How to answer "Why are you looking for change"??

Interviewer asks: ”Why are you looking for change”

”Such a simple question.Why do they even ask such question ” Ishan thought and then answered it.

He was positive that he nailed the Interview, but interview result came negative.

He dropped an email to the recruiter, asking him to share feedback and reason of rejection and that is what he received in response.

”Your lack of strategic vision for career planning is one of the reasons for your rejection.You didn’t come across as someone who is capable of taking a thoughtful decision”

At first, Ishan got confused, he couldn’t figure out what possibly gave interviewer this impression, he then revisited all the answers he has given in the interview and found out where he was wrong.

He recalls when the interviewer asked him why he is looking for a change, he said ”Work is tiring there and I and my boss do not get along with each other and I have already completed 2 yrs in this job and do not want to stay any longer so looking for new opportunities.”

Is there anything wrong in this answer? No

But is this perfect answer for this question? No, not at all

He did not mention what exactly make him tired about work.Why he do not get along with his boss and what kind of opportunities he is looking for which are missing in his present job.His answer makes him look like someone who wants to change the job just for the sake of it without any valid reason.He made so many statements in his answer but didn’t back them up with proper justification, which left room for assumptions.

So it is really important to answer this question with a valid explanation.A poorly framed answer can put you in a wrong position.

From Interviewer’s perspective, this question is imperative as the answer to this question give real insight about candidate’s intention.They basically want to check whether you are leaving the organization for the right reasons or not.

And nothing irks recruiter or interviewer like when candidates give a canned response to this question or worse start blaming their organization’s policy or manager’s attitude for their resignation.

So let’s address this now; How to answer this obvious yet complex question:

Of course, you need, to be honest, but it doesn’t mean that you need to share every single reason of why you want to leave your current job (Keep that monstrous boss, horrible colleagues story for your friends ).

Stick to those reasons which show that you are looking forward to enhancing your capabilities and skills.And add reasons on why you think this new organization is a right choice to further grow in your professional life.

In Ishan’s case, a good answer could have been: ” I have completed 2 yrs in the organization and got really good opportunities to have a variety of work, which made me more skilled, but now the point has come, where me and my organization both have nothing much left to offer each other.I am very keen to work on and use my skills on some new things like offshore models and handling international customers and I feel that your organization can offer me that.”

So gist here is:

• Keep answer positive
• Keep it future focus
• Skip complaining about your organization or manager
• Sell yourself

And most importantly whatever your reason is elaborate it.It is always advisable to give valid information to back your reason for leaving and not to leave any blank to fill with assumptions.