What motivates you as an interviewer?
Sharing the 5 x Core Traits for successful interviewing based on my research, analysis and 10,000+ hours of interviewing experience.
Most interviewers can explain the mechanics of what they do — the questions they ask, the structure they follow — but far fewer have explored the why behind it. And that “why” is what separates competent interviewers from exceptional ones.
It’s why I often start my training sessions with one question:
“What motivates you as an interviewer?”
The most typical answers cover a familiar spectrum:
Validate the skills and experience on the CV.
Ensure the interviewee is values aligned.
Make a great hire.
All of these are extrinsic motivations — engaging in an activity to attain an external reward or avoid a negative consequence, such as avoiding a poor hire.
Very rarely does anyone reflect on their intrinsic motivation as an interviewer.
And here’s the difference:
Extrinsic drivers can get you to turn up to the interview on time.
Intrinsic motivation gets you to turn up ready — curious, engaged, and committed to creating a valuable experience for the candidate and the business.
A quick reflection exercise
I ask interviewers to try this:
“Where did I go beyond obligation and show real effort in my interview preparation and delivery?”
It’s a question that requires you to think about two things: preparation and action.
And what drives both? — Motivation.
This is Core Trait No.3 — Motivation & Drive.
Why Motivation & Drive matters
Focusing on your Motivation & Drive is the difference between coasting through interviews and building confidence through effort. It’s defined as:
The intrinsic drive to prepare, reflect, and improve as an interviewer — showing up with intent, not just obligation.
When you develop an intrinsic motivation to improve yourself as an interviewer, each interview becomes an opportunity to strengthen your system and approach.
Here’s what it looks like in practice:
Low Motivation & Drive → Relying on last year’s questions without reviewing whether they’re still relevant.
High Motivation & Drive → Researching the role’s evolving demands and tailoring questions accordingly.
Compounding logic
As with all Flywheels, there’s a compounding logic:
Self-Awareness tells you what needs to improve.
Self-Regulation ensures you have the composure to improve it.
Motivation & Drive is what makes you actually do it.
When all three are present, you create momentum:
Learning accelerates through feedback loops.
Stagnation is avoided, even in high-volume or repetitive interview cycles.
Reflection becomes routine.
System-level benefits emerge — from stronger engagement and clearer structure to better role-fit alignment and skill uplift across the team.
How do you build Motivation & Drive in an interview?
Think of it as a cycle that starts before the interview, continues during, and is reinforced after:
Before → Set one personal improvement goal (e.g., “ask two deeper follow-up questions” or “allow more space for candidate reflection”).
During → Notice your energy and focus. Adjust pace, tone, or question sequence to maintain engagement.
After → Seek targeted feedback from a peer. Focus on one area you wanted to improve — not a generic “How did I do?”
Over time, this cycle turns motivation into habit.
What does Motivation & Drive look like mid-interview?
You’ll recognise it in these moments:
Leaning forward, actively listening — not mentally rehearsing your next question.
Following curiosity rather than rushing to “get through the script.”
Keeping energy consistent from the first candidate of the day to the last.
Being prepared to adapt on the spot if a candidate’s answer opens up a richer conversation.
Try these Reflection Prompts
“What’s one thing I did in this interview that I wasn’t doing six months ago?”
“Did I create moments of curiosity or simply stick to routine?”
“Where did I push for clarity instead of settling for a surface-level answer?”
“How did my preparation influence the quality of my questions today?”
Final thought
You can’t fake Motivation & Drive — not for long. Candidates feel it. Colleagues notice it. And the quality of your hires will prove it.
Show up with intent, and each interview becomes more than an assessment — it becomes part of your own growth story.