Page 44 - How To Answer Interview Questions (II)

Job Interview Question 17

Give an example of how you were able to motivate employees or co-
workers

To motivate someone, you need to know them—what motivates one won’t motivate another. To know
them, you must be a good communicator.

Communication is a vital skill. How you communicate and motivate says a lot about your work
style and management style.

Tell your story using a STAR format:

Situation or Task (Set up the story—what happened? What was your goal?)
Action (What did you choose to do and why?)
Result (What happened as a result of your actions? Quantify this wherever possible.)

** If you are interviewing for a management position:
Talk about how you developed relationships with the members of your team, creating a strong,
cohesive unit that was able to achieve X (X should be a quantified value, like “the highest sales
numbers in the company” or “the award for the best customer service in the division” or whatever
outcome you achieved.)
Or, you can tell how you developed an accountability/rewards program that boosted employee
performance by X%.
Or, you can talk about how you go through the process of setting expectations and providing
specific feedback, and what the results of this process are for you. Choose an example that