How To Answer “Why Did You Leave Your Last Job” During An Interview

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Are you preparing for an interview? Read through this article. During interviews, one of the most common questions asked is “Why did you leave your last job?”

watch this video on how to answer “Why did you leave your last job”

Have you ever wondered why this question is so important? I was curious about this too, and I found out that when interviewers ask this question, they are trying to assess several things. Firstly, they want to understand your motivation for pursuing the new job opportunity. They also aim to learn about the circumstances that led to your departure from your previous job, whether they were positive or negative. Additionally, they are interested in how you handle challenges and whether you are likely to quit when faced with difficulties at work. Moreover, they want to gauge if you are seeking new opportunities for growth.

This article will provide tips on how to effectively answer the question “Why did you leave your last job?” during your interview. Additionally, it will cover other relevant points to help you excel in this part of the interview process. So, without further delay, let’s dive right into it.

Table of Contents

10 Most Common Reasons Why People Leave Their Jobs

In October 2022, 4.2 million workers quit their jobs, and 1.5 million were laid off, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report. This section will discuss the most common reasons why people leave their jobs.

1. Low pay or inadequate compensation

2. Work-life balance issues

3. Lack of recognition or appreciation

4. New job opportunity or career advancement

5. Relocation or change in personal circumstances

6. Lack of opportunity for growth/Inadequate training or support

7. Unsatisfying work environment or company culture

8. Health or personal issues

9. Unclear or uncertain future prospects

10. Burnout or excessive stress.

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How To Answer “Why Did You Leave Your Last Job” During an Interview

The employer asks this question for a variety of reasons, as mentioned in the introduction, therefore you need to respond to it professionally or risk losing your possibility of getting recruited. You might use the following examples to explain why you left your previous position.

1. You Are Seeking A Better Work-Life

It’s possible that at your previous job, you didn’t have a balance and the environment wasn’t flexible. This is the stage at which you mention your desire for a better work life. As you address this with your interviewer, indicate that you communicated it with your old employer and the response you received.

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2. Explain The Need For Growth

Here, you can draw attention to the issues that existed in your last job, such as a lack of room for advancement, subpar administration, and insufficient pay. Tell the interviewer, in brief, why you weren’t feeling motivated and why you needed to look for a new job or career progression.

3. Demonstrate Your Abilities And Skills

Saying “I had accomplished what I set out to do in my previous role and was ready for a new chapter” is one example of what you may say. or “I wanted to use my skills in a different setting and explore a new industry or field.” Mention how you felt your role at your prior job was fulfilling and that you need to take on more responsibilities or challenges to further develop your skills.

4. Highlight Future Goals

You were once eager to gain the present job you are leaving, so avoid saying anything that would jeopardize your chances of being recruited. Another option to answer “Why did you leave your last job” without compromising yourself is to stress your future ambitions, such as relocation, change in personal circumstances, leadership, etc.

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Things to Avoid Saying

As mentioned earlier, try not to demean your former work as that will not leave a good impression about you. So these are some things that you should avoid saying to your interviewer when you are asked “Why did you leave your last job”.

1. Use positive language wherever possible.

2. Avoid discussing previous confrontations with coworkers or managers.

3. Avoid unnecessary information and instead provide a straightforward and concise explanation.

4. When possible, keep your response relevant to your job goals and objectives.

Success in an interview doesn’t happen by accident; in order to ace it, you need to prepare thoroughly. To help you prepare for the interview, outperform other applicants, and improve your chances of being hired, contact our team of highly proficient interview coaches!

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Conclusion

It is important to note that people leave their jobs for a variety of reasons, and we have just included the ten most prevalent. This is a tricky question that requires a thoughtful response to avoid disqualifying yourself with your own words. This article will teach you how to answer the question “Why did you leave your last job” as well as the reasons why most people leave their jobs. Also attached to this post is a video; watch it and leave a comment. Good luck with your interview.