Whenever you go into a new job one of the very first things you need to do is to ask yourself the question - what motivates you? Quite simply, it is a question that many interviewers will be asking you anyway.
The best managers and recruiters will want to know exactly what it is that motivates individuals and it is always easy to spot those who have put themselves forward for all the wrong reasons. They will very quickly weed out the people who are not suited for a post or have put themselves forward on a whim.
Of course, remuneration is always a key factor and most people go to work because they have to pay the bills and earn a living. I have always been of the opinion that your pay grade should be improving every couple of years, either by way of a promotion or a moving to a new company. But simply being interested in increasing your salary can also be a major mistake, and it is not usually something you will want to tell interviewers is the only reason for applying. For a move to be the right one it has to make sense in terms of your career progressionrather than just improving the state of your bank balance.
Take a close look at the job on offer and decide whether it suits your skills and your experience. There is little point for everyone concerned in trying to place a square peg into a round hole. Of course there is nothing wrong with broadening your horizons and moving into a whole new industry; but then you also have to accept the fact that you will usually start at an entry level role.
Employers will generally want take on the person who is best suited to the job, so when you are asked what motivates you, try and relate it to the job as much as possible. If you are applying for a very team based role then emphasises how much you enjoy the buzz of working with other people – and give scenarios where you have done this in the past. If it is the type of position which is quite deadline driven, explain that this is when you work at your best – and again, remember to give an example.
As well as progressing your career you also need to look at how demanding your role is. You should be looking for a job that is going to challenge and engage you as well as improve your own personal skill set. I have never been a fan of taking the easy route – one of the reasons I enjoy what I do is precisely because of the challenges I face. I would rather be in this scenario than in a job where I will become bored, frustrated and stagnant just a few months down the line.
Finally, don’t be afraid to draw on your extra-curricular activities as well. Although a lot of managers claim to not pay much attention to this, I believe that hobbies do make you a more rounded person. And if some of the things you do relate to a job in terms of passion and motivation, there is nothing wrong with explaining this. I have interviewed people who enjoy acting in their spare time, so if they are applying for a role where there are a lot of presentations and speeches involved, I will be conscious that it is something they actually enjoy.
I have written blogs in the past for managers, where I have stated that every employee has different motivators, and it is the job of a manager to understand each person’s. From an employee’s perspective, you need to ensure that the job you are applying for matches up with your motivations. Remember that different companies and industries have different requirements – somebody recruiting for a sales role will be looking for a different person to somebody recruiting for a charity role.
Work is a major part of all of our lives which is why it is so important to make sure that you are sending out applications for all the right reasons.
For more tips and advice to boost your career, check out my book Get The Job You Really Want
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