St-Louis Staffing Agencies

Hiring managers generally want to know why candidates left their last jobs because it can provide insight into what type of employee they are likely to be if hired. It can indicate how well you handle workplace challenges, deal with conflict, and ultimately how professional you are. Learn how to answer the difficult interview question of why you left your last job with these tips.

• Keep a Positive or Neutral Tone

No matter how toxic the situation was that caused you to leave your last job, under no circumstances should you badmouth your previous employer in an interview. Even if it’s all true, it can make you look bitter and make the hiring manager wonder if you’d talk poorly about their company if hired. Frame the reason you left in a truthful way that doesn’t place blame on your previous employer, such as it not being the right cultural fit, versus saying your boss was a workplace bully.

• Provide the Right Amount of Context

Strike a balance between giving enough context that your answer provides insight to the hiring manager, without going into all of the nitty gritty details that they don’t need to know. The explanation should be able to be summed up in about two-to-three sentences. The hiring manager essentially wants to know why you left to see if there are any red flags (you don’t get along well with others or are impulsive) or it demonstrates you have ambition to move up.

Just like with any interview answer, your main focus should be to communicate what makes you a great candidate. Think about the strengths you want to be sure the interviewer knows and include them in your explanation of why you left. For instance, you can say that you left because you have Skills A and B that weren’t utilized in the role.

When you’re answering questions about previous employers, focus on concluding it by bringing the topic back around to the job for which you’re interviewing. Once you’ve provided enough context about why you left your last job, finish up by stating why this job in question would be such a great, long-term fit for you and what you could bring if you were hired.

Find your next job opportunity with the help of PrideStaff St. Louis. We are a staffing firm serving the greater St. Louis area and strive to provide personalized service and connect candidates with employers that have available positions that fit your qualifications and goals. Get started today and .