One of the top 10 job interview questions asked is: why are you leaving your current job? In this article we will show you how to give a powerful answer which will boost your chances and allay any fears the recruiter may have.
At this stage in your career, this question may not be relevant for you. Your technical development path may be pre-set and well defined and leaving early will not apply in most cases. However, if for some reason you are moving posts sooner than planned then use this advice to learn what to say and how to present your reasons clearly and succinctly.
Why This is Such a Tough Interview Question
For most candidates this can be a great question as it gives you a chance to show your career path and how this organisation and role fits perfectly into it.
For others, this question can be a nightmare where for example they have poor career history or performance, a negative relationship with a boss, a resignation or sacking. We look at how to deal with these below.
Variations on this question can include:
- Why are you looking for a new job now?
- Why did you change jobs at this stage?
- Why have you chosen to move roles at this time?
- What has prompted you to change jobs?
- Why did you leave (specific organisation) in (year)?
They can of course ask why you left any previous job or employer shown on your CV. So refresh your memory especially if you have a long and varied career.
Why They Ask: Why Are You Leaving Your Job?
Most of us move jobs at some stage in our career.
It is expected however your prospective employer will be naturally curious and will explore your reasons for leaving.
They will look at your CV and how great your current role appears and they may also be a tad suspicious.
- Why leave such a great job?
- Why are you leaving now?
- Are you being pushed?
- Are you leaving under a cloud?
This is one of the most common interview questions asked here in the UK and to help you answer it successfully, we first look at what is going on in the interviewer’s mind and explore their motivation for asking you this question.
What They Want to Discover
How planned is your move? They will want to know if this move is part of your career progression or a sudden change of heart.
How sudden is the change? Have you been planning your move for some time, found the right opportunity and decided to apply. Or are you rushing out the door or even being pushed out. Remember, it is always better if you can show it was the pull of the new role rather than a push away from the old one which precipitated the move.
Did you leave of your own accord? In other words are they getting rid of you? Was it because you wanted to leave or were you dismissed? If still in the job, are you at risk of being fired? If they gave you notice, was it due to performance, behavioural or ethical reasons?
Are you leaving because the job was too much for you? The interviewer will want to determine if it was because of your performance or competency in the role which is now forcing a move.
Is your leaving based on an emotional response? The interviewer will be interested to know whether you left because you felt under appreciated or whether you were motivated to leave due to some other issue.
Did you leave due to conflict or disagreement? Leaving on good terms with a manager or co-workers is always a good sign and anything that indicates the opposite will raise a red flag for the interviewer.
How to Answer: Why Are You Leaving Your Current Job or Why Did You Leave a Past Job?
There can be a whole host of acceptable reasons for leaving and we divide these into work / career related and personal.
Positive Reasons for Leaving: Career, Work, Employer Related
There are a range of generally accepted reasons for leaving a current or previous role as follows:
- Advancement – Not all job positions lead to promotions and advancements within an organisation. The opportunities for growth and development may be limited to certain departments or sectors only. Similarly perhaps the chances to take on new responsibilities were limited. If you find yourself in a position like this and you desire better opportunities with more responsibility, then you’ll have no choice but to leave your current position for a new one that satisfies your demands.
- Challenge – You had outgrown your current role and are seeking a new challenge. There are only so many months and years that you can work in a position before you get bored with it or before it becomes just too easy. Even though it might be easy for you now, there is no challenge to it. This could leave you feeling unsatisfied at your job because you feel that you’re qualified for something more challenging. For this reason, you may leave your job for another one that provides this challenge.
- Stability – You are looking to develop a long term career and your previous job did not offer that. There are fewer jobs these days that offer long-term career stability within the same company. If you’re working in an unstable environment like this, you may jump at the chance to leave if a more stable role comes along.
- Learning and Development Desire to learn, to gain a new skill or grow a current skill. As human beings, learning and developing our minds should be an ongoing process. Never settle for the skills that you currently have. If you wish to learn new skills that could help you get a better job, then you may wish to leave your current job to do that.
- Career change – Sometimes your career interests may change. You may be working in an industry that no longer gives you satisfaction or happiness. Perhaps there is another industry or career field that you’ve always wanted to work in. If that’s the case, leaving your current employer to start a totally new career is something you may feel compelled to do.
- Employer Change – Organisations go through changes all the time, whether it’s a restructure or a closure of a department or the company itself. In either case, your job position may have changed for the worse. You could have been made redundant with no real future in the company to look forward to. As a result, you are probably looking for better career prospects and work opportunities that lead to professional growth.
- Restructuring – Sometimes a restructuring happens because of a recent merger or take over that took place between your employer and another company. This might prompt a change in the direction of your career if you view your prospects are weakened. The reorganisation could lead to a change in your job requirements that you simply don’t agree with.
- Role change – The role you play could change at any time; your employer might want to reduce your job duties or replace them with other responsibilities. This might happen if your employer wants to outsource your role to a third-party for example. If you happen to be a contract worker yourself who takes short-term gigs, your role can change as soon as you finish a project. Then you’ll just have to move on to another project.
- Better Opportunity – You simply spotted a great opportunity. Better job opportunities will eventually come along if you continue to look for them. As you gain experience and skills at your current position, this will automatically qualify you for better positions without you even realising it. But once you start noticing these opportunities, you’ll realise that your time and experience could be better spent somewhere else.
Personal Reasons For Leaving a Job
- Location – The commute may be too much and you are now looking for something closer to home
- Business Travel – You have to travel on business, perhaps to foreign locations and you are looking for less. Obviously, ensure that foreign travel is not essential in the new role.
- Work/life balance – You simply want to have a better work life balance, more time with your family. You have to be careful with this in the interview as you must avoid giving the impression that you will not be fully committed to the work.
Know What To Say on Your Application and Interview
Top 3 Golden Rules to a Great Interview Answer
1. All about the opportunity
Show that the opportunity, the job and the employer were so attractive that you are persuaded to move. Demonstrate that you have targeted them specifically, you have been looking for the right position with them for some time and this is it. This will give them comfort that you will accept if offered and will be a dedicated and committed member of the team.
2. Focus on the future
Show that you are keen to grow and develop further. Put the accent on the fact that you want to move to something more exciting and fulfilling.
Show that you are ready to move, this is the perfect next step in your career path and you are ready to take it.
3. Talk about self-improvement
Focus on the fact that the position you are applying for will let you develop new skills and foster your career progression. Your willingness to grow with the organisation can reassure them especially as they are considering making a long-term investment in you.
Sample Answer to Inspire You
Here is a snippet from a sample answer to help inspire you. While this answer may not be fully relevant for you, use it to get an idea of structure and content.
“I have been in my current role for four years now and I have developed valuable skills and acquired extensive experience.
I really enjoyed working for my current employer, however I am now ready to move into a more senior position. While I have been offered a promotion, it doesn’t offer the complexity or challenge which I am looking for and I want to utilise my skills in a larger organisation, one which has a broader reach such as yours.
When I saw your advert I was immediately attracted to the role; I see myself as a great match and professionally it is the perfect opportunity for me.
I know and admire your organisation and as an employer you are my first choice. In fact I have met some of your team at conferences previously and I know from the conversations we have had that I would certainly enjoy working here.”
What Not to Say – Negative Reasons For Leaving
There are of course a range of personal ambitions which are best not discussed in detail in the interview. In addition you may lave left under a cloud and it is best also not to go into detail; what is required is a positive spin.
Above all, make your reason for leaving a positive one and do not complain about any aspects of your previous company or boss.
Keep in mind, the interviewer will be looking at your motivation for moving and trying to assess how realistic it is. For example if your expectations on promotion, reward, challenges, growth, and excitement are unrealistic they may conclude that you are unlikely to be fulfilled in any role and will move jobs again within a short space of time.
- You want more money – We are all motivated by money, that is the reality of life. Of course you want to improve and boost your financial situation, more cash in your pocket, bigger house and car. However this is not to be mentioned at the interview. Etiquettes and manners suggest that the focus should be on ‘the role and not on the salary or benefits. Best to wait until you have the offer before talking about these.
- You were fired – Perhaps the worst reason for leaving a job is because you were fired or dismissed. This instantly raises a red flat for the interviewer and it is best to avoid talking about your firing if you can. If you were not at that job for very long, you should remove it from your CV altogether and not mention it. If you were at the job for a longer period, avoid the temptation to lie as the new employer may ask for references. Our advice is to briefly mention the reason for the firing, treat it as a learning exercise but focus the answer on the achievements, experience and skills gained. You could phrase it as a mutually agreed dismissal, which now leaves you free to take on new challenges.
I realised some time ago that I had lost interest in the role, I wasn’t challenged, I didn’t enjoy the role and yet I felt committed and loyal to my manager and so I stayed on. Of course, this affected my performance, I missed targets for the last quarter despite having excellent results prior to that. After my annual appraisal my manager and I agreed that it was best for me to move on to a new role outside the organisation. It has been a powerful learning exercise about the importance of constant review and monitoring in order to drive top results. I had a great period with that employer, it was right that I left and I am now energised and ready for a new challenge.
- Poor relationships – Perhaps you didn’t like your job or your boss or colleagues or the company turned out be disappointing. Don’t say it was all their fault to the interviewer. Like in the previous reason, just focus on the achievements in the role and show the interviewer that you are ready to move on to a new challenge.
- Lack of promotion – You didn’t get a promotion you felt you deserved, or you were passed over. This can come across as bitterness and resentment and the interviewer would conclude you just didn’t perform well enough to get that promotion. Just tell the interviewer that there was no room for advancement in that company and you wanted to find a new employer that you could grow with.
- Your job was boring and you grew sick of it – You were bored at your job and felt like a change. It is best not to disclose this to an interviewer, they will assume you were not committed. Tell them you were not challenged enough in that position and so you left to seek out bigger challenges in a new company.
- Difficult Targets – The targets and objectives of your previous job position may have been too hard or difficult to achieve. Don’t tell this to the interviewer because this will look as though you just didn’t work hard enough or were capable enough.
- You want to study or go travelling for a prolonged period of time – Once again not to be mentioned unless you are taking on a short contract which has a definite end date and your travels or studies start at the end of that period.
Top Tip: Avoid the temptation to badmouth or gossip
Very often people leave jobs because of a poor relationship with the people they work with. However saying “my boss was a difficult person to get on with, doesn’t sound like the best and the most objective answer and will simply reflect badly on you.
Any negative opinions about your previous employer or co-workers should stay private. The interview is not the right place to vent as it will give the interviewer the impression that you are not professional or were not a successful relationship builder.
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