Why Did You Leave Your Last Job Best Answer | Top 10 Reasons For Leaving A Job
Why Did You Leave Your Last Job Best Answer | Top 10 Reasons For Leaving A Job. One of the most common interview questions you’ll face: “Why did you leave your last job?” Maybe you left under odd circumstances and don’t want to share the whole truth. But you’re not sure what to say instead. Or maybe you think you’ve got a pretty solid reason for why you left your last job, but you want to make sure. Either way, this list has you covered.
In this article, we will give you safe, acceptable answers for why you left a past job. If you give one of these reasons, the interviewer is likely to be satisfied and quickly move on to the next question. It’s important to have a response prepared so you’re not caught off guard by the question. When you respond, you’ll need to give an answer that’s honest and reflects your specific circumstances but avoids negativity.
What To Say When You Were Fired?
If you were fired from your job, it’s important to keep your responses as positive as possible. Try not to blame yourself or your previous employer. Give a brief answer, then move the conversation forward.
Tips for Giving the Best Answer
There are all kinds of reasons to leave a job. Maybe you wanted more money, you felt the company was in constant chaos, your new manager never provided guidance or direction, or you were laid off.
- Be honest: If your references are checked, fibs may be uncovered.
- Stay positive: Avoid complaints about the company, your coworkers and supervisor, or about the circumstances around your departure. An emotion-free, factual response likely works best here.
- A short and simple response is best. There’s no need to go into extensive detail.
Why did you leave your last job after 3 months
The reasons for quitting your job after 3 months are listed below. One common reason employees may leave a company is because they want to pursue a different role that’s more closely aligned with their personal values, career goals and aspirations.
Professionals may choose a reasons to exit a company after three months include:
- Going back to school to earn an advanced degree.
- Experiencing a change in their family dynamic, such as becoming a caretaker or parent.
- Looking for a company that offers better benefits
- Deciding to exit the workforce for personal reasons
- Moving to a new location.
- Being offered another job with a higher salary.
- Deciding to pursue freelance work or start their own business.
- Choosing to change the industry or career field they work in.
- Wanting to pursue remote work opportunities.
25 Best Answers to “Why Did You Leave Your Last Job”.
Why did you leave your last job sample answers:
1. “I left to work on a product I was very passionate about.”
Sometimes an amazing opportunity comes up that matches perfectly with your interests. Nobody will blame you for leaving to pursue something like this. It’s a perfectly good reason for why you left your last job. It’s a good reason even if you “job hopped” and left very soon after being hired. While job hopping never looks great, this is one of the reasons that an interviewer will understand.
2. “My department brought in a new manager and I felt it was the right time to leave.”
Things change. A job you used to love could turn not-so-good, and one of the most common reasons is a new director or manager is brought in to replace your old boss. If you use this answer, don’t badmouth the new management, just say that things changed and you didn’t feel as excited about the job under new management, so you decided to look elsewhere for the next step in your career.
3. “I had been with this company for many years and learned a lot, but felt ready for a change.”
If you had been at your last job for a few years or more, there’s nothing wrong with just saying you felt ready to move on. Maybe you learned almost everything you could, or just wanted to try something new next. Those are good reasons for leaving if you’ve spent a long time with one company.
4. “I left my last job to take time to start a family.”
You can share as much or as little detail as you’d like with this answer. I’d keep it simple though.
5. “I didn’t feel there was an opportunity to grow or advance further in that role so I decided a change would be best for my career.”
If your company was holding you back, or if you were stuck under a “glass ceiling”, this is a nice way to say it in the interview without sounding too negative.
6. “I had been with the organization for several years and wanted to experience a new environment to continue growing.”
Most people who advance far in their careers have worked in a variety of companies. Large, small, public, private, etc. No hiring manager will fault you for wanting to have well-rounded experience and gain a new perspective in your career.
7. “I left for an opportunity to advance my career.”
Maybe you didn’t receive a promotion in terms of job title, but you saw a better path forward at another company. Or you joined a new company for an opportunity to build a new skill that was important to you. It’s fine to change jobs if you feel it will help you advance in the future even if it’s not an immediate promotion. So you should be fine using this as your answer.
8. “A former boss or colleague recruited me to join their company.”
Maybe you had a great boss who left to start a company. She called you a year later and said they could really use a great salesperson like you to round out the team, so you went over and joined her. That’s a great reason for why you left your job. It’s pretty common in some industries, and it shows that your former boss thought very highly of you.
9. “I was fired.”
If you were fired, I recommend you tell the truth and come clean. It’s not worth lying and getting caught later when they check references. Even if you get hired, if they ever find out you lied, it’s grounds for termination. Make sure you never badmouth your former employer though, and try to take responsibility for what happened. Show the interviewer what you learned and what steps you’ve taken to ensure this never happens again.
10. “I didn’t feel the job was using my abilities to the fullest or challenging me enough.”
If you’re bored or not being challenged, it’s hard to stay motivated and focused on your career and your work. So there’s no problem with giving this as your reason for leaving your last job. Just make sure you don’t sound spoiled or negative or ungrateful when you say this. Don’t make it sound like the job wasn’t worthy of you, or anything like that. Just explain that you felt you were capable of more and wanted a greater challenge.
11. “I had been with this company for many years and learned a lot, but felt ready for a change.”
If you had been at your last job for a few years or more, there’s nothing wrong with just saying you felt ready to move on. Maybe you learned almost everything you could, or just wanted to try something new next. Those are good reasons for leaving if you’ve spent a long time with one company.
12. “My position was eliminated and I was laid off.”
Layoffs happen. This is one area you want to be specific in your answer though and share details. Did the entire department shut down? Did the company go out of business? Were you laid off due to financial struggles? Did your job get outsourced overseas?
13. “I was offered a significant pay increase.”
We all go to work for money. Companies get it. I’d try to combine this with another reason though, so that you don’t sound too focused on money. So you could say something like this: “I was offered a significant pay increase, and was also excited about a couple of product launches that this new company was working on, so it seemed like a great opportunity to take.”
14. “I took a position with a company that was closer to my home.”
We recommend you combine this with another reason. Here’s an example: “I took a position with a company that was closer to my home that also offered an opportunity to lead a couple of big projects right away.”
15. “I reevaluated my career goals and decided a change was needed.”
Goals and objectives change. And if your company doesn’t offer something that fits with your new goals, it’s fine to leave. There’s nothing wrong with this answer for why you left your last job. Just make sure to show the interviewer that you know what you want in your career now. And show them how their job fits into your goals. If not, they’ll be worried that you might change your mind after they hire you.
16. “I wanted to take on new responsibilities that this role and company couldn’t offer.”
You mastered the basics of the job and wanted to lead people, projects, etc. And the company couldn’t offer it, so you had to make a change. The interviewer will understand. And you’ll sound ambitious and motivated which is great.
17. “I went back to school to pursue a Master’s Degree (or Ph.D., etc.)”
This happens all the time. It’s very common and you shouldn’t feel any anxiety about giving an answer like this for why you left your last job.
18. “I left for an opportunity to advance my career.”
Maybe you didn’t receive a promotion in terms of job title, but you saw a better path forward at another company. Or you joined a new company for an opportunity to build a new skill that was important to you. It’s fine to change jobs if you feel it will help you advance in the future even if it’s not an immediate promotion. So you should be fine using this as your answer.
19. “I left my last job to take time to start a family.”
You can share as much or as little detail as you’d like with this answer. I’d keep it simple though.
20. “I resigned from my last job to take care of a family issue. The issue is resolved so I can work full-time again without issues.”
You don’t have to go into a ton of detail. Just keep it simple. Make sure you tell them that the issue is resolved though, so they don’t worry whether you’ll have to resign again. If you do want to share a bit more information, that’s fine.
21. “I was hired for a certain role, but over time that changed and I was no longer being given the opportunity to do the work I was interested in.”
Jobs change. Or sometimes you’re hired for a job and what they ask you to do ends up being nothing like the job description. This is a fine reason for why you left your last job.
This is a very convincing and acceptable answer, even if you left the position very soon after being hired.
22. “I was offered a promotion at another company.”
Your past employers can’t always offer the ideal next step for your career when you’re ready. Leaving to advance your career is a common reason and this won’t be the first time the interviewer has heard it. So if another company offered a promotion, just say so.
23. “I left to work on a product I was very passionate about.”
Sometimes an amazing opportunity comes up that matches perfectly with your interests. Nobody will blame you for leaving to pursue something like this. It’s a perfectly good reason for why you left your last job. It’s a good reason even if you “job hopped” and left very soon after being hired.
24. “My department brought in a new manager and I felt it was the right time to leave.”
Things change. A job you used to love could turn not-so-good, and one of the most common reasons is a new director or manager is brought in to replace your old boss. Sometimes it’s just not the right fit, so you decided to leave. If you use this answer, don’t badmouth the new management.
25. “I was no longer finding the work fulfilling or enjoying my work as much.”
If you stayed a few years but left because you didn’t find the work meaningful or enjoyable, that’s fine. Just make sure to show this new company that they’re different, or that they offer something you do enjoy. If they think you’ll find their work boring too, they’re not going to hire you.
26. “I didn’t feel there was an opportunity to grow or advance further in that role so I decided a change would be best for my career.”
If your company was holding you back, or if you were stuck under a “glass ceiling”, this is a nice way to say it in the interview without sounding too negative.
Top 10 Good Reasons for Leaving a Job
Here are 10 good reasons for leaving a job and trying something new. While no job will ever be perfect, sometimes it makes good sense to look for a new position.
1. Company restructuring.
Should a company restructure and eliminate your department, you may not enjoy your new role. That can lead to a job description that’s very different than the one you had. When that happens, seeking new opportunities may be wise.
2. Better or different leadership.
Sometimes people just don’t gel with their leadership. There are times when recognizing that working for your manager isn’t the best place for you and it’s time to move on.
3. Career advancement.
Sometimes, leaving an organization is the best – or only – way to advance your career. You may be able to leverage the skills and knowledge you’ve gained in your current position and through a college degree to search for a job that aligns with your personal and long-term professional goals.
4. Better compensation.
We all need to earn a decent living. Leveraging your skills, experience and education to land a position with a company that has a bigger budget for compensation can be a good move.
5. Family circumstances.
If you have a family member who needs care or support, working somewhere that offers a flexible schedule could be helpful. Or, if you’re married to a military member, moving may be necessary, even if it interrupts your career.
6. Career change to a new industry.
Is it time to follow your bliss and enter the career field you always wanted? Changing careers can cost you money in the short term but can lead to greater job satisfaction over time. Earning a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree in your field of interest can help position you for new opportunities.
7. Professional development.
A move to a company with a bigger budget and commitment to professional development training might be just the thing to help you grow in your career.
8. Company downturn.
If your business has hit a rough patch, has lost clients or is laying off employees, it may be time to consider seeking another employer.
9. Acquisition or merger.
Two organizations merging into one can be a great opportunity to reassess your role with the business or seek a better position elsewhere.
10. Different work environment.
Let’s face it; not every organization is the right fit for every employee. The company can be doing great things. You can be an excellent employee. Yet, sometimes those two things just don’t fit together. When that happens, it might be time to move on.
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