Answering application questions

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Motivations

Motivation questions check your knowledge of the job or course. They also help you to evidence your motivation, and whether your understanding of the opportunity is realistic. Motivational questions ask things like:

  • Why are you applying for this job/course?
  • Why this organisation?
  • What is a current development in our industry that interests you?
  • What do you expect to be doing in your first year in this job?

These questions assess your

  • understanding of the job role and the individual company
  • reasons for applying
  • knowledge of the sector and your chosen profession

Put simply, the question is "Why do you want this job with us, and what makes you think you can do it?" They are looking at whether you can make a match between who you are (your skills, qualities, experiences and motivations) and who they are (their needs and the requirements of the job).

So, if you get a question like this, your background research will mean you can give clear reasons and demonstrate your interest, enthusiasm and understanding of the role. For example, their projects, values or personal development opportunities may have taken your interest. Whatever captures your attention, try to be as specific and authentic as possible. Generic answers do not tend to work well here.

Skills – "competency-based questions"

Questions about your skills are some of the most important, as you can use them to show how you match the requirements.

These questions ask you to give examples of when you have demonstrated particular skills (or competencies) that the employer is looking for. If you can demonstrate using each skill successfully in the past, then you are more likely to be able to do so in the future.

Examples of such questions are:

  • Describe a difficult problem you have solved. How did you analyse and solve it? What did you learn from the experience? (Problem-solving)
  • Give an example of when you have worked in a team. What was your role and what did you contribute to the team performance? (Team working)
  • Describe a project, activity or event you have planned and taken through to a conclusion. Include your objective, what you did, any changes you made to your plan and state how you measured your success. (Planning)

Make sure that you read the question carefully in order to ensure that you are focusing on the correct competencies.

Self-reflection can help you to identify specific situations from past experiences that you could use to evidence the relevant competencies. You then may want to use this specific example to tell a mini-story of how you demonstrated the competency.

Use STARR to help you structure your answers

  • Situation – Provide some brief details about the situation so that the reader can understand the context of the example
  • Task – What was the objective or purpose?
  • Action – What did you do and how? Summarise your actions in four or five individual steps, if possible.
  • Result – What was the outcome? Were the objectives met?
  • Reflect - What did you learn or gain? What could you have done better?

Read our STARR webpage for more information about using this technique.

Consider what skill the question is asking about, as it isn't always totally obvious. Then, try to use a recent example from your education, work experience, voluntary work or activities in your spare time.

Write as close to any specified word limit as possible, without exceeding it. Don't include repetitious or irrelevant material just to reach the word count – it all has to be meaningful content.

Don't use the same example over and over again for each question as it implies that you don't have varied experience.

Remember, recruiters are looking for examples that are appropriate to your age, level of experience and opportunities open to you. Often, very ordinary situations can provide excellent examples if you describe them well.

Make clear statements about your relevant skills and experience and present them with a sufficient level of detail. Don't expect employers to read between the lines of an application form or make assumptions about you.

Statements such as "I am good at time management" or "I have good communication skills" need to be supported by examples that show the employer instances in which you applied these skills.

If you aren't sure about your skills and experience, see our skills pages to look at how you can provide evidence of them in competency-based and motivational questions.