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What does the question about a candidate’s motivation tell us?
Changing jobs is often the result of a considered decision: to look for new challenges, to grow, to learn a different sector, or to take on the greater responsibility that comes with a more senior role. One of the key questions in any interview is about your motivation for moving. How do you convince a prospective manager of your reasons for wanting to change jobs?
Here are a few pointers to help you answer that question fully and authentically.
Motivation “away from” and motivation “towards”
In an interview it is worth distinguishing two kinds of motivation:motivation “away from” andmotivation “towards”. Both matter, and both are why you are open to new offers. But concentrating on the second one in conversation with a prospective employer is what convinces them that you can see a place for yourself at the new company.
Motivation “away from” – “This is no longer the place for me”
Candidates often open a conversation about changing jobs with the “away from” motivation: the reasons pushing them to leave where they are. That might be a lack of challenge or of the professional growth they expected, routine, weariness with the sector and curiosity about others. Explaining why you want to move is important, but dwelling on it can leave no time to set out what you could bring to a new organisation and the opportunities you see there for yourself.
Motivation “towards” – “Why do I want to work for you?”“
More important than your reasons for leaving your current employer is what draws you to the new one. It is worth working out what specifically interests you about the company – the culture, the projects, the chance to grow, the technology, or simply its brand. When you set out all the reasons you want to join this particular organisation, a prospective employer sees that your choice is not accidental, because you have concrete professional goals you want to pursue there.
“I want to grow” is not enough on its own
That sentence can sound like a tired slogan, the easiest way to explain wanting to move. Managers have heard it many times and may come away feeling the candidate did not tell them the whole story. So it is worth thinking hard about what GROWTH actually means to you, and rehearsing your development goals out loud with someone who has your interests at heart.
How do you talk about your motivation “towards” in practice?
For your answer to convince, you need to go beyond generalities. It is not enough to mention that the company has great projects or a strong brand. What matters is explaining why those things matter to you and what value you can bring to the organisation. A well-prepared answer shows that you understand what makes the company distinctive and how you can contribute to its success.
Before you start job hunting, work out what you need from a new organisation
Before you begin looking, it is worth answering a question:
“What matters to me at work if I am to find it satisfying?”
“What makes me want to stay with an organisation for the long term?”
Another good approach is to draw up a list of companies you would like to work for. The strengths you see in them will tell you what qualities your next organisation should have. It is worth asking whether something was missing in your previous roles that you now want to find in a new workplace.
Only once you have defined your needs and expectations will you be able to judge whether a given company meets them.
Preparing for the conversation about why you are moving – a better chance of convincing a new employer
For your answer about motivation to be genuine and well matched to the organisation you are interviewing with, it is worth talking it through beforehand with someone you trust. Analysing the companies that interest you can help too – ask yourself why they in particular catch your attention. That will give you a full picture of what your next role should offer and which aspects of an organisation matter most to you when deciding.
