You've been told to listen carefully to the employer who's interviewing you, determine exactly what qualities and abilities he or she is looking for, and then show you have exactly those qualities and abilities. Perhaps you've asked yourself how honest it is to redefine yourself for every new job interview. After all, you are who you are, aren't you?
It's not really that simple.
You're not a one-function machine, capable of attaining only a single goal. You're a sophisticated, educated human being with the potential for doing many things well. In a way, you're like a computer, capable of performing a variety of tasks. To a customer who needs word processing, a computer salesperson positions the computer he's selling as a word processor. To a customer who wants to manage a data base, the salesperson explains the data base management capabilities of the computer. And so on, for graphics, computer aided design, mathematical analysis, or whatever else the customer needs.
Same computer.
Similarly, no employer wants to tap everything of which you're capable, only a defined portion of your abilities.
So it's not unreasonable, or dishonest, for you to stress those things about yourself that are important to the employer, provided:
1. You don't lie. (Lies have a nasty way of coming back to haunt you.)
2. You're certain you can do the job successfully once you get it. Because once the selection is made, and you're on the job, performance and the ability to fit in comfortably are really the only things that matter. Nobody's going to accuse you of misrepresenting yourself if you're doing a great job.
If you insist on taking a hard line on objective reality ("This is me, this is what I think, this is the way I dress, this is what I want out of life. If you want me you'll have to take me for who I am.") you can bet you'll be in for a rough time in the marketplace. Yes, there's plenty of room for individuality, but generally you have to express it within the accepted parameters of professional conduct. You have to be willing to play the game. Inflexible people, especially those with an overblown sense of their own importance or infallibility, find it difficult to fit in..
As any politician who's ever campaigned for office will confirm, no matter how great your potential is, you can't do anything until you get elected. And that's what you're trying to do in the job marketplace -- get elected.
This question is more than an interview question; it is a question that you should be asking yourself before the interview. When have you been most satisfied in your work? When did you feel like you were making a difference or making a contribution? Basically, it's about knowing what you want.
A simple exercise that will help you answer this question will also help you look inside yourself to think about what you want "more of," and what you want "less of" in your next job. People usually perform at a higher level if they are satisfied with the work that they do ? and as a result are more motivated to give 100% - plus.
Exercise to Find the Answer
An exercise that will help you with the answer to this question as well as assist you in looking inward to determine when you were working at your fullest potential is a simple one. Begin by making a list of the tasks at your last job ? the tasks that you were particularly proud of, or were energized by. In other words, "when your job turned you on." Think about the last time you were so involved in a project or task that you woke up thinking about how you could improve the situation. Write those experiences down and try to determine what the factors were that were satisfying for you.
Let's say you were a "Project Leader." The tasks list would read something like ? "Led a team - Coordinated and monitored project progress - Assured the flow and completion of work on schedule ? Monitored expenditures and budget."
What were the stimulating tasks of this job? Was it the leadership aspect? Or, was it the challenge of coordinating the details, and people? Was it completing the project on time or below budget? Were there customers involved (internal or external) ? if so, is that what you found most challenging? What didn't you like, and hope that you will do less of in your next job?
After you have written this list for your current job, try doing the same thinking about previous jobs. If you recently graduated from college, use the classes that were most stimulating and interesting for you, or the projects you worked on with teams.
By making lists of motivating experiences from your last two or three jobs, you will hopefully begin to see patterns of projects and tasks that stand out. Analyze what you did before. Do you want more of this type of responsibility in your next job? The answers to these questions will give you the answer to the motivation question as well as possibilities for fulfillment in future jobs that have similar responsibilities.
Take this list of motivating experiences and script an answer to the question, "What motivates you?" Scripting answers prepares you and also makes you sound more confident.
The Perfect Answer
There is no such thing as the "perfect" answer to this question. Your answer will be individual and based on your own experience and analysis. It will reveal to the interviewer and to yourself what you thrive on in your work. Even if you are not asked this question, your pre-interview thinking, analysis, and scripting, will help you be more focused and in control of want you want in your next job. Knowing what you want will make you feel more confident about finding the right job.
Copyright (c) 2007 Carole Martin, The Interview Coach
Both Bruce Bloom & Carole Martin are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Bruce Bloom has sinced written about articles on various topics from Breast Cancer, Interview Questions and Interview Questions. Bruce J. Bloom is a respected writer on job-hunting and career opportunities. He is a contributor to the hard-hitting career strategy website "Fast Track For Women,"