Best way to explain why I am job-hunting at interview stage?

[Startingagainandagain]

I am looking for a new role as my current employer is going from bad to worse.

I am trying to work out how best to respond when/if asked why I want to leave my job after only a year and 5 months.

Current company (a charity):

• misrepresented the job when they interviewed me
• told me I would only need to travel to the office one day a month at interview stage then tried to make me come in once a week (I live 2.5 hours away...)
• has a huge staff turnover and is constantly short staffed which is really disruptive
• is now not doing so well financially and I heard it has just lost some big contracts frankly due to their own incompetence.

Yesterday I decided I had enough and started applying for new roles.

I don't want to be too negative about my current company when talking to new employers so would people be able to suggest?

I suppose I could leave it vague and say that the fact that I am looking for a job closer to home or a remote role (which is what I am applying for) because I no longer want to commute that far and not mention anything else...

Yes exactly that- talk about what you want now, do not deride your current employers. For one thing you never know who knows who!

I’ve never been asked why I want to leave my current job? My last one I left after just six months for same reasons as you’ve listed above. Never got asked in any of the interviews I attended and I got offered the jobs.

If anyone did ask, I’d just say how you saw this opportunity and it was perfect for you and you didn’t want to miss out etc.

Is there something in your current role that you'd like more opportunity to expand on?

I've just handed in my notice, also at a charity, totally different reasons to yours but felt nothing was ever going to change and it was affecting my sleep and self esteem (which isn't the best anyway!). I'm moving on to a different role in a charity.

I was asked, in conversation, why I was moving on, and I used the excuse that I wanted to focus more on something that currently is a small part of my job. My unhappiness has made me question a lot recently, and made me think what do I really enjoy about my job so this seemed like a great option!

Good luck!

Thank you everyone for the feedback so far!

I had a chat with an agency this morning about a job they want to put me froward and I just briefly mentioned that I wanted to work remotely after a relocation. They did not question that further...

@familyissues12345 good to hear that you have a new role. It is sad but I have found that there are a lot of issues with so many charities and how they behave towards their staff and volunteers.

@curlupandvanishforever ''I’ve never been asked why I want to leave my current job? My last one I left after just six months for same reasons as you’ve listed above. Never got asked in any of the interviews I attended and I got offered the jobs.''

That is good to hear that this was not an issue. I thought I would give this job at least a year. It is not going to get any better so I really need to find something else now. I have always found as well that there is quite a high staff turnover in charities, probably due to the pay not being great and people's good will often being taken advantage of, but the one I work for currently is the worst ever. I have never seen so many people leave one organisation in one year...

I've been asked this as part of an application form before 😄! What a nightmare. I've seen people mention online that a corresponding question that you could ask them is why the last person left the role.

Yes, the answer is probably to focus on anything that would be different about the new role in a positive way, rather than anything about your current role in a negative way.

Good luck.