Imagine the following scenario: you have submitted an outstanding resume and are sitting in an interview. You give the most inspired and well-prepared answers and already envision yourself as a valuable team member.
Until the interviewer asks, “Why do you want to leave your current job?”.
If you have not prepared a solid answer, you will fidget and improvise. And your chances will start to dim.
Regardless of the position you are applying for, the interviewer will address this simple yet tricky question because they want to know your opinion about your current or previous employer and your future aspirations and professional development goals.
Read next, learn why the interviewer asks you this question, and find the best way to articulate your motivations for quitting your current job.
Not only the future employer but also your family and friends want to know why you are leaving your current job and looking for a new position. You should ask yourself this question, reflect, and answer honestly before facing the interviewer.
If your reasons for leaving relate to your disappointment with your current employer, you can articulate them for yourself and close ones. During the interview, you must avoid negativity and dismissiveness toward your current or former workplace, manager, or colleagues.
When addressing this question, the interviewer wants to gain insights into your personality and career goals and the workplace culture and environment they fit best.
At the same time, they want to know if you are cordial with your employer. Rather than being negative about the current job, focus your answer on the positives afforded by a future role.
While listening to your answer, the interviewer observes your body language and communication skills.
A clear and concise answer can make the difference between hiring you or moving on to another candidate.
Changing jobs must be a comprehensive process. You should decide after weighing all the pros and cons. Telling the hiring manager your main reason for quitting your job is that you are bored or work too much triggers alarm bells and demonstrates that you are not trustworthy when it comes to sticking with your employer through thick and thin.
While everybody has their personal or professional reasons for quitting, you can find below the most common motives:
One of the main reasons for quitting a job, especially for younger generations, is the contrast between personal and company values. Values are fluid; they can change for various reasons. Or maybe they weren’t aligned from the start. Either way, mismatched values cause disengagement and stress, leading eventually to a professional breakup.
Example: When I started working at (company name), my values aligned perfectly with the company's. However, the company's vision changed after the leadership changed, and it is heading in a direction I don't identify with. I thrive in an environment that encourages creativity and critical thinking. For me, it is crucial to work for a company that values its people and the community in which it operates, as your company does.
Employees thrive in workplaces that value their contribution and worth. Knowing that your work positively impacts the company’s overall success is inspiring. On the other hand, constantly feeling replaceable and uninspired transforms your passion for work into a desire to leave.
Example: In my previous role, I led a team of enthusiastic content writers and completed our projects with outstanding results. While I am proud of my achievements, I feel my skills and expertise are undervalued by my current manager. After weighing all aspects, I have decided to leave the company at my professional peak and find a job that matches and values my abilities.
While different studies show that the value placed on benefits and perks grows, salary remains a fundamental motivator for choosing one job over another. Feeling underpaid for what you do and not seeing a promotion may indicate that you should start looking for a new workplace.
Example: I am very passionate about my work and strive for perfection. Salary is not my fundamental reason for working. However, the latest salary cut-offs left me no choice but to leave for a company where I can excel and feel valued in equal measure.
Initially, every job is an exciting opportunity to prove your abilities and expertise. Yet, as time passes, you may want to learn more and grow. If your current employer doesn't provide sufficient opportunities to build new skills and develop, you may start looking for a company that does.
Example: I am ambitious, consistently learning, and evolving. However, my current employer doesn’t provide growth opportunities in my area of expertise, and I’ve reached a point in my career where I can complete my tasks while sleeping. Because of this lack of challenges and growth opportunities, I am looking for a role in a company that invests in its people and their development.
Employees work for money, but not exclusively. Recognition plays a crucial role in increasing employee engagement and enhancing company cultureand professional relationships. Consistently ignoring great work and excellent outcomes demotivates employees; they will look for better work environments sooner rather than later.
Example: Every day, I show up to work ready to excel and overcome obstacles. However, regardless of my outstanding contributions to the company's overall success, my manager fails to recognize them. This attitude demotivates me, and after giving it a lot of thought, I have decided to apply for a role in a company that genuinely appreciates great work.
Even introverts need clear (yet short) communication with their managers. Not knowing the company's mission and goals elevates a team's stress and distrust. Regular and open communication can make the difference between staying or leaving a company.
Example: As a gregarious person, I truly appreciate collaboration and teamwork. In my opinion, communication is crucial in every professional and personal relationship. My current employer believes in communication only during a crisis. Most of the time, I work aimlessly, without knowing the team's goals and how to achieve them.
The competition in today’s labor market is fierce. Companies everywhere strive to provide benefits that ensure attracting and retaining top talents. Suppose you feel the current benefits package does not match your value and expectations, while your loyalty still counts. In that case, a more comprehensive benefits package is a valid reason to leave your current employer.
Example: Before applying for this position, I researched your company and was truly impressed with the benefits package available for your workforce. This package demonstrates your high value of your employees and their well-being. My current employer has a limited budget, and employee benefits are not a priority for the company.
Work environments are fluid; they change consistently and not always for the better. Sometimes, these changes are so radical that they make the job unrecognizable. Or maybe you have changed significantly. Either way, rather than working around this rupture, consider a role in a different environment that suits your values, qualifications, and aspirations.
Example: Everything has changed drastically since the company was acquired, from leadership to working and communicating methods. I did my best to adapt to the new circumstances, but after a detailed assessment of my role, I concluded that I no longer belonged in this new organization.
No employee can thrive working in a toxic workplace. Once you recognize the signs of toxicity and they start to affect your productivity and work-life balance, raise your concerns with the manager or HR. If the environment continues to be hostile, you can focus on finding a better company.
Example: I didn’t realize until recently that I was working in a toxic environment. I was so used to it that I believed it was normal. I’ve raised my concerns with my manager, yet nothing has changed except my health. While I truly enjoyed working with my team members, I must prioritize my well-being. The only solution for me to do this is to leave the company.
Regardless of the position, job, or industry, family should be a priority for everybody. Once in a while, every employee faces circumstances that require them to take a step back from work and focus on personal matters. If your employer refuses to accommodate new work arrangements, such as flexible schedules, work from home, or compressed weeks, you should put your well-being first and quit.
Example: My family is the most important thing to me, and I want to spend as much time as possible with them. My partner received an excellent opportunity to work in the office here. Unfortunately, my previous employer couldn’t accommodate new arrangements for me to work remotely, so I resigned. We’ve decided to relocate here and start a new chapter in our lives, professionally and personally.
When asking this question, the hiring manager gives you the opportunity to demonstrate how much you know about their company and the position you have applied for. Ultimately, the interviewer will hire a proactive and forward-thinking candidate who is ready to positively impact their career and company rather than an individual who still holds grudges against their previous employer and workplace.
Build your answer around the positive aspects of your current job and describe how your skill set and expertise can contribute to the new job.
Preparing your response in advance allows you to remain positive during the interview and answer confidently and calmly.
Describe the challenges and negative aspects of your previous job as opportunities for professional growth. A calm person demonstrates a solid trait of your personality, making you a valuable team member.
The interviewer knows that not every job is perfect, nor every leader is a decent person. Telling the hiring manager you are trying to escape a toxic working environment is not a good sign.
Instead of expressing your frustrations during the interview, you should emphasize your accomplishments, skills acquired or improved, and solutions you have developed to overcome challenges.
More than anything else, “Why are you quitting your current job?” is a commonsense question.
The interviewer does not intend to trick you when asking this question. They want to learn more about your career status, expectations regarding the new role, and how it fits your long-term goals.
Sometimes, the decision to leave a job is due to personal reasons.
If this is your case, it is only pertinent to share your motives during the interview, whether it is relocation, a shorter commute, choosing a job in a place with warmer weather, or a lower cost of living.
While leaving a job for a better opportunity was once regarded as a sign of instability and lack of loyalty, it is now seen as a proactive career development approach. The person asking you, "Why are you leaving your current job?" was most likely at least once in your position and experienced your perspective.
Regardless of your reasons for quitting, you must remember that your CV includes all your employers. A prospective employer might even ask for recommendations from your previous workplaces. Thus, it is crucial to maintain a positive attitude during the resignation process.
Express your reasons clearly and professionally, and focus on why you are the best fit for the company and job.
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