Personal motivation is the key to success in what ever we want to achieve in out life, however it is also the hardest concept to explain.
As a job seeker, one of the most common job interview questions you may face are related to your motivation and the way you define success in your job.

This article provides the best answers for the two questions frequently asked during an interview – what motives you? And how would you define success at work?

Best Answers to Interview Questions About Motivation and Success

1. Answer to the interview question: What motivates you at work?

“What motivates you to do your best on the job?” is a job interview question that may catch you off guard during the interviewing process.
This interview question and several similar questions are not simple questions to answer. They reveal more about your inner psychology, personality and experience as an employee.

This question is asked to find out whether you are a person who thinks about long term goals rather than on a short term basis.

The questions can phrase: “what motivates you to put forth your greatest effort”, “what motivates you to work hard”, “what motivates you in your career” or “what are you passionate about”.

Your best answer will emphasize that the quality of the position and its tasks/responsibilities, along with the quality of the organization have always been your best motivators.
You can answer the question like this:
“I am motivated by constant progress. I find it exciting to implement new ideas and see them through to fruition. I find the most satisfaction in implementing “out-of-the-box” ideas that ultimately prove their value.
I like to be challenged on the job and desire the opportunity to utilize my skills and talents. Quality leadership and culture in the workplace have allowed me to work at my best.”

Remember that pay is not a motivator but a de-motivator when it is not in a reasonable range.
Needless to say that using pay as a reason for motivation will not be attractive to the interviewer.
You may be interested in reading the article – responsibilities at work for getting promoted.

2. Job interview Answer to: How do you define success in a job?

“How would you define success?” or “what defines success at work” is a job interview question that might pose problems for you if you do not know how a company functions and what its mission statement is.

Most researches show that the single best predictor for who will perform well and succeed in a new job is the one who possesses learning agility (a quick learner) and the one who can adjust himself/herself to new and different jobs.
Past performance or even experience, skills and intelligence are not as important as learning agility.
Therefore, there is a tried and tested reply to this question that helps you appear level-headed and knowledgeable.

how do you evaluate success?
The best answer is:
“I would define success at work by what I learned from key job assignments experiences. I believe in making choices, tying them to circumstances and taking corrective actions when necessary. I always want to try new things and ask for feedback that leads to improved results.”

Some people learn more than others and you would want to present that you’re among those who are capable of learning new things.
Low performing employees seem to have more difficulty learning from experience and have trouble making the transition to different jobs and challenges.

Further reading, answers to tough interview questions –
• Why did you choose this career?
• Why do you want to work here?
• Interview question – describe yourself, describe your ideal job.