It is often said that a career in healthcare is a 'thankless job'. How can we keep you motivated and engaged, even on the days when you feel your work goes unnoticed?
Talk to the interviewer about how you have stayed motivated in the past, even when you do not receive the recognition you deserve. The interviewer would like to know how they could continue encouraging you - even on the most challenging days. They want to see if you need verbal recognition or are inspired solely by your team's and patients' success.
"I am an easily motivated individual, and it does not take much to keep me engaged. I am fully aware that healthcare-related positions can seem thankless. Honestly, the best thanks I can get is a smile from my patients and their loved ones. The majority of my motivation comes from simply helping people."
"My chosen career was helping people at exactly the point they were least capable of helping themselves. So, I have never expected thanks from my patients. It's not like I don't need positive reinforcement. Everyone does. But I made a point to find it elsewhere instead of expecting it from my patients. Nowadays, I make an effort to expressly thank the people I work with when they do a good job. I focus on being grateful to be allowed to see private, raw, emotional parts of people's lives. And I make work-related goals I can achieve for satisfaction."
It is best to show the interviewer that you can motivate yourself and do not require outside help to keep you inspired to perform your job. Most healthcare professionals do not enter the healthcare field for recognition, so it should not be expected from your patients.
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
At my current workplace, the anaesthetic nurses often leave little notes on each other's set ups like "have a nice day" or "awesome job" etc. We keep each other motivated, which is a nice gesture. Simple notes and appreciation often go a long way to keep staff motivated.
Rachelle's Feedback
This is awesome! It sounds like you enjoy a positive and supportive work environment. This answer should give the hiring authorities a good idea of what you need to remain motivated.
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