“What did you like most about your last job?” looks like the easiest question in the interview. It is easy to answer pleasantly. It is harder to answer usefully, because the interviewer is quietly comparing what you enjoyed with what this job will ask you to do every day. If the two match, your answer becomes evidence that you will be motivated in the role. If they don’t, a pleasant answer can count against you.
This guide works like a short workshop: first the formula, then how to choose what to talk about, then three before-and-after rewrites.
The formula in one line
What you enjoyed + why you enjoyed it + where that shows up in this job.
Each part matters. “What” without “why” sounds generic. “Why” without the link to the new job leaves the interviewer to make the connection, and they may not.
Why the question is asked
Interviewers are trying to predict motivation. Skills tell them whether you can do the job; what you enjoy tells them whether you will keep doing it well. Prospects, the UK graduate careers service, makes a similar point about the “why do you want to work here?” question, advising candidates to draw on what you enjoy and to use examples suggesting they are strongly motivated and can relate closely to the organisation.
The question also reveals what kind of environment suits you, which links to values. TARGETjobs notes that your values are essential because they will drive your behaviour in the workplace. What you liked most about a job is often your values in practice.
Choosing what to talk about: three filters
Start by writing down five things you genuinely enjoyed in your last role. Then run each one through three filters.
Filter 1: Is it about the work, not the perks?
Free lunches, a short commute, flexible Fridays and generous leave are real advantages, but they say nothing about how you will perform. Cross them out. Keep anything to do with tasks, problems, people you served or the kind of results you produced.
Filter 2: Does it exist in the new job?
Compare each remaining item with the job description. The National Careers Service advises candidates to be positive and tailor your examples to the job description. If you loved designing training courses and the new role has no training element, that answer, however sincere, highlights a mismatch.
Filter 3: Can you give a specific example?
“I loved working with clients” is an opinion. “I liked the moment a client finally understood why their cash flow was tight, because I’d explained it in plain terms” is a memory. Keep the items that come with a real moment attached.
Whatever survives all three filters is your answer. Usually one or two items remain, which is the right number.
What different “likes” signal to an interviewer
The table shows how common answers tend to be read. It is a guide to framing, not a rule; context matters.
| What you say you liked | What it tends to signal | Best suited to roles that… |
|---|---|---|
| Solving problems nobody else could fix | Persistence, analytical motivation | involve troubleshooting, analysis or engineering |
| Seeing customers or patients leave happier | Service motivation, empathy | are customer-facing or care-focused |
| Learning something new every month | Curiosity; may get bored with routine | change often or involve new products and tools |
| Owning a project from start to finish | Accountability, desire for autonomy | give clear ownership and decision rights |
| Working closely with a tight team | Collaboration; may struggle working alone | are team-based rather than remote and solo |
| Hitting clear targets | Results focus, competitiveness | are sales, operations or performance-measured |
| Bringing order to messy processes | Structure, improvement mindset | involve operations, administration or quality |
Three before-and-after rewrites
All examples are illustrative. Use them to see the change in approach, then build your own from real experience.
Rewrite 1: Customer service to account management
Before: “I liked my colleagues. We had a great team atmosphere.”
After: “What I liked most was building relationships with repeat customers. Over two years I got to know several business clients well enough to spot when they’d need more stock before they asked, and a couple of them started routing all their orders through me. That longer-term side is what attracted me to account management here, where you look after a fixed portfolio.”
What changed: the answer moved from atmosphere, which every workplace claims, to a specific activity that is central to the new role.
Rewrite 2: Junior accountant to financial analyst
Before: “I enjoyed working with numbers.”
After: “I liked month-end most, which surprises people. Not the reconciliations themselves, but the moment afterwards when I could explain to a department head why their costs had moved. That explaining part is what I want to do more of, and from the job description it’s a large part of the analyst role.”
What changed: “working with numbers” became a specific moment with a reason, and the reason maps onto the new job.
Rewrite 3: Teacher moving into corporate training
Before: “I loved the holidays and working with children.”
After: “The part I enjoyed most was redesigning a unit that wasn’t working. One year our results in a particular topic were weak, so I rebuilt the materials with more practical exercises and checked progress each week. Seeing students who had struggled finally get it was the best part of the job. Designing and improving learning is exactly what this training role involves, just with adult learners.”
What changed: the perk disappeared, the general statement became a specific project, and the skill transferred clearly to a new sector. Career changers in particular should lead with the part of their old job that overlaps most with the new one.
Keep it consistent with your other answers
This question rarely comes alone. It often sits next to “What did you like least?” and “Why are you leaving?” Interviewers notice when the answers contradict each other. If you say you loved autonomy, your “least liked” answer should not be that you lacked direction. Prepare all three together and check that they tell one coherent story about what motivates you.
A tailored answer to an easy question is one of the simplest ways to stand out, because most candidates treat this one as small talk.
Common mistakes
- Naming a perk as the main answer. Mention it at most as a light aside.
- Praising something the new job lacks. It reads as a warning sign, not enthusiasm.
- Overpraising the old employer. If everything was perfect, the interviewer will wonder why you are leaving.
- Being vague. “The people” and “the culture” need a concrete example to mean anything.
- Answering for too long. Aim for 45 to 90 seconds.
Show the same motivation on paper
If your answer centres on owning projects or developing client relationships, your CV should show it too, with results attached. Browsing resume guidance by role can help you see which achievements matter most in your target job, and the cover letter guide explains how to express motivation in writing without repeating your CV.
Frequently asked questions
Can I say I liked my colleagues the most?
You can, but make it specific: describe how the team worked together and give an example, then link it to how the new team operates. On its own, ‘great colleagues’ is too generic to help.
Should I mention salary or benefits?
Not as your main answer. Benefits say little about how you will perform. Focus on the work itself, and leave pay and benefits for the stage when they are discussed directly.
What if the thing I liked most is not part of the new job?
Pick something else you genuinely enjoyed that does appear in the new role. If nothing overlaps at all, it is worth asking yourself whether the job suits you.
How is this different from ‘What are you passionate about?’
Passion questions are broader and can include interests outside work. This question is anchored in your actual last role, so it needs a concrete example from that job.
Sources
- Interview questions, Prospects
- Top 10 interview questions, National Careers Service, UK
- ‘What can you bring to the company?’ Tricky graduate interview question, TARGETjobs