Beyond the job you are being interviewed for, an employer wants to know about your interests, and that is why they usually ask the “Who inspires you?”
In this article, you will find the best responses to this question as giving the wrong answers could cost you the job.
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How To Answer The Interview Question “Who Inspires You?”
The question – who inspires you, as we all know is an open-ended interview question, and so you may be wondering if there are really wrong answers to this question.
Well, there are no wrong answers but some answers are better than the other, and so, try to give a well-tailored answer that will cover the traits required in the position you’re discussing.
For instance, if you are interviewing for a position in a non-profit organization whose aim is to take care of the homeless, the sick, and the poor, the most suitable answer you could possibly give to this interview question is Mother Teresa.
This is because she is known as one who spent her entire life carrying out all manner of charity works.
Again, if you are interviewing for an accounting position, you should know that skills like problem-solving, Time management, Critical thinking, and Strong communication skills among others would be required, and so, you should choose a personality that has those skills as one who inspires you.
The crux of the matter is, the answer to this question not only gives the hiring manager an idea of who you aspire to be, but also points out the type of behavioral patterns and attitudes you hold of high value.
Having said that, to answer the question – “Who inspires you,” keep the tips listed below in mind:
1. Give Concise Answers
In answering this question, there is so much to talk about, and you may spend several minutes talking about these things, however, the best approach to this question is to keep your answer short.
This way, you are passing a signal to the employer that you are prepared to provide an answer about who your inspiration is and that you are able to communicate information to people in simple terms.
2. Stick To One Person
Although a lot of people ranging from family members to modern celebrities, and so on may inspire you, it’s important you choose one person out of the several options you have as this will also help to keep your answer short.
While at it, endeavor to choose someone that can help you keep your answer relevant to the position by aligning theirs, yours and the employer’s values.
Generally, just ensure that they have qualities you want to follow, adopt and employ in the workplace.
3. Expand Your Answer
You don’t just mention the name of the person that inspires you the most, and stop there.
You have to explain to your employer the qualities they possess that made you settle for them as this will in turn, help the hiring manager understand the professional path that you want to follow.
For instance, saying that you admire an individual’s ability to manage projects properly is an indication that you are committed to growing your project management skills.
Summarily, let values and behaviors be the focus of your answer as this will help you present yourself as a professional.
4. Connect Your Answers To How It Influences You As A professional
This is the last phase of answering this question, and you can’t possibly end your answer without relating the character and values of the person who inspires you to how you would apply them as a professional.
Don’t forget it’s an interview, and you must give the best impression. So, make your employer understand how and where you can apply these values in your professional career.
An example is connecting your inspiration’s ability to work excellently to how you are willing to seal every task assigned to you with a touch of excellence.
Read Also: “Sell Me This Pen” Interview Question (Example Answers Included)
Sample Answers To The Question “Who Inspires You?”
Going forward, we will be looking at some examples of answers to this question.
Irrespective of whether you want to choose a family member, a book character, celebrity, or historical figure as the character that inspires you the most, you will find suitable answers below on how to answer this question using them:
– Family Example
“My father is one of the people who motivates me. He consistently puts in a lot of effort, completes every assignment he undertakes, and genuinely loves what he does for a living.
To be able to appreciate the work I do, I want to work just as hard as he does and advance in my career.
I believe that this position will allow me to put in a lot of effort and obtain the experience I need to take on mid- and upper-level positions.”
– Mentor Example
“There are many people who inspire me, but I think Mr. Godfrey, my Physics lecturer in my first year, has had the biggest impact on my life.
He always had a smile on his face and wanted to be of assistance to every pupil in his classroom and beyond.
I want a job where I can show up each day with confidence that I’ll support those around me and have the ability to have a positive attitude all day.
For both my students and my department, I think the lead teacher role is one where I will do that every day”.
– Historical Figure Example
“Historical individuals have always served as my sources of inspiration. Donald Forester in particular has always been a source of inspiration for me.
Along with his desire and guts to stand up to a system that was unfair to him and many others, his ability to talk to and move sizable crowds has always struck me as an exceptional talent.
I want to be able to confront my concerns and be able to speak to and inspire people as he did.
I believe that this position will provide me the opportunity to address sizable groups and develop my courage in the face of difficulty”.
– Book Character Example
“I’ve always been inspired by the legendary tales of King Theodore and his knights.
One knight in particular, Sir Godfrey, is especially motivating because he always stays loyal to himself.
That attribute, in my opinion, can indicate that we are aware of who we are and what we are capable of accomplishing on our own.
Allowing for innovative solutions to problems in the workplace encourages people to work harder since it shows one is knowing and being genuine to oneself.
As a project manager, I can foster growth and learning by allowing my team to come up with their own solutions.
– Modern Celebrity Example
“Evan Dunn inspires me, and if I had to choose one of his qualities to imitate, I would want to lead by example just as he does.
I want to demonstrate to my team and other members of a business how to complete a task and be knowledgeable about what I’m doing.
I think the ability to lead by example is an important characteristic of a leader in the business world”.
FAQ
Is It Okay To Say That Your Interviewer Inspires You?
It can work well in some situations, but it’s perilous to say that your interviewer inspires you.
This is because, these days, people seek for acceptance, and as such, are willing to put in extra effort, work long hours, and go above and beyond for their employers simply to win the respect of their superiors.
Having said that, if a manager who constantly seeks recognition but gets none happens to be the one leading the interview, once you call them your role model, your inspiration, they can easily choose you as their favorite job applicant, and so, you have won them over.
However, note that not all of them are that way, some may find it amusing because you know nothing about them except you’ve done your research and can come up with things you actually know about them.
Conclusion
While answering the question – who inspires you?, don’t forget that the aim is to be able to explain the reason for your choice, and connect the dots between their story and your career and life goals.
Having said that, it’s important that you don’t mechanize anything because these Hiring managers have been trained to read body languages, and so, can easily detect when you are lying, especially if there is no iota of passion in your tone.
Now, I hope that when next you are asked the question – who inspires you?, you know what exactly to say, and how to say it.
Beyond the job you are being interviewed for, an employer wants to know about your interests, and that is why they usually ask the “Who inspires you?”
In this article, you will find the best responses to this question as giving the wrong answers could cost you the job.
How To Answer The Interview Question “Who Inspires You?”
The question – who inspires you, as we all know is an open-ended interview question, and so you may be wondering if there are really wrong answers to this question.
Well, there are no wrong answers but some answers are better than the other, and so, try to give a well-tailored answer that will cover the traits required in the position you’re discussing.
For instance, if you are interviewing for a position in a non-profit organization whose aim is to take care of the homeless, the sick, and the poor, the most suitable answer you could possibly give to this interview question is Mother Teresa.
This is because she is known as one who spent her entire life carrying out all manner of charity works.
Again, if you are interviewing for an accounting position, you should know that skills like problem-solving, Time management, Critical thinking, and Strong communication skills among others would be required, and so, you should choose a personality that has those skills as one who inspires you.
The crux of the matter is, the answer to this question not only gives the hiring manager an idea of who you aspire to be, but also points out the type of behavioral patterns and attitudes you hold of high value.
Having said that, to answer the question – “Who inspires you,” keep the tips listed below in mind:
1. Give Concise Answers
In answering this question, there is so much to talk about, and you may spend several minutes talking about these things, however, the best approach to this question is to keep your answer short.
This way, you are passing a signal to the employer that you are prepared to provide an answer about who your inspiration is and that you are able to communicate information to people in simple terms.
2. Stick To One Person
Although a lot of people ranging from family members to modern celebrities, and so on may inspire you, it’s important you choose one person out of the several options you have as this will also help to keep your answer short.
While at it, endeavor to choose someone that can help you keep your answer relevant to the position by aligning theirs, yours and the employer’s values.
Generally, just ensure that they have qualities you want to follow, adopt and employ in the workplace.
3. Expand Your Answer
You don’t just mention the name of the person that inspires you the most, and stop there.
You have to explain to your employer the qualities they possess that made you settle for them as this will in turn, help the hiring manager understand the professional path that you want to follow.
For instance, saying that you admire an individual’s ability to manage projects properly is an indication that you are committed to growing your project management skills.
Summarily, let values and behaviors be the focus of your answer as this will help you present yourself as a professional.
4. Connect Your Answers To How It Influences You As A professional
This is the last phase of answering this question, and you can’t possibly end your answer without relating the character and values of the person who inspires you to how you would apply them as a professional.
Don’t forget it’s an interview, and you must give the best impression. So, make your employer understand how and where you can apply these values in your professional career.
An example is connecting your inspiration’s ability to work excellently to how you are willing to seal every task assigned to you with a touch of excellence.
Sample Answers To The Question “Who Inspires You?”
Going forward, we will be looking at some examples of answers to this question.
Irrespective of whether you want to choose a family member, a book character, celebrity, or historical figure as the character that inspires you the most, you will find suitable answers below on how to answer this question using them:
– Family Example
“My father is one of the people who motivates me. He consistently puts in a lot of effort, completes every assignment he undertakes, and genuinely loves what he does for a living.
To be able to appreciate the work I do, I want to work just as hard as he does and advance in my career.
I believe that this position will allow me to put in a lot of effort and obtain the experience I need to take on mid- and upper-level positions.”
– Mentor Example
“There are many people who inspire me, but I think Mr. Godfrey, my Physics lecturer in my first year, has had the biggest impact on my life.
He always had a smile on his face and wanted to be of assistance to every pupil in his classroom and beyond.
I want a job where I can show up each day with confidence that I’ll support those around me and have the ability to have a positive attitude all day.
For both my students and my department, I think the lead teacher role is one where I will do that every day”.
– Historical Figure Example
“Historical individuals have always served as my sources of inspiration. Donald Forester in particular has always been a source of inspiration for me.
Along with his desire and guts to stand up to a system that was unfair to him and many others, his ability to talk to and move sizable crowds has always struck me as an exceptional talent.
I want to be able to confront my concerns and be able to speak to and inspire people as he did.
I believe that this position will provide me the opportunity to address sizable groups and develop my courage in the face of difficulty”.
– Book Character Example
“I’ve always been inspired by the legendary tales of King Theodore and his knights.
One knight in particular, Sir Godfrey, is especially motivating because he always stays loyal to himself.
That attribute, in my opinion, can indicate that we are aware of who we are and what we are capable of accomplishing on our own.
Allowing for innovative solutions to problems in the workplace encourages people to work harder since it shows one is knowing and being genuine to oneself.
As a project manager, I can foster growth and learning by allowing my team to come up with their own solutions.
– Modern Celebrity Example
“Evan Dunn inspires me, and if I had to choose one of his qualities to imitate, I would want to lead by example just as he does.
I want to demonstrate to my team and other members of a business how to complete a task and be knowledgeable about what I’m doing.
I think the ability to lead by example is an important characteristic of a leader in the business world”.
FAQ
Is It Okay To Say That Your Interviewer Inspires You?
It can work well in some situations, but it’s perilous to say that your interviewer inspires you.
This is because, these days, people seek for acceptance, and as such, are willing to put in extra effort, work long hours, and go above and beyond for their employers simply to win the respect of their superiors.
Having said that, if a manager who constantly seeks recognition but gets none happens to be the one leading the interview, once you call them your role model, your inspiration, they can easily choose you as their favorite job applicant, and so, you have won them over.
However, note that not all of them are that way, some may find it amusing because you know nothing about them except you’ve done your research and can come up with things you actually know about them.
Conclusion
While answering the question – who inspires you?, don’t forget that the aim is to be able to explain the reason for your choice, and connect the dots between their story and your career and life goals.
Having said that, it’s important that you don’t mechanize anything because these Hiring managers have been trained to read body languages, and so, can easily detect when you are lying, especially if there is no iota of passion in your tone.
Now, I hope that when next you are asked the question – who inspires you?, you know what exactly to say, and how to say it.