How to Answer "What motivates you?" (With Sample Answers)
By Andrew Johnson · Updated
The interviewer wants to know whether the things that energize you are things this job will actually give you every day.
Also asked as: “What motivates you to do a good job?” · “What drives you?” · “What gets you out of bed in the morning?” · “What keeps you going at work?”
Why do interviewers ask “What motivates you”?
CareerOneStop lists “What motivates you to do a good job?” among the traditional questions employers use to judge whether you will do the job, not just whether you can. Motivation predicts how you behave on an ordinary Tuesday, when nobody is checking. The interviewer is also listening for fit: someone driven by variety may struggle in a role built on routine, and the reverse.
How to answer: the Motivator → Example → Link formula
Pick a motivator that is true for you and that this job will reward.
| Step | What to say | Example line |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Motivator | Name one or two specific things that drive you. “Helping people” is fine if you make it concrete. | “I’m most motivated when I can see a messy process become simple.” |
| 2. Example | Give a short, real moment when that motivator showed up in your work. | “At my last job I rebuilt our intake checklist because I couldn’t stand watching new hires guess.” |
| 3. Link | Connect it to something you know this role involves. | “This role owns process documentation, which is exactly the work that keeps me engaged.” |
Sample answers to “What motivates you” by job type
Illustrative answers — swap in your own experience. An answer you can back up with a real story beats a polished one you can't.
Entry-level / new graduate
Recent graduate interviewing for a junior accounting role.
“I’m motivated by getting things exactly right. In my senior-year auditing course I was the one on our team who kept reconciling until the numbers tied out, even when everyone else wanted to call it close enough. I also like learning a system from the inside — the moment a set of rules finally makes sense is a real reward for me. From what you’ve described, this role starts with reconciliations and month-end close, so I’d be doing the exact work that keeps me focused, while learning how a real company’s books fit together.”
Career changer
Former retail manager moving into human resources.
“What drives me is watching someone grow into a job. In eight years of retail management, the part I looked forward to most was training new hires and seeing a nervous first-week employee become the person others go to for help. That’s why I moved toward HR and finished an HR certificate this year. This generalist role covers onboarding and employee relations, so it puts the part of my old job I cared about most at the center of my new one.”
Nurse / healthcare
Nurse applying to an outpatient oncology clinic.
“I’m motivated by continuity — getting to know patients over time instead of for one shift. On my inpatient unit I noticed I always asked to keep the same patients when they came back, because I knew their history and what scared them. Being the familiar face during a hard treatment is what makes the job meaningful for me. An outpatient oncology clinic, where patients come in on a regular schedule for months, is the setting where that motivation turns into better care.”
Sales / customer service
Customer service representative moving into inside sales.
“Honestly, I’m motivated by a clear target and a scoreboard. In customer service I set my own goals for resolution time and first-call fixes just to have something to chase, and I found I liked turning a frustrated caller into someone who stayed a customer. Sales gives me a real target instead of one I invent. I also like that the result depends on my effort — if I make more good conversations, I see it in the numbers.”
Tech / analyst
Software developer interviewing for a backend role.
“I’m motivated by hard problems that have a measurable finish line. My favorite work last year was tracking down why one of our services slowed down under load — it took a week of profiling, and the fix was two lines, but I loved the hunt. I’m also motivated by code other people can maintain; I write the documentation I wish I’d had. Your team is working on performance for a high-traffic system, which is exactly the kind of puzzle that keeps me engaged.”
What to avoid
- Leading with money. Pay matters to everyone, but as your main motivator it signals you’ll leave for a small raise.
- A motivator this job can’t feed. Saying you love variety for a highly routine role tells the interviewer you’ll be bored.
- Vague answers like “I’m motivated by success”. Without an example it sounds rehearsed and says nothing about you.
- Listing five motivators. One or two with proof is more believable than a long list.
How to prepare
- Think of the last time you lost track of time at work or school — what were you doing? That’s your motivator.
- Check the job posting for the daily tasks and pick a motivator that matches at least one of them.
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What is the best answer to “What motivates you?”
A real motivator, one short example that proves it, and a link to what the job involves. There is no single best motivator; the best answer is the one that is true for you and fits the role.
Can I say money motivates me in an interview?
You can mention it as part of the picture, especially in commission-based sales, but don’t make it the whole answer. Pair it with what you enjoy about the work itself.
How do I answer “What motivates you?” with no work experience?
Use school projects, sports, volunteering, or a part-time job. The example only has to show the motivator in action; it doesn’t have to come from a full-time job.
Is “What drives you?” the same question as “What motivates you?”
Yes. Use the same structure: name the motivator, prove it with an example, and connect it to the role.
This question in role-specific interviews
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