Hiring managers and recruiters like to ask behavioral questions in job interviews to help them get a better sense of a candidate’s personality, strengths, work style and, in some cases, values. One common question that hits on many of these attributes is “What motivates you to do a good job?” If you’re asked this question in a job interview, you’ll feel more confident if you’ve prepared for it.
What Are Behavioral Questions?
Behavioral interview questions focus on a job candidate’s past experiences and behavior in specific circumstances. Hiring managers want to know how a candidate has behaved in the past to predict how they would behave in similar circumstances in the future. These questions also help them get a sense of a candidate’s work style, strengths and fit in terms of company culture.
By posing the question, “What motivates you to do a good job?” hiring managers are looking to understand a candidate’s motivations, priorities, values and self-awareness. Can the candidate clearly express what drives them? Interviewers can also use this question to see how enthusiastic a candidate is about the job. Meanwhile, recruiters may ask it to help them determine what type of job would fit you best.
[READ: Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them.]
Tips for Preparing a Response
Your response to any behavioral question must be relevant, truthful and clear. Your resume can help you secure a job interview, but you have to impress a hiring manager during that interview and provide a sense of what it would be like if they hired you. To stand out from the crowd, it’s essential to prepare a strong response to “What motivates you to do a good job?” Here are some tips to help you put your best foot forward.
Reflect
Take some time to think about past roles, tasks and projects and identify situations where you felt highly motivated. What was it about those situations that motivated you to do a good job? For example, was it because you wanted to solve a problem or make an impact with a client? It may be helpful to journal about these situations and see what themes you can identify.
Research
It’s important to research the company with which you’re interviewing and dig into the job description. This will help ensure that your answers are relevant to the position. Based on your research, what type of motivations might be important to this company? How do your motivations align with the job description and company values? This will help tailor your answer to show that you would be a good fit for this job.
Craft a Genuine and Positive Response
Your response doesn’t have to be long, but it should be genuine. When working on your answer, focus on positive motivations. For example, saying that a paycheck drives you or that fear of failure is a motivation will not impress a hiring manager. Steer your answer toward topics such as teamwork, personal growth, achieving goals or making a positive impact.
Next, identify past examples that demonstrate your drive. This will make what you say more credible and demonstrate that what drives you has already played a role in your career. Again, make sure that your responses and examples are relevant to the position you are interviewing for.
Practice Your Response
Practicing your response helps ensure that your answer comes across confidently and naturally. You can practice in front of the mirror, record yourself, or ask a friend or family member to play the role of a hiring manager and provide feedback. However, instead of trying to memorize your response word for word, focus on remembering the key ideas you want to convey. This will help your response flow more naturally, and you will not get flustered if you are unexpectedly interrupted during the interview.
[READ: How to Answer ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ in a Job Interview]
Example Responses to “What Motivates You to Do a Good Job?”
Depending on what drives you, these sample responses can help you come up with a compelling answer.
Achieving Goals
“Setting and achieving goals is one of my motivations. For example, in my last role, I set a personal goal to increase our customer satisfaction score by 10% over six months. I collaborated with my team to implement new customer service strategies, and we surpassed our goal, achieving a 15% increase. The sense of accomplishment and the tangible results of our efforts motivated me to perform at my best.”
Making a Positive Impact
“Making a positive impact on my team and the organization motivates me. In my previous position, I initiated a mentorship program for new hires. This reduced their onboarding time from 16 weeks to 13 weeks and increased their job satisfaction. Knowing that my actions can contribute to the success and well-being of others inspires me to continue doing my best.”
Collaboration and Teamwork
“Working in a collaborative environment where I can work with others to achieve common goals is a big motivation. The energy and creativity that come from teamwork motivate me to do my best. I enjoy contributing to a team effort, sharing ideas and supporting my team members to ensure that we all succeed together.”
[Read: How to Answer ‘Why Do You Want to Work Here?’]
Passion for Your Industry
“I am deeply passionate about (industry name) and am motivated by the opportunity to work in a field that I love. This motivates me to stay on top of current trends, continuously learn and improve. This passion translates into a strong commitment to do a good job and contribute to the industry in a meaningful way.”
Problem-Solving
“I am motivated by the challenge of solving problems and finding innovative solutions. For example, in my previous role, I took the initiative to revamp our feedback system with my team, which improved customer satisfaction scores by 20%. Analyzing issues and developing effective strategies keeps me engaged and motivated to give my best.”
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How to Answer ‘What Motivates You to Do a Good Job?’ in an Interview originally appeared on usnews.com
