Inspiration is something that motivates us to be a better version of ourselves by awakening us to new possibilities to have better experiences and to transform the way in which we perceive ourselves and our own capabilities. It is not something that we can force on ourselves but something that we can cultivate. The person who comes to your mind when the employer asks this question to you is someone who pushes you to stay motivated in your professional and personal journey.
In this article, we will discuss all that you want to know about answering this interview question that is asked frequently in most of the interviews, irrespective of the field.
Why Does the Employer Ask this Question?
- To see from where does your motivation comes from.
- To see how you find your way to address a problem and overcome challenges.
- To see who you look up to when it comes to taking inspiration and who is your role model.
Tips to Find Your Inspiration
Never stop learning
By staying in a learning mode, you can expand your scope of knowledge and you will also come across people who might inspire you with some of the other skills or traits that he possesses. We surely can achieve expertise in a field, but we can learn so many things that are beyond the scope of the field you are in but can make you learn a lot. Ways through which you can stay in a learning mode can be
- Books
- Podcasts
- Online Certification Courses
- Seminars
- Traveling
There are so many other ways to learn, so choose a way or ways that work the best for you, and you will surely find your inspiration on the way of learning.
Start networking
By meeting new people who are from different fields, who belong to different regions, and who have different mindsets than you do can help you discover who and what inspires you. Expand your network through social media platforms like LinkedIn, involve in the conversations and you will gain new insights and come across so many new ideas that can help you come out of your comfort zone. Remember, inspiration will not come to you naturally while you are doing nothing, you have got to seek it by making a move.
How to Answer this Question?
Align your answer to the job
We know that it is a pretty straightforward question but try to connect your answer with the job that you have applied for by defining the attributes and qualities of the person who is your role model, try explaining how his/her qualities motivate you to do your job better.
Focus on the goal
Your goal is to be hired for the position that you have applied for, so give an answer that can impress the employer and avoid mentioning
- Historical Figures
- Inapt Individuals like friends and family members (unless and until they have helped you gain a skill or a quality that is essential to the job)
- Celebrities
Mention the name of people relevant to the industry like
- Authors
- Mentors
- Researchers
- Teachers/Professors
Keep all these things in mind and you will be prepared to give an amazing answer to this question and be successful in impressing the employer. Now, let us see some sample interview answers to get an idea about answering this question.
Sample Interview Answers
Sample Interview Answer 1
“Every person who tries to maintain peace and harmony with every other person in his environment inspires me the most. As being in the field of HR, you constantly need to handle different types of conflicts, sometimes interpersonal, and sometimes intrapersonal. Maintaining harmony in the organization is extremely important for smooth functioning and hence I am extremely motivated by the people who try to remain in peace with themselves and avoid unnecessary work conflicts.”
Sample Interview Answer 2
“As a marketer, I am so intrigued by the people who think creatively. During my internship years, I came across my manager, and the way he perceived things and taught me certain things and approaches to how to think creatively and work in a team still inspire me the most. He plays an important role in the developed approach I have about thinking about projects and solving problems. I am sure that my learnings will be a great help in this role.”
Sample Interview Answer 3
“My patients inspire me the most, despite having so many difficulties in their lives, they try to keep smiling and stay positive and motivated by depending on us. Being a Medical Assistant, I come across so many patients in a day, all of them are different from each other, and yet they have one thing in common that is the hope of getting better by coming to us. It inspires me to do my job better every day.
Sample Interview Answer 4
“My father inspires me most. He has been working in the non-profit industry all his life. He is the reason I have applied for this volunteering role. I look up to him. He never complains about working so hard to minimum pay and it is indeed a high-stress job and yet he never complains. I take his opinion on everything I do his advice always works and helps me do my job better. I have been researching this field of volunteering for 3 years now and it is all because of him.”
Sample Interview Answer 5
“I take my inspiration from Morgan Housel. I read his book Psychology of Money last year and since then I look up to him. Coming from the field of investing, it is really important to seek inspiration before giving someone consultancy on this subject. Every person has a different way on how they think about money. In his book, he describes 19 such stories explaining how people tend to think about money. It has given me a better perspective on how to think the way my client is thinking.”
Sample Interview Answer 6
“I am inspired by my co-worker from my former job, his name is Jeff, he used to enter the office each day with enthusiasm, our job was hectic and sitting hours were really tiring, his energy was so positive that he would radiate his energy and it really helped me work better. I am always inspired by people who convey their good energy and make others feel good.”
Sample Interview Answer 7
“I am truly inspired by the CEO of this company. I research him a lot and he truly is my role model. He thinks big and aims high. I have attended the seminars that he has conducted so far, he points of possibilities of attaining certain things that I consider to be unattainable. His inspiration is so powerful that I thrive to work under a company that he runs. He has been a major part of my self-development and growth. I am looking forward to working with your company and put the best of my effort to attain the best results and achieve the company’s goal.”
Sample Interview Answer 8
“I am inspired by people who have an optimistic approach on things, one such person I look up to is Jay Shetty, I have read his book and I listen to his podcast. Listening to him and applying his thinking approach to my life has increased my work efficiency so much more. I am a much more active listener and a great thinker than I ever was. I have implemented his advice in my work life and I have been achieving desired results since then, in the last job I managed to exceed my boss’s expectations just by thinking better about my job.”
Sample Interview Answer 9
“My college professor of business mathematics has inspired me the most. I used to hate working with numbers and understanding tough calculations and methods. I never thought in my life I would choose finance as my majors during my MBA. But she inspired me to see your weakness as a challenge and face it to overcome it and I was the topper of the batch. She still responds to each one of my calls and guides me wherever I face difficulty.”
Sample Interview Answer 10
“My inspiration is one of the biggest businessmen, or I should say biggest business magnates, Mr. Ratan Tata. He is not only a great business leader but also life smart and his business approach and thinking are charismatic. So many young managers look up to him and I am one of them. He works for everyone, he has built an entire empire on his own and his philanthropic efforts are so commendable. I want to be a leader and a businessman as good as him.”
So, these were the sample interview answer that will help you craft your answer. Remember the person or the people who inspire you should help you attain some business skills, stimulates your growth and work better and act as a motivator in the path of your professional career.
References
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Sandeep Bhandari is the founder of PrepMyCareer.com website.
I am a full-time professional blogger, a digital marketer, and a trainer. I love anything related to the Web, and I try to learn new technologies every day.
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