{"id":17834,"date":"2020-06-02T23:19:43","date_gmt":"2020-06-03T06:19:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/careerkarma.com\/blog\/?p=17834"},"modified":"2023-12-01T03:08:46","modified_gmt":"2023-12-01T11:08:46","slug":"what-motivates-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/careerkarma.com\/blog\/what-motivates-you\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Answer the Question “What Motivates You?”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Of all the questions that can come up in an interview, \u201cwhat motivates you\u201d may be one of the most distinct. Unlike the questions you are used to, which ask about your skills, experience, and strengths and weaknesses, this question is about what drives you. 
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Interviewers ask this question in an interview to learn more about why you are motivated to pursue specific goals. They will use this information to evaluate whether the factors that motivate you are in line with the work environment.
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In this guide, we\u2019re going to discuss how to answer \u201cwhat motivates you\u201d and walk you through a few example answers to help understand what employers expect in a response.
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Why Am I Asked This Question?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hiring managers often ask job candidates about their motivation to find out if they will thrive in the type of environment the business will provide.
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For instance, if you are motivated by ambitious goals, and the company likes to set ambitious goals, it is a good sign that you will work well on a team. But if you are motivated by deadline-focused environments, and you are applying for a job that requires creative thinking, you may not be able to work as well.
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In addition, this question helps a hiring manager evaluate your self-awareness. If you know what motivates you, it is a good sign that you know about what you want out of a job. People who are self-aware are more likely to be intrinsically motivated, which makes them more effective and productive workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Answer \u201cWhat Motivates You?\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The best way to answer this question is to practice how you are going to respond before your interview begins. Come up with a few talking points that you want to highlight so that when it comes time for the real interview, you\u2019ll be able to stay on track.
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If you are unsure of what motivates you, think about the times when you were highly productive in your last job. What was it that made you so effective?
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Suppose you are a web developer who worked well on a speed optimization project. You may realize that you were able to work well on this project because you had a direct impact on the experience people had when using a website. As a result, you may want to tell an employer that you are motivated by \u201cdoing work that has a clear impact on others.\u201d
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Another way to figure out what motivates you is to consider the reasons behind why you applied for the job in the first place. Did some element of the company\u2019s culture stand out to you? Do you think you have some unique insights that you can share to help the business achieve its goals?
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Suppose you read over a job description for a social media management position. You decided to apply for the position because you are interested in creating high-quality social content, and wanted to expand your skills. In this case, you may want to say in your interview that you are motivated by the prospect of personal growth, or by creating meaningful and vibrant social content.
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With that said, this question is not asking you about your motivations for applying for a job. If an employer wants to learn more about why you applied for a job, they will ask you directly. When you are asked about your motivation, an employer wants to know what you enjoy doing, and how that drives you to do your best work.
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To help you figure out what motivates you, here are a few experiences that are commonly seen as motivating:
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