“Mastering the Exit: Artful Strategies for the ‘Why Are You Leaving?’ Interview Question”

The key to talking about the reason you’re leaving your job is the framing. This question may have come from the hiring manager’s curiosity, but it’s still an interview question, so you need to make sure your answer is professional—and as positive as possible.

How to answer, “Why are you leaving your job?”

Be honest.?Remaining truthful throughout the job-hunting process keeps you from ending up in a role that’s not a good match for you. Never make up an answer to an interview question just because you think it’s what the hiring manager wants to hear.

But avoid negativity.?Honesty doesn’t mean badmouthing your former employer, so keep things positive, neutral, or at least tactful. You don’t get any points for recounting each and every flaw of your last supervisor. If you can, try to include one or two positive points about your current position in your answer.

Look to the future instead of lingering on the past.?Focus on what you have to look forward to, not what you’re leaving behind. Rather than saying your current job is boring, for example, tell the interviewer what you’re excited to be working on in your next role. Be specific about what you want, rather than dwelling on every little thing that annoys you at your current company.

?How to frame your reason for leaving a job

here are four fairly common reasons why you might be ready to move on, and how to translate them into tactful responses during your job search.

You want to make more money.

Who doesn’t wish they were paid more? It’s a completely normal thing, but perhaps not the best to bring up during an interview—at least not until the hiring manager is more invested in you.

You have a bad boss

It's clear and unfortunate: you're dealing with a difficult boss. Mention briefly and neutrally that you two are on separate tracks and move on. Wrap it up with something positive about the company.

You want to get promoted.

This is probably the tamest reason to be job searching. In fact, even the blunt version is more or less fine. But if you want to go into a bit more detail, you can definitely put a positive spin on the answer.

Your job is not the right fit

Rather than try to make your job sound less awful than it is, focus instead on the one or two things that drew you to that position, how it was ultimately a bad fit, and what you look forward to in a new role.?

Here are some more common reasons you can highlight looking for a new position:

§ You’re looking for a company that values you, your skills, and your experiences more.

§ You’re ready for a new challenge.

§ You’d like to find a role with more upward mobility.

§ You want to develop and explore different interests or skills.

§ You want to work in a new field or industry.

§ Your priorities—either professionally or personally—have shifted.

§ You’d thrive more in a different kind of work environment (or just want to find a healthier, non-toxic environment).

§ Your company is pursuing a different strategy, restructuring, or being acquired by or merged with another organization.

§ You’re looking for an employer that provides more training, development, or feedback.

§ You’re looking for an improved work-life balance.