How to assess professional motivations and interests for a better career plan

According to the CIPD Good Work Index 2024, which surveyed over 5,000 UK workers, 70% of people were satisfied with their job whilst 29% of L&D professionals ranked addressing skills gaps as their top priority. No doubt - these individuals are motivated and find real interest in their work for the future! 

Taking into account a person’s professional motivations and interests allows for better career support by offering opportunities that align with their aspirations and needs. This is especially useful in a shifting labor market where expectations and requirements are constantly evolving. So why is it important to assess them? And is there a way to do it thoroughly?

What Do We Mean by Professional Motivations and Interests, and Why Are They Important?

Professional motivations are the internal drivers that push a person to act and invest in their work. They include the desire for success, the search for recognition, the urge to take on challenges, or the aspiration to contribute to a cause. 

Professional interests refer to the fields or activities that spark a person’s enthusiasm and curiosity. These may relate to specific tasks, work environments, or industry sectors. 

Motivations and interests are essential for generating the energy needed to develop new skills, explore new career paths, and achieve greater professional fulfillment.  They are key elements that influence job satisfaction and performance. Several studies show that aligning professional interests and individual motivational drivers with the role and company contributes to success- both professionally and in terms of learning new skills (Carol Dweck, 2006; Paul Murphy, 2012)

How Can You Establish a Person’s Motivational Profile? 

Everyone has unique professional motivations and interests. Helping individuals become aware of and articulate them is crucial. 

With What Tool? 

The online tool Which Career For Me, powered by Motiva is designed for psychologists and HR professionals working in career support contexts (coaching, skills assessment, career guidance, mobility, outplacement, career change, career management, and psychosocial risk prevention). It helps guide individuals in building career plans that reflect their key interests and motivations. Which Career For Me has been continuously evolved to help each person understand, clearly and structurally, what motivates or demotivates them at work. It helps them discover the jobs, activities, tasks, and professional environments that best suit them, increasing their chances of thriving and succeeding. 

What Is Assessed? 

Two complementary questionnaires, completed in 15 minutes, measure: 

• Professional interests (“what the person is interested in”) across 8 domains and 40 subdomains relevant to current jobs, regardless of current skills- useful for those considering a career change. 
• Concrete professional interests (“what the person feels capable of doing”). 
• Key motivations and the person’s satisfaction level regarding their job, work activities, company, and life values. 

Key Features of This Interactive Tool 

• Positioning the individual using a database of over 2,000 coded jobs across 60 motivational criteria, regularly updated to include emerging roles. 
• Each job is linked to an explanatory sheet and videos. Each job is defined and linked to websites presenting the role. Video descriptions include interviews or testimonials from professionals answering questions like: 
  • “Describe your job in a few words.” 
  • “Tell me about a typical day or week.” 
  • “Why did you choose this profession?” 
  • “What energizes you most during your workday?” 
  • “What skills are useful for this job?” 
  • “How do you see your professional future?” 
• An interactive job database with filter options (by industry, education level, interest domains, motivations) to help individuals choose jobs based on what they want to do, while considering their ideal work environment. 
• Career path simulation through an in-depth interactive study of the match between the person’s profile and target job profiles. 

Real-World Benefits 

Taking into account motivation, motivational satisfaction, and professional interests offers many advantages, as demonstrated by: Laurent Lopez, Head of Strategy and Mobility Programs, and Isabelle Lopez, Project Manager for Strategy and Mobility Programs at AXA France, who use Which Career For Me: Professional to support employee career development. Thierry Dupont, The Certified Coach and Management Consultant Professionalization and Partnership Ecosystems Manager at IAAC who uses Which Career For Me: Student to support talent orientation choices. Stéphanie Beldjilali, Manager of the ATOUT PLUS Groupe who use Which Career For Me: Professional to assess talent skills and support career mobility.