Navigating Interview Questions: How to Explain Leaving a Job Due to HR Issues?

I left my last organization in August 2012. I left that company because there was no understanding of HR policies and employee dissatisfaction. However, I am a little confused about what reason I should provide during an interview. Could you kindly suggest what I should say?

You can specify many reasons during an interview that may not seem fair to the interviewers. Please explain why you felt there was a lack of fair understanding of HR policies and what dissatisfactions you experienced (describe your situation). Unless you provide us with the facts, it can be misinterpreted and misunderstood, leading to not receiving the response you are seeking. Many experienced and qualified individuals do not respond without understanding the full situation. We aim to assist you if your query is accurate.

Regards

Further to what Sharmila Das mentioned and her queries, frankly, you should have thought of this situation BEFORE LEAVING. I presume you are in HR yourself. If that's true, it's all the more reason that you need to figure out your action/decision—what to say in the interviews would come later.

When you faced the situations you mentioned ["...no understanding of HR policies and employee dissatisfaction"], don't you think that even the best organizations have flaws? You haven't given any details about this company—that would have enabled the members to give appropriate suggestions [you have been a member of CiteHR since March 2012 and you quit in Aug 2012—hope you get what I mean].

Looking at the situation from another angle, do you have the courage to mention the REAL reason [which you mentioned in this thread] in interviews? Most likely, NO.

Then don't you think that any other reason that you would end up giving in the interviews would MOST LIKELY be LYING [whether you think up the reason or it is suggested by anyone else]? Which would lead to STARTING your new job [whichever it is] WITH A LIE. And sitting in HR then, would you be able to handle with a straight face any candidates you would be interviewing for positions in that company when he/she fakes his/her resume or tells white lies?

If all this logic doesn't make any sense OR doesn't seem very important at all [worth giving a thought], then I think you are missing out on the bigger picture.

All the Best.

Regards,
TS

No human being would ever want to work in an organization where the systems and policies are not right. However, when you say this, are you sure you are not just pointing fingers and blaming to find a better place to work? Your role in the company may not have allowed you to change anything there. Did you think through why such a system had formed and if at all any correction could be made? My apologies as I request this only to help you analyze the situation and not find a custom-fit answer for your next interview.

Now that you have come out of the system, let us for a moment imagine you find a job in a firm bearing similarities to your ex-employer. Would you change your job again or understand why things work that way?

Often, seeing the bigger picture and then finding a foothold to the changes that you can bring in can create 'the best place to work'. However, that's an ideal situation. We have our limits to adjust with a toxic situation. As we work through levels, these situations will eventually cease to have any impact on us, as we can see through them.

Think of the problems that were there with your ex-employer from the point of view of a mid-level manager who needs to deliver but may not have the authority to change.

I strongly believe, whatever happens, happens for the best. You have left the job for the right reason, and this experience has helped you build your professional acumen and maturity.

The interviewer would only be interested in your skills and how easily you can deliver on the duties you are going to be hired for. Hence, during the interview, remain focused on your skills and what more you would want to learn within the span of opportunities with the new employer. Stay focused on growth and learning. Your answer would be honest only if you have brainstormed through your last situation. Remain focused not just on the problem but solution-orientation. Wish you all the best!

Regards

I hope the responses so far have given you an idea of how to stay 'solution-focused/oriented' and understand 'the timing' for any step we take—whether it's in career or life.

[Cite Contribution] is right when she says: "Whatever happens, happens for the best." Maybe this situation happened for YOU to learn 'how to' and 'when to' respond to any situation that occurs that isn't to your liking or something that you can't handle. In fact, going one step backward, maybe the very fact that you joined this company was an opportunity for YOU to correct/rectify the HR policies there and learn in the process?

What to Say in Your Next Interview

I suggest using the line 'you left due to pressing personal reasons'—you aren't lying here nor are you opening up fully, so to say. Usually, such reasons [frankly, especially for women—no pun intended] aren't disputed unless there are any tell-tale signs to the contrary.

However, TWO words of caution while using this reason: (1) Don't use it every time you want to take the easy way out—it is bound to boomerang. (2) Wholeheartedly LEARN from this situation.

One of my favorite quotes is: A mistake is a mistake UNTIL: one realizes it; then corrects it, to the extent possible and necessary; and learns from it. Then it is no longer a mistake—it's EXPERIENCE.

All the Best.

Regards,
TS

I left my last organization in August 2012. I left that company because there was no understanding of HR policies and employee dissatisfaction. But I am a little confused about the reason if I am going for the interview - what should I say? Kindly suggest...

Shilpa, you have been honest in expressing your concerns, and we appreciate that. However, almost 90% of people face this confusion. Organizations that are stagnant and not receptive to the Voice of Customers or the Voice of the Process (including employee opinions) tend to deteriorate. Nevertheless, this situation is not your fault. The key point is that no one wants to hear negative comments or criticism from an interviewee, as most of the same elements or conditions might exist in the new organization, which you may only realize after joining.

Your best approach is to focus on positives and handle any negative aspects diplomatically. Please remember that it is you who is at stake, not your previous company. Avoid discussing any negativity about your past experiences.

Handling Interview Questions About Previous Employment

There is no need to explain about your previous employer or company during the interview. If they ask why you left your previous company, you can provide a different story or cite personal reasons. Avoid mentioning the actual reason because even in large organizations or MNCs, there may be various policies leading to overall work dissatisfaction. Some companies assess your work style, capacity, and flexibility with company timings, so honesty may not be the best policy in such situations.

Regards,
ALAM

You should not hide the truth, and speaking true facts will give you enough courage to explain things in a better way. I am sure everything will be clear.

Regards

In the interview, talk about the organization you are aspiring to join, rather than your previous organization and your experience in it. If the interviewer asks, it is always safe to talk about your future aspirations and the things you want to do, which you did not get in the organization you left.

Hi Shilpa,

The first thing is that you could analyze the reason for leaving the company and be in a position to explain your past experience. Each organization varies from another one; there are different policies, cultures, standards, etc.

Also, you should not create a negative impression of your past company.

Sravanthi

Never speak badly about your previous organization. You should articulate your personal reasons for leaving the organization.

It is good that you are thinking of getting yourself associated with a company where you believe you will have a good working environment and a positive culture. As a rule, when you are confronted with a question in an interview about why you are looking for a job change, never speak negatively about your past organization, regardless of how negative your experience may have been. As mentioned earlier, you can mention a personal reason or explain that due to the small size of the company, you were not presented with enough opportunities for your own development. This response will also indicate to interviewers that you have a strong desire for learning and are eager to grow and develop.

Regards,
Rakesh Srivastav

You have put yourself in such a position where you have to break your own belief for which you have resigned. Anyway, learn to be practical. I can just say a few words; in India, 90% of managements see HR just as an administrative department. So, finding a company with real HRD policies is not an easy task. Moreover, I am not even sure what you mean by HR policies.

Approach to Change

The best approach is if you wish to change something, fight from within. Here, "fight" means expressing your views and convincing management about the benefits of good HR policies. We are not living in a country like Australia where it's a legal requirement to spend 2% of profit on staff development (education, skill improvements, etc.) or pay the government as additional tax. So next time before leaving the job, please find another opportunity.

Thank you.

The following points are clear:

1. How many months/years were you working with the organization?
2. In which field are you working?
3. How did you leave the job - by submitting a resignation or voluntarily abandoning your services?

Irrespective of the above information, in general, I would like to say that without having another job in hand, how dare you leave the services? It reflects immature behavior on your part. Definitely, the HR personnel at the time of an interview will ask you why you left the organization. It is not advisable to attribute it to unsatisfactory HR policies of the organization. Additionally, it is unclear to me how you gauge employee satisfaction. It would be better to give advice based on correct information.

I hope you understand my perspective.

Regards,
R D W

I guess you are around twenty-five, plus or minus three years. You can go ahead in the interview and specifically mention what you did not like in your previous job, as long as it is in specific terms and deeply embedded in that organization's culture. For example, you could mention the reservation policy in government organizations or the lack of transparency in the organization's dealings with employees. Any management expert knows that organizational culture cannot change overnight and cannot be changed by one person. It's a long-term exercise that can only be undertaken by top management.

Take, for example, the working of public sector banks vis-a-vis private sector banks. The efficiency level of the latter is far better than that of the former. Speaking the truth and calling 'a spade a spade' sometimes helps. However, you must also display confidence that if the environment is right, you can deliver the best and make your team perform at a higher level. Remember that a junior-level or middle-level manager in a typical public sector enterprise cannot perform beyond a certain degree, no matter how much they want to, due to many archaic systems prevalent there. All the best.

Regards,
S.K. Limaye

MBA (HRM) PGDM (Marketing)