Why Do You Want to Leave Your Job?
What is a good reason for leaving a job?
This question can be answered in several ways, but do your best to keep your answer short. Avoid being dishonest with this question, for what ever reason, your interviewer may spot it and believe there is something you are not saying.
There are usually only a few reasons someone really wants to leave their job and, surprisingly, money does not rank at the top of the list.
On the other hand, you may not have gotten along with your manager or co-workers. Maybe you were never very excited to be there in the first place and only ever accepted the job to pay the bills. Maybe your reputation was tarnished by a formal reprimand and staying there is emotionally draining.
Perhaps you are severely underpaid and just need more money. But to be clear, do not list any of these reasons for leaving your current job in an interview because the interviewer will not be impressed and you will probably lose any chance of getting the job.
Avoid making negative remarks about your past or present manager, your fellow employees, or the company you are working for – even if they are true!
Hating your manager is not a reason to leave your job
Don’t even hint at the fact that you hated your manger and avoid sarcastic remarks. Remember, the interviewer does not know your previous manager or fellow employees. If you start bad-mouthing them in the interview, you will immediately be flagged as having a negative attitude towards your co-workers.
The interviewer will then assume you will act the same way at this company and be a bad influence. You will not get the job.
I don’t care how bad you hate your current company, manager, co-workers, salary – never bring that up in the interview. Instead, tell the interviewer something positive about your co-workers and previous company.
Be positive about why you left your job
There is no right answer to this question, only wrong ones. You don’t need to make book out of this answer, just something short and positive is best.
After all, it really does not matter to the interviewer, as long as you don’t say something foolish. The point here is to convey to the interviewer that you are not leaving because you are mad, tired, bored, overworked, underpaid, or job hopping, just that you are leaving your job because…
Best answer to Why Do You Want to Leave Your Job – what are good reasons
1. “I do enjoy working at my current job. The culture and the people make it a great place to work. But I’m looking for more responsibility with new and fresh challenges. I have worked on and successfully completed several projects from start to finish during the past two years.
Currently, advancement opportunities are scarce at my current job. I don’t mind a slow down in pace from time to time, but it’s important to me to keep my career continually moving in a forward direction that is consistent with my career goals.”
Second best reason for why you want to leave your job:
2. “Departmental changes and corporate restructuring have made it difficult to keep on track with my career goals. As a result of these changes, future advancement opportunities are limited and I no longer see a future for myself with this company.”
Be ready to backup your answer if you are asked what happened to your department. Depending on time, the interviewer may just move on.
3. “After working there for three years, I have learned a great deal about the company and the ways we conduct business. As much as I enjoy the relationships I have developed, it is time for me to move to a more progressive organization with more opportunities and new challenges.”
4. “My spouse has received a promotion where she works and needs to move. We decided that it would be more beneficial for her to accept her new assignment than to pass up this opportunity.”
Another good reason for why you want to leave your job:
5. “My current position is being eliminated as a result of corporate downsizing and I have been informed that I have 30 days left to work there.”
6. “My company recently moved their office across town and now my morning commute is about 90 minutes and I need to be closer to home.”
