As you make your way through the interview process, you are almost guaranteed to hear the same question over and over — “What is your reason for leaving your job?” — so you need to be prepared with an answer. Here are some tips to prepare you for this question.
How Not to Answer
Let’s start by looking at the things you should never say or mention when explaining why you are leaving a job. You should never complain about your current or former employer regardless of how bad things were or how many valid complaints you have. Prospective employers view complaining as a sign of negativity and wonder what you may someday say about their company.
Also, you never want to criticize your manager even if they are the reason why you are leaving. If you speak poorly of a past manager, it could reflect negatively on you and not necessarily the manager.
You Need Career Growth and Additional Responsibilities
Sometimes, you grow as much as you can within a specific company and must change jobs to take on additional responsibilities. Many prospective employers will view this reason as to why you are looking for a new job as a positive, because it shows you are engaged and looking to improve and advance. When using this answer, you want to detail additional responsibilities or areas of growth you are interested in pursuing and how you envision yourself in new roles.
Your Company Restructured
Many times, when a company goes through a restructuring phase, employees find themselves dissatisfied with the changes and seek other opportunities. If this happened to you, be prepared to explain how the restructuring affected you and what exactly sent you looking for a new position. Keep your answer as positive as possible.
You should also mention how you responded to the initial changes and tried to fit into the new structure. Explaining all these details and speaking about them in a positive light will demonstrate how you work at solving problems and your overall level of engagement at work. It also shows that you are not quick to jump ship and that you attempted to adapt.
You Want a Career Change
Perhaps you have always worked in marketing but now, you want to explore a career in banking. You might worry that looking for a new career makes you look indecisive, but it can actually be a sign that you understand your strengths and desires. Most companies understand that people who enjoy their work are more productive and make the best employees.
If this is why you are looking for a new position, you want prospective employers to understand why you believe this new track is a good fit for you. You might already have some of the basic skills, or you have spent some time working in the field in the past and know that you can excel.
When it comes time for your job interview, you want to be comfortable explaining why you are looking for a new job. You can practice answering with a friend ahead of your interview. The more prepared you are for this question, the more confident you will look, both in general and in your move towards a new company or career. Looking for new career opportunities? Contact Atlantic Group today!