How To Answer “What Motivates You?” in an Interview

“What Motivates You?” is a relatively common interview question, but can feel like a bit of a trap if you're unprepared. Most people share an obvious motivation for working – making money to support themselves and their families. Yet there's a sense (and an accurate one) that this face-value answer isn't going to go over well. Don't get caught in this position without a better answer! Read on for help with how to answer what motivates you in a truthful way that will be helpful to both you and the company you're interviewing with.

What the Question is About

In order to give a good answer, it's helpful to understand what the interviewer is really trying to learn.

A predatory interviewer asks this question because they're hoping to shortchange you on compensation in the name of “fulfilling your passions.” If you sense that this is the case, it's probably not a good place to work, except perhaps as a short-term stepping stone on your resume. Answer the question anyway, but if they try to use your passion to bargain against you, remind them that this passion makes you a better employee who's worth more, not less – and be prepared to walk away if necessary.

That said, the “what motivates you” interview question is usually about something much more friendly and cooperative. A benevolent interviewer asks this question because they want to understand what's important to you as an individual and gives you the drive to be successful, and whether the job they have can help you fulfill those desires and allow you to feel a sense of satisfaction.

If it can, this should be a win-win for everyone. The general belief is that those who find their jobs satisfying will be happier there and that this will make them more pleasant and productive co-workers. A 2019 study by Oxford University that sought to quantify this found that happiness on the job leads to a 13% increase in productivity. Another study from the University of Houston challenged conventional wisdom, finding that liking who you work with was more important than one's taste for the work itself. Still, it stands to reason that liking the work itself could help put an employee in a more agreeable mood.

Most jobs probably aren't going to meet every one of your motivations and passions, and that's OK. The one you're interviewing for probably falls somewhere between “I'm only doing this for money” and “I'd do this even if I was a billionaire.” But hopefully (for both you and the company) there's at least some overlap between what you truly care about and the position they're considering giving to you. They want to know about it, and if you want that in your work, it's a good idea to say so.

Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Motivations

Psychologically speaking, motivation can be broken down into two main types – extrinsic and intrinsic motivations.

Extrinsic (external) motivations are responses to things from outside ourselves. This is the type of motivation that drives people when they're trying to secure a reward or avoid punishment or threat.

In a job interview, answers that can be put in this category aren't usually interesting or flattering from the interviewer's perspective. This includes things like needing money or benefits. Everyone needs these things – so much so that they go without saying. If they're all you can come up with, you're likely to seem dull or disinterested.

Money should absolutely be discussed, but unless you want to present yourself as a purely mercurial candidate or risk seeming apathetic to the job itself, it should be saved for the point(s) in the interview dedicated specifically to compensation.

Intrinsic (internal) motivations, on the other hand, are motivations that come from within ourselves. These are things that people choose to do without regard to pressures put on them – things they value on their own merits. For example, you might find it rewarding to help others who are disadvantaged, make new discoveries, or design beautiful things.

This is the category that interviewers are interested in. What makes you want to do things, and can this job be a good outlet?

How to Identify your Motivations

Sometimes identifying our motivations can be a little tricky. Since they're relatively constant, it can be tough to put our finger on them. As a prompt, try reflecting on the following questions. They may apply to work specifically or more generally about what motivates you in life.

• What would you do if you didn't need money at all? What would you still want to achieve?
• When was the last time you felt satisfied by something you did?
• Has there ever been a time when you did an especially good job at something just because you wanted to? What was it, and why did you give it that attention?
• What jobs have you had that you liked (or at least that you liked more than others)? What did you like about them? How did those jobs contrast with jobs that you didn't like or liked less?

As you consider these questions and see where they take you, you may see trends emerge. See if you can distill them into concise statements that you can share. If you can, these make great talking points in the interview. Whatever you share, just be sure it's truthful, or it won't be able to help you.

There's an endless array of possibilities, and no two people are alike. Here are just a few possible examples:

• I like helping people who are disadvantaged.
• I like exercising my skills (this could include something about a specific skill).
• I like building new things.
• I like things I can continually improve at.
• I enjoy sharing knowledge with others.
• I like solving difficult technical problems.
• I like overcoming difficult challenges.
• I like being a part of something (this something might include a specific industry, and the reasons you enjoy it).
• I like providing people with something unique and special to them.
• I like organizing things.
• I like studying how things work.
• I like making people comfortable.

Other Resources

For further insight, consider using the O*NET Interest Profiler – a free online resource that can help you determine your interests and the jobs that may align with them. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test is another widely-used personality taxonomy. The version from the official foundation is not free, but another popular version called the 16 Personalities Test is available without cost.

Ready to look for work in line with your motivations? See who's hiring at CyberCoders.com.