Introduction
You’ve been in your current job for five years. You’ve enjoyed some of it and you’ve had good opportunities there—but, after careful consideration, you’ve decided to move on. Why? That’s the question that your interviewer is going to ask you at some point during the hiring process. And if you’re like most people, this is a question that makes you uncomfortable: What do I say? What if they ask me what happened at my last job? What if they think I’m just being difficult or disloyal?
Know why you're really leaving your job.
Know why you’re really leaving your job. If you don’t know why, you won’t be able to explain it to others and it will become a stumbling block in your interview process.
Be honest with yourself: The reason you left is what will help guide the next step in your career, so take some time to ask yourself why you are looking for a new job and if there are any other factors that may influence what kind of position would best fit you.
Be honest with yourself
Be honest with yourself.
Think about what you want your next employer to know.
Practise your answer out loud to feel more comfortable with it.
Don’t make up a reason that you didn’t leave on good terms, and don’t be negative about your previous employer or experience, even if they were!
Think about what you want your next employer to know.
When you are preparing to answer the question of why you quit your last job, it helps to think about what you want your next employer to know. What skills do you want them to understand that they wouldn’t already know from reading a resume?
For example, if your most recent job was as an administrative assistant, but one of your responsibilities was managing social media accounts for the company and creating content for them (something that may not have been on the resume), then this is something worth bringing up in the interview. Why? It shows that even though being an admin wasn’t a full-time role for me, I still took initiative and sought out opportunities where I could develop my skills. This demonstrates dedication and drive—two traits every employer wants in their employees!
Don't be negative about your previous employer or experience.
Don’t be negative about your previous employer or experience. You don’t want to give the impression that you don’t have a good work ethic, so make sure not to blame them for wanting you to leave. Instead, focus on the positive things that happened during your time at that company and what you gained from it. It’s okay if the job wasn’t ideal; just be honest with yourself about why it didn’t work out and how it has helped improve who you are as an employee today.
The same goes for why they want someone else: if they tell you they’re looking for someone who knows how to do X, Y, Z task better than anyone else on earth—well then great! But if not? Then just say something like “I’ve learned a lot since my last job” or “There were some things I wish weren’t there,” etc., but try not lead off with something negative like “My last boss was awful! She made me want quit every day!”
Avoid sharing unnecessary personal information.
There are many things a potential employer does not need to know about you. When answering this question, avoid sharing unnecessary personal information that is not related to the job.
Do not talk about your family:
What do I mean by this? Do not mention any problems with your immediate family or extended family members (including parents). For example, if they ask why you left last job, don’t say something like “Well my mother had cancer so I had to take care of her.” This can make it seem like your main priority was caring for your mother rather than working at that job!
Don’t talk about religion or politics:
Don’t bring up religious beliefs or political views because most likely they won’t have any relevance towards getting hired for the position in question. These topics can be very controversial and could lead an interviewer to think negatively of their company if they hire someone who has different views than them.
Use the question as a way to disclose your short-term goals.
Once you’ve gotten the interviewer to ask about your last job, use this question as a way to disclose your short-term goals. This is a good way to show your enthusiasm for the job and how it fits into your career path. You can talk about your short-term goals in a way that relates to the job being offered. Telling the interviewer that you are excited about learning more about their company and how it operates would be an example of one such goal.
To demonstrate that you’re focused on future goals instead of stuck in the past, reveal that you want to continue learning at every step in your career because doing so will allow you to solve problems more effectively as they arise.
Conclusion
If your last job ended on good terms, don’t worry about it. Keep your focus on the future and what you want to do next. Make sure you’re prepared with a strong answer that shows how much you care about this position and why it’s important for them to hire someone like you!
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