| It is important when answering this question to put a | | | | am looking for a position in a larger organisation where |
| positive spin on your answer, even if the | | | | there are better promotional opportunities" |
| circumstances under which you left were less than | | | | Fired |
| perfect, i.e. due to a conflict of personalities, poor | | | | If you were fired, take responsibility for it, above all |
| performance, money issues, being bored or any of the | | | | stress what you have learnt and how you have |
| reason. When answering this question keep it short | | | | change from that experience. |
| and to the point, don't waffle on. Interviewees who try | | | | Money |
| to explain in length can come across as trying to | | | | Stating that you left because of money issues may |
| overly justifying their answer or trying to do a cover-up | | | | ring alarm bells with your interviewer. It may suggest |
| job. | | | | that you are solely financially motivated. If another well |
| Reasons for leaving | | | | paid job came - would you jump ship without a |
| Stating that you left for "better career opportunities" | | | | moments thought? Why then would an employer |
| sounds to cliché, it would be sound better to | | | | invest time and money in you. |
| say " I am looking for a position which enables me to | | | | Don't dish previous employer |
| use my skills and experience as an ___" Here again | | | | Even if you feel it is justified and your just itching to tell |
| you've stressed the positives and not dished your | | | | what he/she was like - don't. It reflects badly on you. |
| previous employees. Also here you can stress those | | | | Firstly it shows that you not clued up enough about the |
| skills and experience that are aligned with those in the | | | | interview process to know this and secondly it could |
| job description and person spec of the position you | | | | raise flags that it's you who is difficult to get along with. |
| are applying for. | | | | Before questions are asked about why you left |
| Overused phrase | | | | previous employment, you have to build up a positive (I |
| "I left my previous employer because there was no | | | | can do this job) impression, so that by the time they |
| room for growth" - again this is phrased as a negative. | | | | get to this question, hopefully all of your positive |
| The interviewer may see this as lack of motivation, or | | | | attributes will outweigh any negative issues that |
| boredom with the job. A better response would be "I | | | | happened in the past. |