by Linda Rolie
In a job interview you may be asked “Why did you leave your last job?” The interviewer may want to know if you had any problems at your last company. Responses may include, “I relocated to a different city,” “the company went out of business,” “I was laid off,” “the company was downsized/acquired,” “it was a temporary job,” the position lacked opportunity for advancement,” “I wanted to take a different career path,” or, “I’m seeking a position better suited to my skills.”
Often, job seekers judge being laid off and being fired as the same reason for leaving a company. In a job interview, you may be asked, “’Have you ever been fired?” The employer wants to know if there were problems in your performance or attitude.
If there were performance-related problems in leaving or misunderstandings, you may tell the interviewer that you were not clear about the job responsibilities and unable to understand your manager’s expectations. Or, you accepted the position before fully understanding the expectations and quickly learned it was not a good fit. By taking responsibility, tell the interviewer you learned from this and want to learn as much as possible in the interview process about the tasks and expectations for the job. Attitude and ability to get along with other are 80% of job hiring success. Attempt to sound confident even if you don’t feel it.
If you had an ethical rub with a former company, you might say, “New management affected business conduct and practices which led me to explore other options.” Diplomacy is the best option. State the matter in the positive, “I think we were both lucky to get each other and it was a good opportunity for what it was, I gained valuable skills and professional attributions that I can take with me to any job situation.” Be brief! Change the subject back to the job at hand and be enthusiastic about the possibility of a new opportunity.
Be positive and brief when describing the reason for leaving a past position. No negativity or complaining! Do not disparage your present or previous employers. Depending on circumstances, consider saying something benign, like, “sought new job better aligned with my professional strengths,” “lack of avenues for growth,” “sought new position that offered greater challenges,” “Wanted to learn new professional skills,” “Accepted transfer,” or “Relocated for better opportunity.”
If your current job search strategies are not working, preview a copy of GETTING BACK to WORK- Everything You Need to Bounce Back and Get a Job After a Layoff. You will likely discover which of your methods are ineffective and equally important, get a handle on how to better prepare for your career goal.