How to Explain Why You Left Your Last Job

JIANGLIN LIU

Nowadays, the employee turnover rate is very high. This means that we need to be prepared to find our next work opportunity. When interviewing for your next job, it’s inevitable that the interviewer will ask about your reason for leaving. This article will give you some situations when interviewers would consider a job seeker who just resigned cautiously and how you can avoid the pitfalls.

Among the many reasons for quitting, HR would want to consider it seriously if you mention any of the following situations:

1. The reason for leaving conflicts with the position you are applying for

HR may be concerned if the reason for your resignation relates to the nature of the position. For example, you say that “In my previous position as a programmer, I could not work with the overtime system of the company, and I felt too much pressure.” If you’re interviewing for a similar position, this is a no-no. This kind of answer will make the interviewer think that you don’t accept overtime work and can’t handle pressure, so you may not be qualified for a similar position.

2. You quit your job passively.

If you quit passively, you may have been fired for incompetence, conflict with a supervisor, or discipline violation. Such a person may still have those negative qualities and could be regarded cautiously by the hiring team.

3. You were doing something completely different before applying for the position.

Say that you once worked in technology and then moved to the manufacturing i ndustry. If you are now trying to get back into the technology industry, the interviewer will seriously consider your reasons for leaving. Your answer should be clear about your career plans and be honest about how you’ve stumbled, but how you’ve finally found your purpose. If you are able to do the job, the hiring team generally will accept your answer and you as a candidate for the position.

If any of the above situations happen and you want to get an offer, try these ways to avoid pits:

1. Avoid the reasons that are likely to lead to disagreement and misunderstanding and choose less divisive reasons.

Remember, the dumbest thing you can do when a recruiter asks you why you’re leaving is refusing to answer. For example, if you left the company because the workload was too small and the work wasn’t worth it, you can say: I left the company because the work was easy and there wasn’t much room for growth. In this way, at least the employer won’t think you are too ambitious and unmotivated.

2. Talk about objective reasons for leaving, not the subjective ones.

Objective reasons are usually concrete reasons for leaving. They are difficult for an individual to control and have little to do with the job seeker themselves. For example, an objective reason for leaving your last job would be because it was too far away. Subjective reasoning is based on opinions and viewpoints, with obvious personal thinking. If you are leaving your job because you don’t like your boss, this is a subjective reason. However, avoid talking about your objective reasoning if the new company has the same faults.

3. Avoid poking fun at your old boss.

This tip is essential. Even if the breakup wasn’t an amicable one, it’s important to remain calm and avoid saying negative things about your former boss or company. There are two reasons why you shouldn’t do this: 1. If you make fun of your former employer, the interviewer might worry that you will “smear” their company if you ever end up leaving. 2. With such a small HR circle, you can’t guarantee that your old company won’t hear of your negative words about them. After all, you chose the job, so you should look at yourself first. By doing this you can learn from the experience and find out the crux of the problem. You will end up having a more professional demeanor, which HR can favor.

4. Limit conversation on your old position and express your love for the new one.

If you left because your previous company wasn’t able to meet your needs, then you can leave the old position with clean reasoning and express your expectations for the new one. For example, if you are leaving because there are no opportunities for advancement, you can say something like: “I have learned that your company is very influential in the industry and has great development potential. At present, you are also preparing for X and other projects. If I join this team, I will work hard to improve my abilities and make contributions to the company.”

5. There are things you don’t have to say.

Interviewers are people too, meaning that they also get curious. Sometimes they might be curious about something that you shouldn’t elaborate on. Say that you are talking about your previous position and you were not promoted because your boss promoted the person who was a “brown-noser.” The interviewer may go on to ask if you had a bad relationship with your boss. As an interviewee, what should you say? There is no good answer. So don’t give out details that aren’t relevant to the rest of the conversation, especially if it could bring you down a dangerous line of questioning. After all, the more you talk, the greater the chances of being caught in a difficult situation. Even if you did leave because you didn’t fit in with the people in charge, it’s not a big deal. It takes two to cooperate and job seekers don’t take all the blame. Just because it didn’t work for your last company, doesn’t mean it won’t work for your new one. Besides, what you think is a fantastic excuse may not be a big deal to HR professionals. As long as your reasoning won’t harm your chances of getting the job, it’s fine to be honest when answering this question.

One final note of caution for job seekers. It’s not terrible to fall into a pit but it is to fall in the same pit twice. Don’t force yourself into accepting a job you don’t really like just to get an offer. Following your heart and working smart are always long-term solutions to the problem!