Ask the Recruiter’s Joe Grimm will be hosting a live chat, “Explaining Why I Left My Last Job,” on Tuesday, March 17, at 1 p.m. In timing with his chat, I’ve listed some tips to help address this topic. Feel free to share your own feedback to help add to the discussion.
1. Remember the truth is always the best answer. In telling the truth, be consistent and clear, and think about how your answers come across. For example, if you were laid off, state the context of the lay off. “I was one of 60 (or however many) let go in the third round of cuts.”
If you took a buyout, state the reasons. “This was the fourth buyout the Hartford (Conn.) Courant offered. I knew with Sam Zell cutting costs, it would mean no more buyouts. So I took this one and left.”
2. Recruiters are good at vetting people’s honesty. Make your answers real, clear and sincere, but also professional. How you answer is as important as what you say. Look the interviewer in the eye. Watch for reactions. If the interviewer looks uncomfortable, follow up with a question for clarification, such as “Have I addressed your concerns?”
3. If your reason for leaving was one of difference in values, be sure to know how the organization you are entering is run. What are the values there? To say you left because the company was “too bottom line focused” may leave you out of a job.
On the other hand, saying you left because of the “way the people were handled,” may make the difference. Be sure you can back up what the “way” was, though. Disagreeing with bosses who want to misrepresent the truth is a reason that would stand you well.
4. You were fired. Now what do you say? First be clear about why you were fired. If it was something performance-related, the best way to respond is to say you’re sorry about what happened, state what you learned from that experience and say what you’re doing to avoid it in the future.
If you were fired for a personality difference with a boss, describe what that was without using the person’s name. Never besmirch someone else in an interview. State how you would handle the situation in the future. If the person left a trail of dismissed employees, make that clear but brief. Be careful not to spend time on negative conversation.
5. You were let go after only three months on the job. Was it LIFO (last in, first out?) If so, state that. Often employers will give you a letter from Human Resources letting future interviewers know that your dismissal was financial and not performance-related.
These times are drastically different from 10 years ago. The average length of stay in top roles can be two years or less now, so more and more hiring managers and recruiters are open to conversations that formerly would have stood in the way of your being hired.
The secret is to be honest, factual and positive. State what you learned and how you will apply it in the future. Be ready to back up your answers with conversation that helps the interviewer understand you and appreciate your predicament.
