It’s inevitable that during your interview, questions about your last position are going to come up, and if you have left your previous job, this can certainly cause some anxiety for you. Without doubt, this is going to be one of the first questions you are going to be asked.
Why did you leave your last job?
We completely understand that last thing you want to do is to make the interviewer suspicious or uneasy about the reason behind your departure. However, you shouldn’t start badmouthing your former employer in order to try to get them to understand why you left.
So, my advice would be:
- Be truthful, don’t lie – provide information, but there is no need to go overboard and go into too much detail, but say enough so that the hiring manager can understand your reasons, but hold back on getting to deep.
- Stick to the facts – even if your last company treated you terribly, you still only want to present the facts when covering your departure. Delving into the drama is unprofessional and may provide the interviewer with a bad impression of you.
- Stay positive – you may still feel a grievance against your last employer, but make a point of putting a positive spin on the situation. Employers want to hire someone with a good, positive attitude and someone that doesn’t dwell on negatives or the past.
So just to summarise, there is no avoiding the question, but you only need to provide basic information and no need for chapter or verse. Focus on the positive opportunity in front of you and clearly show your enthusiasm for the role / company you are being interviewed for.