The Top Motivational Interviewing Questions to Ask Candidates

Motivational interviewing questions are an essential part of the hiring process for many roles, especially those in sales coaching counseling, healthcare, and other fields requiring strong influencing and communication abilities.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore what motivational interviewing is, why it’s asked in interviews, the types of motivational interview questions to expect, and most importantly – how to craft winning responses

Whether you’re an employer wanting to assess candidates’ skills, or a job seeker wanting to ace your next interview, these tips will help you have more meaningful, productive motivational interviewing conversations.

What is Motivational Interviewing?

Motivational interviewing is a counseling technique focused on motivating behavior change by helping clients explore and resolve their own ambivalence about change

Developed in the 1980s, it diverges from traditional advice-giving methods. Instead, it employs strategic open-ended questions and reflective listening to uncover the individual’s intrinsic motivations and barriers regarding a desired behavioral goal.

By eliciting the person’s own motivations and obstacles, motivational interviewing aims to help them determine their readiness to implement change and commit to specific action steps.

It requires specialized skills like:

• Asking open-ended questions
• Active listening
• Establishing empathy and trust
• Recognizing change talk
• Resolving ambivalence

Motivational interviewing is applied in diverse contexts – from healthcare settings to life coaching to sales conversations.

Why Ask Motivational Interview Questions in Interviews?

More and more, motivational interview questions are being incorporated into interviews for client-facing, influencing, and change management roles across sectors.

Why? Because they allow employers to directly assess candidates’ motivational interviewing skills including:

• Ability to ask strategic open-ended questions
• Active listening and reflection
• Non-judgemental mindset
• Drawing out change motivations
• Guiding individuals toward change

These specialized skills reveal how a candidate may perform in real on-the-job situations requiring empathy, influence, and facilitating change.

Let’s look at some specific examples of motivational interview questions asked in interviews:

Common Motivational Interview Questions and Answers

Here are some motivational interview questions you may encounter, with examples of strong responses:

Q1: Tell me about a time you had to motivate someone who was resistant to change. How did you handle it?

This classic behavioral question tests how you’ve applied motivational interviewing skills to address resistance. Discuss how you avoided arguing, established rapport, uncovered their concerns, reinforced their own motivations, and guided them toward change talk. Provide a specific example.

Q2: Imagine I’m a patient concerned about making lifestyle changes to manage Type 2 diabetes. Using motivational interviewing skills, how would you counsel me?

Here the interviewer wants to see your motivational interviewing ability firsthand. Respond asking open-ended questions to understand my concerns. Use reflective listening and avoid judgment. Reinforce my own motivations and gently guide toward discussing change.

Q3: Your client says she wants to start an exercise routine but hasn’t taken any action yet. What would you ask or say next using motivational interviewing?

This scenario probes your ability to recognize and resolve ambivalence. Respond by asking permission to discuss her goals, what benefits she expects from exercise, and any barriers preventing action so far. Use change talk and weigh pros and cons to help her determine next steps.

Q4: How would you get an unmotivated teenager to open up and engage in counseling?

For this tough scenario, share how you’d establish rapport through nonverbal cues of active listening. Ask open questions about their interests to build engagement. Affirm their strengths and avoid arguing to build trust.

Tips for Answering Motivational Interview Questions

Here are some top tips candidates should keep in mind when tackling motivational interview questions:

Demonstrate the core skills

• Asking open-ended questions
• Reflective listening
• Establishing empathy and trust
• Identifying motivations and barriers
• Drawing out change talk

Provide specific examples

Use real scenarios from past experience. Don’t just state what you would do – give detailed illustrations.

Be positive and non-judgmental

Avoid negative language about those resistant to change. Maintain a constructive, optimistic tone.

Showcase emotional intelligence

Highlight your ability to connect, establish rapport quickly, and counsel with compassion.

Reinforce motivations

Discuss helping people recognize their own motivations and goals. Guide them there based on their values – don’t impose your own.

Offer Options

Present multiple options tailored to the individual when discussing change. Don’t dictate one rigid approach.

Questions to Ask Employers about Motivational Interviewing

As a candidate, you should also ask probing questions to assess if motivational interviewing really is utilized in the role and gauge your fit. Consider asking:

• How are motivational interviewing skills currently applied in this role?

• What training opportunities exist to develop motivational interviewing abilities on the job?

• What traits do your top motivational interviewers exhibit that you’d like me to demonstrate?

• What challenges have you observed when integrating motivational interviewing in this role?

Being prepared with strong motivational interviewing skills and example scenarios will help you stand out and prove you can excel in roles requiring influence and facilitating change.

Approach motivational interview questions as opportunities to showcase your listening and counseling abilities. With practice responding to common scenarios, you’ll ace this increasingly critical portion of the interview process.