What do you do if your interviewee lacks motivation?

Questions that will immediately let you know if someone lacks motivation: > What career path do you envision for yourself? > What motivates you at work? > What goals did you have in your last workplace? > what was the most stressful thing about your last job? They won't always come out and say it but this way you can ascertain if something was causing the lack of motivation or if it's just someone you don't want to hire. I've had people who told me that they left jobs because they weren't feeling motivated by their last boss and I have immediately hired them. They are just looking for something to care about so give it to them!

If the interviewee lacks motivation, there are several approaches you can take to try to address the issue like clarify expectations to make sure the interviewee understands the role they are applying for and the expectations associated with it. Sometimes lack of motivation can stem from uncertainty about what is required or expected of them. Further discuss career goals and engage the interviewee in a conversation about their long-term career goals and how this position fits into their plans. Understanding their motivations can help you tailor your approach and highlight aspects of the role that align with their aspirations. And highlight opportunities for growth to emphasize the potential for growth and development within the organization

My perception of the lack of motivation is reality. Could you give it time? Sure, but save your time. Once not present at the finest point in a relationship, it will only get worse and needs to be ended respectfully but quickly as well.

Begin by establishing rapport and creating a comfortable environment to encourage openness and honesty. Ask open-ended questions to understand the candidate's career aspirations, interests, and values. Provide context for the role and company, highlighting opportunities for growth and impact to spark interest. Share success stories or examples of employees who have thrived in similar roles, emphasizing the rewards of motivation and dedication. Offer opportunities for the candidate to showcase their skills and experiences through practical exercises or case studies. Assess the candidate's response to feedback and coaching during the interview, gauging their receptiveness to improvement and development.

Set expectations: Be clear about what is expected of the role and the organization's expectations. This can help the interviewee understand the importance of the position and potentially increase motivation. Highlight the benefits: Talk about the benefits of the position and the organization, such as career growth opportunities, a positive work environment, or interesting projects. This can help rekindle some motivation.

Consider providing opportunities for the interviewee to share examples from their past experiences where they demonstrated high levels of motivation and initiative. By reflecting on concrete instances where they excelled, candidates can showcase their potential value to your organization and provide tangible evidence of their motivation. Additionally, inquire about their long-term career aspirations and how they align with the opportunities available within your company. This discussion can reveal whether the role genuinely interests them and whether they see it as a meaningful step in their professional journey.

"Reflect Values" is crucial when an interviewee lacks motivation. By aligning discussions with the organization's core values, the interviewer can gauge if the candidate resonates with the company culture and mission. This approach helps assess intrinsic motivation and passion, which are vital for long-term engagement and performance. Reflecting values also encourages authenticity, allowing candidates to express genuine interest and commitment. Ultimately, hiring individuals who share the organization's values fosters a culture of alignment, productivity, and mutual fulfillment.

If the company values align with the individual's values, then you are in the sweet spot - very lucky. From my experience, if you align 6 or 7 on a scale of 10, you have a career in hand, not a job. In addition, if you can show the bigger picture or the career path, this can be a great motivator for the interviewee.

I consistently inquire about a candidate's preferred activities and dislikes, aligning them with the position to ensure compatibility. This process helps in identifying whether the role resonates with their interests and strengths, fostering a better fit within the team and maximizing productivity.

Having dedicated individuals in key roles is a major contributor to success. Actively engaging with your team on regular basis for what they want to learn, where their strengths lie at, and being able to diagnose gaps in what your team can do, can help identify what any manager should focus on getting the resources to help improve the capabilities of their team. When you have very ambitious people on your team, challenging your team and giving them tasks that may require them to learn more or dive deeper into a problem can pose as a great learning opportunity. As well as show you as a manager what your team is made of and better understand their capabilities in overcoming challenges or adversity. "Adapt and Overcome"

Showing honesty during an interview can be challenging when navigating corporate etiquette and uncertainties about the interviewer's intentions. As a Recruiter, avoid sharp questions, it's better to illuminate inquiries positively. For instance, rather than asking "why do you want to leave," consider "what are you seeking in your next opportunity?" This approach fosters open dialogue while maintaining professionalism.

When a candidate is a strong match for the position with aligned soft and hard skills, I view it as completing a puzzle. I delve into understanding what elements might be missing. Through discussions on their envisioned work environment, compensation expectations, and growth plans, I aim to align expectations. It's not just about convincing them; it's about showcasing the company and the opportunity in its entirety.

You cannot be a good fit for a role without motivation. It isn't possible, so why work on this if it isn't natural there? I need to hire people to contribute, not a problem with willingness and motivation. Career hiring suicide to bring this on!

I would never, yes NEVER, ever hire an interviewee lacking motivation! Period end of story, willingness and motivation outpace anything, and they would be shown "respectfully" the door in a short period of time. However, I would ask why the lack of demonstrating motivation. Why? To help them polish up on their needs for succeeding in the future, yet "somewhere else"!

Ask to Relax, Reset & Restart...a lot of candidates I interview, are already under immense preasure & and precon eived notions about interviews. I always make them relax, pause, restart. Also I try putting a bit of humour to bring the smile & reduce stress. Then once they are ready, I explain that the next 20-30 mins will be their window to prove their worth for the position and the offer. So far its worked wonders. So much so that rejected candidates have appreciated the conversations & learnings...worth a shot for all

Someone that comes in for an interview without excitement and previous research into the role and company isn’t worth to take on. If they don’t have the right attitude for an interview they will not suddenly find it after you hire them. It’s like trying to breathe life into a corpse.

One other helpful tip is to ask general questions (not too structured) that make the interviewee feel free to talk about their experiences, strengths and areas needing improvement. A more structured and non flexible approach could hinder the conversation.