It’s really insightful to understand what lights their fire and where you will experience drag or resistance.
I find this question really gives you an insight into what makes someone tick and how to get the best out of them. When a candidate talks about what energises them, you’re hearing what they genuinely enjoy and where they’ll naturally bring enthusiasm and energy.
It’s a great way to spot whether their passions line up with the role. For example, if they light up talking about collaboration and the job is highly team-focused, then for me that’s a complete win. On the flip side, if they thrive on deep, independent work and the role is all about constant interaction, it could be a red flag.
When they share what drains them, it’s also about understanding where they might need support or where friction could creep in or cause misalignment with the realities of the role. Everyone has things that sap their energy, and the best candidates will hopefully be self-aware enough to acknowledge that and explain how they manage it.
In short, I find it tells you a lot about fit, motivation, and how they’ll show up day-to-day.
This question shows whether they’ve taken the time to understand the company – its products, culture, and ambitions – and whether they can connect that insight to their own experience. Because this question can be unexpected, it tests how people think on their feet and whether they can communicate clearly under a bit of pressure too.
For me, a strong answer usually blends three things: a clear understanding of what the role really requires, specific examples of achievements that map directly to those needs, and a sense of what motivates them to want to work here. I would expect a great candidate to talk about impact instead of tasks, strengths not clichés, and demonstrate they’ve done their homework.
I like to use this at the end of an interview because it gives real insight into someone’s personality and helps me understand how they might fit within the team and wider company culture. Sometimes I adapt it for the start of an interview by saying, ‘I’ve read all about your career in your CV, now tell me something about you as a person’.
A strong answer is one where the candidate is open, authentic, and willing to share something interesting or unexpected about themselves. It doesn’t need to be extraordinary, what matters is how they express it. Even if they struggle to think of something, their response still reveals how self‑aware they are and how they approach challenges in the moment.
What does it reveal?
— An insight into their understanding of the role and responsibilities
— A measure of their honesty and character, because there will always be a challenge
— How comfortable are they in discussing weaknesses? A strong answer demonstrates a healthy growth mindset
How best to answer:
Honestly. Opportunities to learn and grow from the start keep you engaged long-term and show employers how they can support you early on.
Turn the challenge into an opportunity by showing a willingness to learn. Explain the issue, provide a solution to succeed and identify resources you could draw on. Discuss with an interviewer how the employer could support you, what does their training and development strategy look like? This may give you a clue to the company culture.
This question reveals a candidate’s understanding of how the role adds value to the business and their overall objectives. It demonstrates an awareness of ROI and whether they have an operational, tactical, or strategic mindset. It’ll also reveal how much research and preparation they've done for the interview.
When answering you want to highlight skills and qualities that are most relevant to the role (based on the job description and job advertisement). Focus your attention on what they are looking for, rather than other less relevant skills.
Make sure you tailor your answer to suit the type of team and business you're applying to work within. For example, if it's an HR advisor role at a small or mid-sized technology company, you might want to highlight your ability to work in an agile way, adapting to rapidly changing business objectives. Or you might want to talk about how you build and maintain relationships across the business, with examples, as it demonstrates how you work collaboratively.
I like to ask about motivation as it gives a good indication into a candidate’s drivers and values. It helps assess cultural fit, engagement potential, and whether their motivations align with the role and the organisation. It can also give insight into how they sustain performance and what conditions help them thrive.
Tips on how to answer: Be authentic and truthful with your answer but also link your motivation to real experiences and outcomes as that helps the interviewer get to know you. For example, you might say you’re motivated by opportunities to learn and then share a time you proactively developed a new skill that improved team results. Or, if recognition drives you, explain how feedback helped you excel in a previous role. The key is to connect your motivation to behaviours and achievements that demonstrate value to the employer."
