How Do You Answer the Tough Interview Question: Why Leave Your Current Job?

Hi, I am Sanjay Jaiswal. Recently, I have started conducting interviews, and I want to know how to answer a question that almost all interviewers ask: "Why do you want to leave your current organization?" Please help me in crafting a very good response for this.

Hey Sanjay,

This is a general question asked in every interview you step in. Well, I suggest you to be frank in why you are leaving your current organization. There may be reasons like, you have been there for a few years and thus have not been exposed to different technologies, or that you have not received any promotions despite contributing a lot, or that you have not been recognized in any way despite bringing in good profits, etc.

NOTE: Never say anything negative about your current organization.

Hi,

There can be many reasons why a person leaves his current organization; my reasons may differ from yours, so the best answer is what you feel and why you left your current organization without going all gaga over negatives of the company. There are a few answers that can fit:

- I have reached the plateau in my current job, so I am looking out for a new challenging opportunity.
- For career advancement and better prospects.
- Do not directly mention less monetary benefits or compensation as this may give the new company room for negotiation.
- Focus more on the positives of the culture and environment of the company you are applying to, rather than discussing the drawbacks of your current organization. For example, although my current company has provided many challenges and a well-crafted learning curve, it is time to move on to work in a new environment that values meritocracy and offers a better learning culture.

Regards,

If you have a valid reason, please provide it. If it is not valid, then as others have correctly said, seeking better prospects and career growth is the right answer.

Regards,
Barkha Sinha
HR Manager

Why do you want to leave your current organization? Or, why are you looking for a new job?

Bad Answer: My boss is a jerk and the customers are hard to deal with.
Tip: Keep the answer positive, in terms of where you want to go, not what you want to get away from.

Better Answer: I have been promoted as far as I can go with my current employer. I'm looking for a new challenge that will give me the opportunity to use my skills to help my employer's business grow.

Regards...

Yes, this question is really not needed, dear friends. Let us be practical. The company advertises for interviews, and candidates apply. If a candidate is shortlisted for an interview, during the interview time, instead of wasting time, we should focus on his strengths and weaknesses. It depends on people; some are introverts, and some are extroverts. Introverts don't mingle and can't answer such questions. They are quiet but highly intelligent. So, in the end, you may find yourself not hiring a "blabber-mouth" highly communication-skilled person but rather a quiet, technically skilled individual.

For technical posts, such questions are viewed as foolish by them because all they know is machines, computers, electricity, etc.

Hi Friends,

I believe this is very important information to know from the candidate: why he wants to switch from his current company. This will help HR to understand the genuine interests of the candidates. I agree one should not give a negative answer about the company. However, some candidates do have genuine reasons to change, which might help the HR/Management in making hiring decisions.

With Regards,
Nisha

• I found myself bored with the work and looking for more challenges. I am an excellent employee, and I didn't want my unhappiness to have any impact on the job I was doing for my employer.

• There isn't room for growth with my current employer, and I'm ready to move on to a new challenge.

• I'm looking for a bigger challenge and to grow my career, and I couldn't job hunt part-time while working. It didn't seem ethical to use my former employer's time.

• I was laid off from my last position when our department was eliminated due to corporate restructuring.

• I'm relocating to this area due to family circumstances and left my previous position in order to make the move.

• I've decided that is not the direction I want to go in my career, and my current employer has no opportunities in the direction I'd like to head.

• After several years in my last position, I'm looking for a company where I can contribute and grow in a team-oriented environment.

• I am interested in a new challenge and an opportunity to use my technical skills and experience in a different capacity than I have in the past.