5 Motivational Interview Questions to Get to Know Interviewees

Having a competent skill set, pleasing behaviour, and the right cultural fit is amazing to have in an employee, but one crucial question you shouldn’t miss out on is asking about their passions.

Our passions are the things that excite us, they keep us driven despite the obstacles and challenges we may face in attaining certain goals. Understanding what keeps your employees excited and driven helps you to maximise their full potential and allows you to provide a work culture that cultivates holistic growth and employee satisfaction.

Asking motivational interview questions will help you determine if a candidate is a great motivational fit for the role you are trying to fill in. You can complement motivational questions by asking questions about career goals.

Here are a few sample interview questions you can use.

What this shows: More than what the role entails, this question can help you see if a candidate is applying merely for the position at hand or because he/she genuinely believes in the company’s goals as well. Having aligned passions and goals may help indicate if a candidate is in it for the long run.

What this shows: It’s important to know if you and the candidate are on the same page about the position you are interviewing him/her for. This question will help you see that and give you a glimpse of what the candidate values about the role.

What this shows: Knowing what excites your employee and what they genuinely enjoy doing will help you see if they are the right fit for the position you are trying to fill in. People who enjoy what they are doing become more naturally motivated and enthusiastic in accomplishing tasks related to their job roles.

What this shows: Knowing how your candidate cooperates and appreciates this dynamic with others is important to see if he/she is a team player. It is especially significant if you intend to put them in a role that involves a lot of collaboration and teamwork. An ideal employee knows how to motivate himself/herself in completing a task and can motivate others to succeed with him/her as well.

What this shows: This question aims to reveal how the candidate overcomes challenges and obstacles to achieve desired outcomes in work-related tasks. This will also give you an idea when it comes to the type of recognition they value.

A new hire is like welcoming a new member of the group. To be able to work harmoniously towards the same goals together, it is essential to get to know them better. Knowing your employees’ passions and working towards helping them achieve their career goals while working together for the company’s growth can help increase employee satisfaction and ensure organisational sustainability.