At the beginning of almost every job interview, you will likely be asked something on the lines of, “Why are you looking for a new job?” Now, there is a multitude of reasons why you may be looking for a new job opportunity. However, successfully answering this question will make or break your interview. Here are three common scenarios of why you may be looking for a new job and how to respond to this tricky subject.
Prepare your answer beforehand
First of all, prepare an answer to this question before your interview. Whether you quit you’re your job, you were let go, or you are just simply looking for a better opportunity, your answer to this question should focus on the position at hand. Don’t focus on the negatives regarding your past or current employer. Instead, your response should focus on why you’re an excellent fit for the position and the company.
Stay positive
This is a difficult interview question to answer. If you’re looking for a new job, you are probably unsatisfied with some aspect of your job: your compensation, your day-to-day duties, your manager, etc. But the absolute last thing you want to do is badmouth your employer. No matter how bad your job or manager is, never speak ill of them. It creates a wrong impression and will put a dark shadow over your candidacy.
Why were you were let go, fired, or laid off?
It happens to the best of us. Being laid off or fired from your position stinks, but lying about it makes it worse. When formulating your answer, honesty is the best policy. But don’t be honest to a fault. The best way to answer this question in this situation is to be direct but not divulge too much information. Essentially, you want to give a straight answer that is truthful and one that doesn’t sound bitter.
Here’s a good example explaining why you were fired:
“Unfortunately, I was let go from my previous position. However, I have learned a lot from the experience, and I am confident this will not happen again. I am a hard-working employee, and I am ready to prove that my skillset is a great match for this position.”
Why did you quit?
There could be dozens of reasons why you quit your job and are currently looking for new opportunities. However, you once again want to stay positive and forgo giving away too much information. Have your answer focus on the job that’s in front of you, not the one you left. Here’s a great example from Indeed on how to answer why you quit your job:
“Ultimately, I’ve learned a lot from my previous role, but I’m looking for the next step where I can continue to grow and use the skills I’ve honed to contribute to a company I love, and this opportunity seems to be the perfect fit.”
Why do you want to leave your current position?
If you are still employed and interviewing for a new position, this is probably the easiest of the three scenarios. As long as you don’t badmouth your current employer or talk about better compensation, you can easily generate an answer to this question. Focus on your skill set and why you would be a great match for this position.
Here’s an example:
“At my current position, I don’t believe I am being challenged anymore and want to find a new position that better fits my growing skillset. I saw the job description for this position, and was really excited about this opportunity because I believe my background and passion for [insert role/industry/field/etc.] will allow me to be a successful addition to the team.”
Regardless of why you are looking for a new job, your best bet is, to be honest, positive, and tie in your excitement for the position. And if you want some leads on exciting job opportunities, check out our job board! Good luck!
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