It’s impossible to predict every question you’ll be asked in a graduate job interview, but there are some common interview questions which will almost certainly feature.

Graduate job interview questions range from the straightforward, such as ‘Describe yourself in 3 words’, to the more open-ended, like ‘Tell me about yourself’ and ‘Why should we hire you?’

Check out our complete guide to Interview Questions.

Despite being one of the most common interview questions, ‘What motivates you at work?’ will often catch graduates off-guard; so it’s important to make sure you’re fully prepared to answer it.

To decide on the best way to answer this open-ended interview question, let’s look first of all at why employers might choose to ask it.

Scroll straight to the bottom of the page to see a quick, summary video of how to answer! 

What to avoid when answering the question

– Using salary as your motivation at work

No employer wants to hear that you are only motivated by money, even if it is a key motivating factor. Instead of mentioning the salary, use this question to show how much you value other aspects of a job, and how committed you will be to the role. Find out other company perks you should consider.

– Discussing your long-term career goals

This is your opportunity to talk about what the factors that will motivate you in this role, not where you see your career going in the future or your long-term motivations. It is easy to go off on a tangent when answering interview questions, here’s some advice on how not to ramble in an interview.

– Saying that you aren’t sure what motivates you at work

A big no-no for any potential employer, saying you don’t know what motivates you in a job implies that you either have no motivation, or you didn’t take the time to prepare your answer.