do? Think about your studies and your broader interests. What do they have in common?
- What have you enjoyed during your part-time jobs or internships? What were you looking forward to? When you came home feeling like you had a good day, what types of tasks or projects did you tackle?
- What types of tasks are you best at? What types of environments (busy, deadline-driven, loud, quiet, etc.) do you work best in?
For example, are you suitable for working in a team? Do you work best when you have a looming deadline, or do you crumble?
Then think about the skills the employer is looking for and the type of job you will be doing.
This question isdoesn'tasking 'What motivates you to apply for this position?'
Another job interview question you are likely to be asked, which we will cover in a separate article, is"What motivated you to apply for this position?". Questions about your motivations for applying for the job or the graduation scheme invite you to tailor your motivations in a certain way to the employer, the sector and the position.
In the same way, you are not asked'What are your career goals and ambitions?'although you could point these out in your answer.
“What Motivates You?”, on the other hand, asks: What motivates you in life in general? What (besides a loud alarm clock and a mug of industrial tea) gets you out of bed in the morning?
Why do recruiters ask you what motivates you?
This question helps recruiters learn more about you as a person. Your answer may give them some insight into:
- What are you doing?
- what you like to do and what you value
- whether you would do well in the position
- how you would fit into their team.
Motivational questions in strengths-based interviews
Questions about motivation are often used in strengths-based interviews, which focus on what you like to do and what you are good at. Other ways to ask about motivation include "What motivates you in life?" and 'What are you passionate about?'
Many graduate employers now use strengths-based assessments as part of the recruitment process. A 2019 survey of Institute of Student Employers (ISE) members found that 50% of employers now use some form of strengths-based approach as part of the recruitment process. It is wise to be prepared for bothbased on strengthIncompetency-oriented questions,You may well be asked some combination of the two, whether you have a phone interview, a video interview, or an in-person meeting with the recruiter.
Next: apply for graduate jobs and internships
- It is differentgraduate schemes
- It is differentgraduate job
- It is differentstages
