• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Cookie Policy
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Learnist.org

  • Careers
    • Interview Tips
    • Job Search
    • CV Tips
    • Cover Letters
    • Application Forms
    • Forums
  • Business & Finance
  • Education
  • Home Improvement
  • Law
  • Lifestyle
  • Technology
  • General
Home » Interview Questions » How to answer: What motivates you? interview question

Home » Interview Questions » How to answer: What motivates you? interview question

How to answer: What motivates you? interview question

By Learnist.org

“What motivates you?” is quite an open ended question, and is a fantastic opportunity to sell your enthusiasm! The best way to approach this question is with pointing out a mutual benefit. The best things to state here are things that suggest dedication and satisfaction, here are a few examples. Think back over your career to see if you can add a personal touch to some of these optional factors:

Example Answers

RESPONSIBILITY.

I get really motivated when I know I am trusted with a task or duty. It makes me feel very proud to have the responsibility, and so I am extra enthusiastic about carrying out the duty. I used to work in a bar and at the end of every shift I would cash up the tills and deliver the takings to the night safe. Knowing I was trusted with this detail made me feel more valued in my position and motivated me to work my hardest.

SATISFACTION.

I love going home at the end of the day knowing I have done my job well, and when I wake up in the morning I love knowing I am going into a job I will enjoy doing. I love to do the best that I can, and strongly believe that if I don’t take care of my clients, someone else will, so it is mutually beneficial for myself and my company that I do the best job I can. I used to work in a customer service call centre and would pride myself on taking ownership of problems when people would call in frustrated and upset with the company. I would be sure to let them know my name and extension so they could come back to me if they needed to instead of getting further frustrated explaining themselves several times, and would make sure to keep in contact until their problem was resolved and they were happy. Praise from customers and superiors would make my day.

TARGETS.

Having a target to work towards really helps to motivate me. I never have a problem hitting sales targets, but I am never happy to just hit my target. I make a personal mission of exceeding my targets and seeing just how far I can exceed them. I also enjoy working in a team with a team target, where I can assist my colleagues and encourage them to help us all exceed the target. I used to work in a sales call centre. We were set a personal target of 10 sales a day each, and a team target of 500 a week. As an individual I would always exceed my target before lunch, and spent the rest of the day exceeding my target and assisting my colleagues in closing sales to reach their own targets. If some of my colleagues were struggling and I was ahead I would take a little time out to have a motivational chat with them, listen in to a few of their calls to see if I could offer any advice, and try and encourage them along.

Unless the role you are applying for is commission only, try and avoid mentioning money. Most employers won’t need or want a “cash hungry” employee, even most salary based sales roles don’t want people who will come across as pushy or desperate. Always place emphasis on the thing that motivates you being beneficial to the company AND the client.

Filed Under: Interview Questions

About Learnist.org

Founder of Learnist.org, Follow Learnist on Twitter. You can find my Google Profile here. View all posts by Huseyin Durak.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Recently Added

Travel eSIMs: Operation, Provider Comparisons, and Traveler Benefits

The Secret Method to Achieve your Goals Quickly

The Best Personal Finance Apps for the New Year

The Art of Fear: Unveiling the World of Horror Illustrators for Books

The Rise Of 5G: What It Means For Future Connectivity

The Digital Vault Behind Online Gaming

Recent Topics

  • What qualities would you bring to this team? Strength Interview
  • What does a high performing team look like to you? Strength Interview
  • What energises you? Strength Interview
  • Are you a glass-half-empty or glass-half-full type of person?
  • Describe a successful day and what made it successful
  • What does a good day look like to you? Strength Interviews
  • What is the last thing left on your ‘To Do’ list? Strength Interview
  • What do you enjoy doing least? Strength Interview
  • What do you learn quickly? What do you find easy to learn?
  • Do you change the way you speak to different people? Strength Interview

Copyright © 2025 · Learnist.org | Sitemap