How to answer what motivates you

Question

I have trouble on questions like this as it seems like it would not follow the typical STAR format. How would you go about answering these questions and what are some good examples of what to say? I am having trouble coming up with an answer that is not cliche and how would you go about justifying your reasoning in a manner that comes off as professional and polished over being too elementary?

Answer 1

It's important to provide a genuine response that aligns with your personal values and professional goals. Here's a structured approach :
Reflect on Personal Values
Relate to Professional Goals
Provide Examples
Stay Positive and Authentic

Example Response:
"What motivates me is the opportunity to make a meaningful impact. I thrive on challenges that allow me to problem-solve and innovate, whether it's improving processes, creating new solutions, or mentoring others. For instance, in my previous role, I was driven by the chance to lead a team through a major project that not only achieved our targets ahead of schedule but also improved overall efficiency by implementing streamlined procedures. This experience showed me the power of teamwork and innovation in driving success. I am excited about the prospect of contributing my skills and motivation to your team, particularly in roles that involve [mention specific aspects of the job or company mission that align with your motivation]."

By structuring your answer around these points, you can effectively convey what motivates you while demonstrating how it relates to your professional journey and the specific role or organization you're interested in.

Answer 2

Hi there,

Focus on three things:

Structure: You don't need the STAR framework for this but could still number your points and signpost them before diving deeper into it - similar to a case framework you present
Authenticiy: It's not about being cliche or not. It's about being authentic and discussing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation honestly. Interviews can spot if an answer is genuine (e.g., you are motivated by seeing progress in the people you are working with)
Examples: Provide examples from your life to support these statements (e.g., you remember a situation where you coached a fellow student and saw them improve on a specific topic)

Don't overthink it!

Cheers,

Florian

Answer 3

That's a great question.

Start by genuinely thinking what is the answer to this question for you.

You might come up with several things.

Figure out which of them is most relevant for your aspiration to become a consultant.

Then communicate it through a story example of you exhibiting that motivation and sense of purpose.

Aim to deliver it in 2-3 minutes.

That's about it.

Best,
Cristian

Answer 4

hey!

helpful examples could be your dreams, goals, or values. Be aware of what your values are and how they motivate what you do in daily life and what you strive for (general dreams, career goals, life goals, etc.).

BR,

Alessa

Answer 5

You don't need “star”. You need structure and compelling storytelling. [not saying one shouldn't use star, just saying that it is not mandatory].

What motivates you is a variant of “why should we hire you” or “why are you a good fit to consulting”.

It is fine to be cliché. What really matters here is that your answer is aligned with what consultants do and underlines your specific strengths.

Answer 6

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

First of all, I would advise you not to force-fit your answers into a canned framework such as STAR or PARADE, but simply make a meaningful structure that does justice to the answer.
Moreover, from my perspective, there are no universally valid examples as this really depends on your personal situation.
Lastly, I would highly advise you to focus on authenticity, not uniqueness. Although it may be refreshing for an interviewer to hear a different answer to this question - if what you say is what you feel, there is no need to worry.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen