| Best regards | | | | What were the stimulating tasks of this job? Was it |
| Carole Martin | | | | theleadership aspect? Or, was it the challenge of |
| Pre-Job Interview Thinking - Knowing What You | | | | coordinatingthe details, and people? Was it completing |
| Want | | | | the project ontime or below budget? Were there |
| Question ? "When have you been most motivated?" | | | | customers involved |
| This question is more than an interview question; it is | | | | (internal or external) ? if so, is that what you found |
| aquestion that you should be asking yourself before | | | | mostchallenging? What didn't you like, and hope that |
| theinterview. When have you been most satisfied in | | | | you willdo less of in your next job? |
| your work? | | | | After you have written this list for your current job, |
| When did you feel like you were making a difference | | | | trydoing the same thinking about previous jobs. If |
| ormaking a contribution? Basically, it's about knowing | | | | yourecently graduated from college, use the classes |
| whatyou want. | | | | that weremost stimulating and interesting for you, or |
| A simple exercise that will help you answer this | | | | the projectsyou worked on with teams. |
| questionwill also help you look inside yourself to think | | | | By making lists of motivating experiences from your |
| about whatyou want "more of," and what you want | | | | lasttwo or three jobs, you will hopefully begin to see |
| "less of" in yournext job. People usually perform at a | | | | patternsof projects and tasks that stand out. |
| higher level if theyare satisfied with the work that | | | | Analyze what you didbefore. Do you want more of |
| they do ? and as a resultare more motivated to give | | | | this type of responsibility inyour next job? The |
| 100% - plus. | | | | answers to these questions will give youthe answer |
| Exercise to Find the Answer | | | | to the motivation question as well aspossibilities for |
| An exercise that will help you with the answer to | | | | fulfillment in future jobs that havesimilar |
| thisquestion as well as assist you in looking inward | | | | responsibilities. |
| todetermine when you were working at your fullest | | | | Take this list of motivating experiences and script |
| potentialis a simple one. Begin by making a list of the | | | | ananswer to the question, "What motivates you?" |
| tasks atyour last job ? the tasks that you were | | | | Scriptinganswers prepares you and also makes you |
| particularly proudof, or were energized by. In other | | | | sound moreconfident. |
| words, "when your jobturned you on." Think about | | | | The Perfect Answer |
| the last time you were soinvolved in a project or | | | | There is no such thing as the "perfect" answer to |
| task that you woke up thinkingabout how you could | | | | thisquestion. Your answer will be individual and based |
| improve the situation. Write thoseexperiences down | | | | on yourown experience and analysis. It will reveal to |
| and try to determine what the factors werethat | | | | theinterviewer and to yourself what you thrive on in |
| were satisfying for you. | | | | yourwork. Even if you are not asked this question, |
| Let's say you were a "Project Leader." The tasks list | | | | yourpre-interview thinking, analysis, and scripting, will |
| wouldread something like ? "Led a team - | | | | helpyou be more focused and in control of want you |
| Coordinated andmonitored project progress - | | | | want in yournext job. Knowing what you want will |
| Assured the flow andcompletion of work on schedule | | | | make you feel moreconfident about finding the right |
| ? Monitored expenditures andbudget." | | | | job. |