Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job? - How To Answer This Interview Question

Why do you want to leave your current job? is one of the most common questions that I come across from job seekers while coaching them for interview success.

Generally speaking, the response to the question offered by most job seekers falls broadly into the following?two?categories:

1] Standard Canned Kind Of Answers:?

For?better career and growth prospects?or?wanting?to work for a bigger/ better organisation brand?or?for better compensation.

?OR

2] Reflecting Discontentment:

Not?being happy with the current role or the organisation.?Sometimes,?the work culture mismatch?is an issue. On other occasions, it is?also mentioned?that?one?cannot get along with the boss.?And at other times, it could be?downsizing or restructuring in the organisation.?

There is nothing wrong with any of the above reasons because they would be?genuine. However it is in the way they are presented that you got to pay attention to. As a?job seeker?you at times tend to forget ?that?you are worthy?and bring a lot of?value?to the job. With the above kind of approach to responses, the emphasis shifts primarily towards?the?dissatisfaction aspect.?That is where the disconnect takes place.

On the basis of my experience of over 20 years?mentoring job seekers, let me?share a few tips?which will help you establish a rapport with the interviewer. And even at the cost of sounding repetitive, I would emphasise?that for devising a convincing response, it is absolutely mandatory that you do?in-depth?research on the requirements?of the job and the organisation?and accordingly?customise?your response.?Only then can you present a ‘value proposition ’.

You may use the following guidelines and devise the reasons that come closest to your situation.

1]?Reason:?Excited About The Job Profile.

Assuming you are dissatisfied with your current job profile and feel that the career prospects?it currently?offers?are limited.?The?emphasis?of your response needs to be on?your?skill sets?and the?huge potential?the prospective job offers to make use of your talent.?Your emotional excitement?should be reflected. Here it?reminds me of a saying?“The only thing which is more contagious than enthusiasm is the lack of it”?(I do get this very common feedback from employers that the candidate was not at all enthusiastic and hence rejected). Importantly, you need to?demonstrate?how you have successfully used your skills in your current job.

Advantage:?The emphasis is not on your?dissatisfaction?with the current job. But on the?excitement?of?the potential job reflecting?interest?level. And that is valued by any prospective employer.

2]?Reason:?Better Learning Opportunity

It is possible that the?opportunity to learn new things?is getting limited at your current job. You must?present your?success stories?of?how you have always kept learning and applying new skills to your job. Then, focus on the new?learning avenues?the potential job offers.

Advantage:?This shows the interviewer that you are an?evolving?kind of person who will constantly contribute.

3]?Reason:?Better Career And Growth Prospects

Present the information you have gathered in terms of the better career prospects that the potential organisation has in store in terms of growth. Share?live examples?of?how you have always made use of opportunities to contribute. And now you are seeking a?different platform?to grow (keeping the emphasis on your contribution). Mention an aspect like mentoring or the investments?in training?that the potential organisation offers and?you are keen?to be a part of such a work culture.

Advantage:?You show that you are attracted to?the organisation’s values reflecting better?suitability?for both, you and the prospective employer.

So you will notice that the underlying emphasis across all three responses?is to first emphasise a connection of your value with the potential job?applied for and then transit to presenting a holistic reason.?It is critical to respond in a?manner which includes?the?context?for your reason along with?your value proposition. Or else, it would fail to?strike a chord the interviewer. As he/she would have heard these same reasons from numerous?candidates.

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Happy job hunting!

Best of luck!

?Sarabjeet Sachar

Founder & CEO, Aspiration

Job Search & Interview Coach