Interviews - reason to tell new job why I wanna leave

[keekee123]

What’s the best thing to say in interviews as to why yoy want to leave the job

I don’t really get on with anyone and they treat me crap but I don’t wanna say that

thank you

You feel you have reached your potential in the company and are looking for new challenges.

Thank you that sounds great!

’I don’t think the company and I are a good fit, and I feel it’s time for me to explore new opportunities’.

i would not criticise the company
new challenges is the best phrase

Definitely not that! It makes you sound like hard work. New challenges, or would like to gain more experience in whatever the company does (as long as you do know what the company does - I have had candidates tell me they want to get more experience in xx, which we do not do, so they won’t be getting that experience with us…)

Definitely go for new challenges and any other positive reasons to change jobs and/or work for the new company you're interviewing with.
Avoid saying anything negative about your current or previous employers.

You should not feel forced to discuss why you want to leave. It's a ridiculous question and I'd be put off a company that want to know that detail.

Our interview guidelines state explicitly not to ask that question or probe about people's reasons. We are told to focus on the person's skills, relevant experience and how well they are matched to the vacancy.

Why would a prospective employer need to know that anyway? A candidate is hardly going to say they're on a great salary, they love the work, there are great opportunities for advancement and they get on great with their manager and colleagues.

“I’m looking for new challenges’

We ask why candidates have applied for the post. We want to know that they have researched us, and to start a discussion about how their skills will fit.

However what we often get instead is a list of complaints about their current employer, or they just say they want to move to London. Neither of which are great responses tbh.

What’s the honest answer? Give a version of that not something generic

‘There’s no route to progression/training/development in my current firm, and researching yours, I see there is-at the right time in future’. It’s important not to come across like this is a stopgap till promotion.
’Current role is not what was described when recruited’. This covers crap shifts, being banned from taking leave when Janice in accounts is off, overtime that never materialised etc.
’There’s a risk of instability in my current firm’. Covers possible cuts, restructuring etc.
Most people leave because of poor managers or to get a pay rise. Hiring managers are aware. Don’t criticise your current firm though.

I’ve never been asked this but if you are just use one of the generic answers above.

The job itself isn't really fulfilling me or stretching me, but the current structure there means there is unlikely to be anywhere for me to move to, either sideways or upwards in the forseeable future. The only way to advance is to leave.

Career progression.
Nothing that reflects badly on the company you are leaving or you, nothing framed remotely negatively. I wouldn't use a lot of the above, but perhaps they are suited to higher careers than mine. I'm not sure.

Another that’s been well received at my firm-when it was genuine(we can see if people have recently updated their profile on the big jobs boards like indeed):
’’I wasn’t actively job seeking but I saw your advert online/company details on LinkedIn and I’m specifically interested in working here/in this industry/the role you’ve advertised because(insert reason)…”

I like to say I’ve been very grateful to my current role for giving me lots of valuable experience in XYZ (aspects of the role that are on the job ad for the new role) but now I’m looking for new challenges. That makes you sound like a positive person and also that you’ve really understood what part of your existing skills are relevant for the new role.

I think it really depends on the job involved. If you are moving by from a minimum wage retail job to another similar role ‘challenges’ isn’t the answer. Equally if you are moving from a high end role to an entirely different role ‘challenges’ is still not the answer.

As a rule, say something positive about where you're trying to move to, eg I want to experience working in the private sector or the job role sounds interesting or the work environment sounds interesting...

You never say why you don't want your current role, you say why you want the new one

'New opportunities' is the catch-all but try and tailor it towards the place you're interviewing for and what you think that job offers you. For example what particular strength of yours suits the role or is it in a new sector, or is there something that particularly stands out that made you apply. Never bad mouth your current place, in any way.