The main aim of this study was to examine the most relevant motivating factors (i.e. intrinsic, extrinsic and altruistic) influencing pre-service English school teachers to choose teaching as their profession. A small questionnaire was administered to 73 third-year student teachers at the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB). Results indicate that integrative reasons were the most dominant to choose teaching for both male and female students, followed next by altruistic reasons. Extrinsic reasons such as job security or lengthy holidays seem to have the least impact upon participants' decision to enter the profession. However, results reveal statistically significant differences across motivational reasons within each category as a function of gender. Findings also indicate that participants show a highly positive self-concept regarding their English proficiency. This latter affective variable was found to be positively correlated with participants' mastery of oral skills.