By | Lily Zhang | www.themuse.com
Hiring managers are just people, and people are naturally curious. That means at some point during the hiring process, you’re likely to get the interview question, “So why are you leaving your current job?”
Obviously, you’re leaving your job for a reason, but this question isn’t an invitation to vent about that one coworker who’s always talking over you or the super competitive environment that’s making you dread showing up for work.
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.
As you think about your answer to this question, here are a few things to keep in mind.
- 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.