Free Motivation Quiz: Discover Your Inner Drive

Not sure what fuels and inspires you at work? Find out what motivates you to get ahead in your career journey and reach your goals.

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Why take our motivation style test?

  • Understand what drives you

    Whether it's recognition, a sense of achievement, a good paycheck, or the opportunity to change the world for better - understand what keeps you motivated and productive at work.

  • Find inner peace

    Identify your true professional motivation so you don't spend time chasing goals that are not truly yours. Achieve that inner peace that comes from understanding who you really are.

  • Enjoy a sense of accomplishment

    Understand what motivates you best to set goals you will really enjoy achieving and accomplish more in your professional life.

  • Gain actionable insights

    Get actionable tips and advice on how to apply your motivation style best to fully enjoy its benefits and make it work for your career.

  • Find your dream job

    By understanding how you prefer to be motivated, you can approach your job search smartly. Find new career opportunities where your motivation style will be appreciated and enjoy a fulfilling career.

How to take the motivation style quiz?

This test will answer "How do you prefer to be motivated?" question - just follow these tips for the most accurate result:

  • 1

    You will see a set of questions and statements. Choose the answer that best reflects how you feel about something.

  • 2

    The test doesn't have a timer, so take as much time as you need to come up with a true response.

  • 3

    Be honest and true to yourself - it will help you get the most accurate result.

  • 4

    Take the screenshot of the test results so that you can return to them later.

The pros of this quiz

  • 3 minutes to complete
  • No registration needed
  • Simple questions
  • Instant results
  • Available from mobile or desktop
  • Research-based insights
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Find Your Motivation: What Drives You in Your Career?

Are you looking for what truly motivates you in your professional journey? Take this quick quiz to find out what drives you and how you can use it to land your dream job!

What are the main motivation styles?

Understanding what drives your actions at work can push you to achieve more. Here are the main motivation styles:

Incentive motivation

Incentive motivation says that you are best driven by a specific reward, which is usually an external encouragement. In connection to the workplace, it means a pay raise, promotion, yearly bonus, and various perks. People with this motivation type tend to commit to the action when they anticipate the reward. Yet, it is not necessarily a bad thing, especially when this type of motivation is combined with others.

Fear motivation

In the case with fear motivation, people make decisions based not on what they want to achieve, but rather to avoid pain, failure, or other negative consequences. People often refer to it as "negative motivation", but in fact, such a motivation isn't a bad thing. For example, if you fear failing an exam, this fear will serve as a driver and push you to study harder and take it. Or, if you make a resolution in front of coworkers or friends, the fear of not fulfilling your promise will push you to keep going.

Achievement motivation

People driven by achievement want to reach specific goals above all. They will put in an extra effort and will not stop until they succeed. The movement towards a desired goal motivates them in itself. Unlike those driven by a reward, people motivated by achievement will not seek a monetary reward in the first place. Even if they don't receive an incentive for a job well done, they will still stay motivated to achieve the goal.

Power motivation

People who strive to influence the situation and defend their opinions have the power-based motivation. They want to stay in control over their own lives and the lives of others. Such people often encourage others to perform the necessary actions and want to change the world around them. It helps them set smart goals and be intentional in their actions.

Social motivation

Social, or affiliation, motivation means that belonging and a sense of being accepted are your core drivers. Such people develop professionally when they communicate with those who are ahead of them in status, professionalism, and level of education, and thrive when they get recognition from their group. If this sounds like you, build connections with people who are working towards the same goal as you or have already achieved it.

Competence motivation

If you've always wanted to be the best in your field and constantly expand your skills, you are driven by competence and knowledge. Such people are curious and willing to learn more about their profession and skills, which eventually drives their professional development. Such motivation is useful when learning new skills. It is not tied to external reward or incentive, as you follow your inner desire to learn more. It is also not tied to competition and performing better than others.

Attitude motivation

People with attitude motivation have a big-picture goal. They want to change the world, improve themselves as part of the world, or help others. They prefer to find happiness in non-material things, and be proud about themselves doing something good for others. All actions aimed at finding your place in life and harmony with yourself are connected with this type of motivation.

As a rule, we don't have only one type of motivation, but rather a combination of 2-3 types. An overview of popular motivation styles will help you learn more and maybe use other types as well.

About the motivation quiz

People are motivated by different things at work. Some thrive when they set high standards for themselves and exceed their own expectations. Others enjoy recognition and a sense of influence and being a role model for others. Some want predictability in a job and value working in a stable organization with routine operations and few changes. Other employees thrive and succeed in fast-paced, competitive, and unpredictable environments, as they give them energy and drive.

Knowing your motivation will help you make career decisions smartly. You will find genuine drivers for your motivation and can choose the environment where you can apply your skills best. Our motivation style quiz will reveal the best motivation for a person like you and recommend the best career options.

How to stay motivated at work?

No matter your preferred type of motivation, everyone feels unengaged at work at times. Here's how to keep your motivation high:

See the big picture

In any job you will face challenging, tough, and downright boring tasks. You might struggle to find the motivation to complete them. In such cases, it helps to look at the big picture of your career. Remind yourself why you wanted to work in this role and in this company, what skills you wanted to develop, and what is your reason to keep going. Such an approach not only will help you to stay on track, but also keep you open for new opportunities.

Break large projects into manageable chunks

Big tasks and assignments can be daunting. If you don't know where to start, break down the big assignment into small tasks and start completing them one by one. Thus, you will gain momentum and start seeing the progress, which will inspire you to keep going. Plus, you'll see if something goes wrong and can adjust the actions you and your team can take.

Set deadlines

Even if the task or project is not urgent, always set a deadline for it. If you don't you are likely to procrastinate on non-urgent tasks and struggle to stay on top of everything. On the flip side, knowing that you have a time limit will motivate you to use resources effectively, plus you'll have plenty of time to spend with your family and doing things you enjoy.

Create a daily routine

Having a detailed schedule can keep your motivation high. Here's how it works: when you know your scope of work in advance, you can make a to-do list in the morning or the night before. Thus, you won't waste time wondering what to do next and can just complete the tasks one by one.

Celebrate small wins

Reward yourself for success and small victories. If you completed a large task half an hour before the deadline, cleaned up your inbox, or received recognition for your work with colleagues, treat yourself to a cup of coffee, delicious dessert, or your favorite movie in the evening. As you reward yourself for small victories, you create positive reinforcement that will maintain your motivation at work.

Your work is no longer motivating? Let us help

If, despite knowing your motivation and working hard, you feel unhappy and unfulfilled, your job might not be the right fit for you. At ResumePerk, we've been helping clients to pursue their dream job for 10+ years now. Here's how we assist the job-seekers:

  1. Resume writing - recruiters spend only 7 seconds on each resume. With our attention-grabbing templates and result-oriented content, your resume will outshine the competition.
  2. Cover letters - want to show extra motivation for joining the company? Let us prepare a tailored cover letter focused on your most significant contributions and projects.
  3. LinkedIn profile - boost your online presence with a professionally developed, keyword-rich LinkedIn profile. Let employers find you online.
  4. Interview tips - our experts offer personalized interview guidance and tips that will help you ace any job interview and answer all questions with confidence.

Take the Motivation Quiz and Unlock Your Career Potential

Our insightful quiz will reveal what motivates you so you can achieve goals more effectively. Knowing your inner drive will help you find a company and a role that suits your personality and build a productive career. Save the quiz results for self-reflection or in case you seek help from a career consultant, and don't hesitate to reach out to us for custom resumes and other job application documents!

Our experienced writers can create a powerful resume suitable for each position. However, you may also request a specific resume depending on the job you are applying for, thus it will be tailored individually for your profession:

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