How to Answer “What Motivates You?” in an Interview
13 min read
What do you do when you prepare for a job interview? If you’re like most people, you review your resume, check in with your references, and maybe even run through some practice sessions with a friend or loved one. Of course, you probably also spend at least some time thinking about how you’ll answer some of the most common questions an interviewer is likely to ask. For example, how would you answer an interviewer who asked you, “What motivates you?”
In this post, we will consider why employers ask this type of interview question on motivation and explain what they might be hoping to hear in your response. We will also look at some of the factors that might drive you to succeed in your job, offer some tips to help you formulate a response to questions about motivation, and provide some sample answers you can use when that question comes up in an interview.
Why do employers ask the “What motivates you” interview question?
If you have any serious experience with the interview process, you already know that interviewers almost always ask at least a few open-ended questions. These questions can take a variety of forms and are usually designed to see how your experiences and skills align with their needs. A good example of that is any question that asks you to describe a time when you used your core skills to overcome a challenge. Questions like that can help the interviewer better assess your knowledge and capabilities.
So, why do they ask questions about what motivates you to work? Like many other open-ended questions, this one is designed to get you to talk about yourself. The difference is that this question focuses less on your specific skills and achievements and more on the core reasons you do what you do. But why do they want to know what drives you to succeed in your job?
Any question that focuses on your core motivations is a type of behavioral question that can help an interviewer better understand your personality, work style, and ability to fit within their company’s culture. In short, it is a way to determine whether your motivational needs are in alignment with the company’s mission, vision, and overall values.
This is something that you should want to know too. After all, if your main motivation involves getting promoted, you’d probably be disappointed if the company that hires you has few pathways for advancement or a toxic work culture.
Do you know what drives you to succeed at work?
Being able to answer any “what motivates you” question in a compelling way is not always easy, though. Many times, people may not be completely in tune with their own motivations. In fact, there is probably no shortage of people out there who go through life without ever taking the time to really think about why they’re driven to do what they do. What drives you to show up for work every day, put in your best effort, and try to exceed your employer’s expectations?
If you’ve never taken a moment to ask yourself that question, there’s no time like the present. To help you attempt to identify your core motivations, we’ve compiled a list of potential motivations that might drive you to show up and succeed in your job.
Learning new skills
Getting the opportunity to make an impact
Experiencing new things
Solving problems
Connecting with other people
Being part of a team
A flexible work environment
An opportunity to work with the latest technology
Helping others
Innovation
A sense of accomplishment
A feeling of belonging
Training or mentoring others
Pursuing goals that align with your values
Tips to help you answer an interview question on motivation
Once you’ve identified your core motivations – chances are that you’re motivated by more than just one thing – it’s time to think about how you can convey that information to an interviewer. Again, the key is to figure out how to talk about your motivations in a way that aligns with the company’s mission, vision, and culture. Here are some tips you can use to create an answer to that tricky “what motivates you” interview question.
Sell yourself as the best candidate
Spend time studying the company to get a feel for its values and culture. Do any of your motivations align with that culture? If not, then it’s probably best to look for employment elsewhere. But let’s assume that you can identify ways that the employer’s culture aligns with your own values and motivations. In that case, you need to tailor your answer so that it describes the motivations that make you the best candidate for the job.
This goes directly to the heart of why employers ask this question in the first place. They want to determine whether their company culture is the right environment for you. If the things that drive you are in alignment with their values and work environment, then that can increase the chances that they consider you for the role.
Focus on motivations that fit the job
In addition to aligning your motivations with the company’s culture, you should also make sure that you align them with the position you’re seeking. A good example of this would be when you’re interviewing for a position in management. Obviously, building strong relationships, coaching others, and coordinating resources to achieve defined goals are all key skills needed by good managers. By creating an answer that focuses on how those tasks motivate you to succeed, you can better demonstrate your fitness for the role.
Be specific and clear
Never give overly generic answers. For example, don’t respond with an answer like, “I’m motivated by the opportunity to succeed,” or some similarly mediocre cliché. Instead, focus on giving a clear and specific response to the “what motivates you” question by focusing on real examples from your work experience. If you can, describe a time when you were motivated to succeed in a prior job role. Provide details about a particular challenge you faced, how you responded, and what you achieved.
Don’t be afraid to brag a little
If you’re one of those people who has been told that humility and modesty are great traits to display in every situation, here’s a newsflash: a job interview is no place for that type of thinking. Remember, your job in the interview is to sell yourself as the best candidate for an open position. You’re not going to impress the interviewer by downplaying your skills, experiences, or motivations.
Are you driven to produce or sell more than your co-workers because you have a need to exceed expectations? Don’t be afraid to express those sentiments to the interviewer. A job interview is one of the few times in life when people expect and want to hear you brag about yourself.
Don’t hesitate too long before you answer
This tip is more about style than substance, but it can make a huge difference in the impact your answer makes on the interviewer. Once the interviewer asks you what motivates you, make sure that you only take a second or two before you begin to respond. That initial pause can be a great way to show that you’re being thoughtful about your response. However, anything longer than that can make it look as though you’ve never really given the matter any thought.
Do not include money or similar motivations in your answer
When we listed all those possible motivations above, we intentionally excluded some of the most obvious reasons why people are driven to work and succeed. For example, we made no mention of monetary compensation, health insurance, or other benefits. While those are all perfectly valid reasons for showing up to work and doing your job, they should not be included in your “what motivates you” answer.
The reality is that employers already understand that everyone is motivated by money and benefits to one degree or another. However, they are not usually looking for job candidates who are primarily motivated by compensation – or at least not openly driven by that concern. Instead, they want to hear about other motivations so that they can learn more about the type of worker you are and what they’ll need to do to ensure that you remain driven to succeed.
Keep it positive
Always be positive. If you include a story about something that motivated you in the past, avoid the urge to badmouth previous employers, clients, or colleagues. In addition, stick to talking about things that positively motivate you and reject any temptation to discuss the things that you dislike doing. This is an opportunity to present yourself as a job candidate with positive aspirations for your life and your career. Make the most of it by really focusing on the areas of your career that truly inspire you to drive for greater success.
Reflect on the best days of your career
Since it’s always a good idea to use examples from your career when you’re talking about what motivates you, it’s important to take the time to identify those moments. Think about some of the best times you’ve had at work and moments that brought you a great sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.
What types of things did you always look forward to in your old jobs?
Were there days when you couldn’t wait to get home and share your experiences with loved ones or friends?
By reflecting on those experiences and the things that motivated you, you can identify key stories that you can build your answer around. Take the time to think through those experiences before your interview so that you can properly prepare the response you need.
What motivates you: sample answers
When it comes to answering interview questions on motivation, it can be helpful to review some examples. As you read through these example responses, remember that each of them can be customized to fit your specific experiences, skills, and focus. We’ve also framed each answer to respond to some of the various ways that interviewers might ask the “what motivates you” question.
What motivates you to excel in your position?
“I’m glad you asked! There are several different things that I find extremely motivating, but I’ve come to understand that my primary motivation is seeing the real-world impact of my work on other people’s lives. Whether it’s seeing a customer’s face light up when I’ve helped them find a product that can satisfy their needs or helping a colleague deal with a difficult challenge, that feeling of making a difference always drives me to try to do even more.
That’s one of the first things that drew me to this company – its commitment to making a positive impact on customers, community, and the world. That kind of big-picture, people-first approach to life and business is the very thing that compels me to get out of bed every morning with the desire to make a powerful impact on the world around me.”
What motivates you to work?
“What really drives me to be the best that I can be is the sense of satisfaction and fulfillment I get from being part of a successful, productive team that is focused on pursuing the same shared goal. In my role as Team Leader at Acme, Inc., I drew inspiration from the way that every member of my team worked in unison to solve our common challenges and achieve the kinds of results our clients needed and expected. That collaboration constantly drove each of us to expand our expertise and our own expectations.
My research into this company and this position sparked that same sense of motivation, as I see that your values and vision have created a similar team-oriented culture here. That’s one of the many reasons why I am so confident that the culture here would be such a great fit for my skills, experience, and passions. More importantly, though, I believe that my focus on teamwork and shared mission would make me an excellent candidate for the job.”
What drives you to succeed?
“I’ve always been driven by the excitement of new experiences and unexpected challenges. When I was working with ABC Corporation, each day brought some new adventure as we worked to solve technical challenges and improve the lives of our customers. I remember one instance where our design team came to us with a compatibility issue that caused a lot of customer complaints. I was part of the team assigned to deal with the issue after several groups had basically written the problem off as unsolvable.
My team, on the other hand, was excited to tackle the problem – if only to prove that every issue has a solution. We spent five long days and the better part of a weekend brainstorming, experimenting, and ultimately resolving the issue with a minor tweak that none of us had ever considered. That’s the type of challenge that really motivates me to succeed in my job, and I would bring that can-do attitude and drive to this position as well.”
What motivated you to apply here?
“That’s an easy one. When I look at this company and its mission, one thing stands out: its commitment to paying attention to the little things that make people’s lives better. That’s been a major theme throughout my career, which is why my passion is focused on the details that make big ideas work. Those seemingly minor details – getting the customer’s order just right, providing timely follow-up service and accurate recordkeeping, and delivering customer service that builds brand loyalty and strong relationships – are things that have motivated my success in every job I’ve held.”
Describe your motivations for me
“When I was working with Alpha Corp., I was always surprised by how quickly we adopted new technologies as they emerged. As someone who has always been driven by an interest in collecting, organizing, and utilizing data, that constant opportunity to learn new systems and better ways of doing things motivated me more than I could have ever expected. These days, I find that I’m primarily driven by learning new skills and applying them to solve real challenges in the workplace.
Since then, I have focused my career path on roles where I have an opportunity to expand my skills, improve my value as an employee, and exceed expectations. This position and your company perfectly align with those motivations, which is why I am so confident that I can be a tremendous asset if you choose to hire me.”
The right answer can help you ace that interview
The “What motivates you” question can be one of the most unexpected and difficult interview questions to answer if you allow it to take you by surprise. Fortunately, a little preparation can help you to formulate a response before your interview so that you are ready to deliver a convincing and inspiring answer that helps to show interviewers that you’re the right candidate for the job.
Does your resume successfully convey your skills, experiences, and motivations? Get a free resume review from our resume experts today!
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Written by
Ken Chase, Freelance Writer
During Ken's two decades as a freelance writer, he has covered everything from banking and fintech to business management and the entertainment industry. His true passion, however, has always been focused on helping others achieve their career goals with timely job search and interview advice or the occasional resume consultation. When he's not working, Ken can usually be found adventuring with family and friends or playing fetch with his demanding German Shepherd. Read more resume advice from Ken on ZipJob’s blog.
