Unless you’re fresh out of college, every job searcher has been asked, “why are you leaving your last job?” or “what’s your reason for leaving your position?” It’s an interview staple.
Most people try to figure out their answers beforehand in order to keep job applications and responses in interviews consistent. Depending on your answer, it could raise cause for concern that you’re going to leave the new company in the same way you left your last. However, lying could get you blacklisted from the organization.
If you have an *iffy* reason for your departure, here are some things you should say.
If you left because of a toxic work environment
You shouldn’t badmouth your old boss, your position, the company… or really any of your old jobs. Keep it positive, regardless of the circumstances.
Have some negative posts/comments on LinkedIn? Delete them. You would be amazed how many TOP candidates go on the chopping block because they decided to gossip about their company on social media. Even if it’s justified, it can leave a bad impression.
Look at it this way. You probably wouldn’t want to go on a first date with someone who complains about their ex the entire night. Similarly, interviewers are trying to figure out how compatible you are for the company and the negative energy can be off-putting.
Instead, say you are looking for better career prospects and want a work-culture where you can grow. You don’t need to elaborate more than necessary.
If you left because you got fired
Maybe leaving your last job wasn’t your choice. In an interview with Alistair Campell, Anna Wintour the Editor-in-Chief for Vogue Magazine said, “Everyone should be sacked at least once in their career because perfection doesn’t exist. It’s important to have setbacks because that is the reality of life.”
Thousands have been fired/laid off this past year, so you’re not alone. It doesn’t mean your career is over or you need to remove the job from your resume. The best approach is to talk about the situation as a learning experience.
A good format to follow is to talk about what your expectations originally were, what actually happened and then what you’ve learned from it.
Example: “When I was originally hired as the [job title], the description of the job was different from what I ended up doing. Because of that, I had some struggles early on. My supervisor and I realized that it wasn’t the best fit. Since then, I’ve been able to clarify my own professional goals and I have a better idea of what kind of roles I would thrive in. I’ve also worked on communicating better so I have clear expectations from the beginning.”
If you left because you were passed for a promotion
This is another one you probably will want to leave out the extra details on. Completely avoid mentioning instances where your boss didn’t keep their promises of a promotion. If you left your job because you felt underutilized or unappreciated, you’re not alone and it’s a common reason people leave. If you say you were unjustly passed for a promotion, the hiring manager will interpret it one of two ways: that you left as a result of your ego or because you had truly achieved as much with a company as you could. It’s risky to roll the dice on this one, so you want to make sure your intent is as clear as possible.
Don’t mention the promotion, but state that you’re looking for a company with growth potential. It’s normal to hit a cap and if you’ve been with your company for a while, it’s doubtful that the hiring manager will press on it. You can keep it to a simple, “I am looking for a position within a company where I can contribute and grow.”
There is no reason why leaving your last job should hurt your future job opportunities! If you prepare beforehand, you’ll roll on through the interview with no issue.
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