The One Interview Question That Lost You The Job People worry – sometimes with justification, but often without – about small things that might have tipped an interview or job-hunting interaction against them. Were they dressed “right”? Too dressed up? Not enough? They joined the Zoom call 1 minute late; did that ruin the whole thing? Did they answer every single question? Did they ask too many questions themselves? And on and on and on. My perspective – built from 35 years in tech as well as trying to help friends find their own new roles from time to time – is that most interviews are a series of moments that all add up. No individual moment is a deal-breaker. Instead, how a candidate “did” often comes down to the overall sense the interviewer feels after the entire conversation. (I would say “vibe” here, but my kids have been very clear that the word is absolutely forbidden for my personal use.) However – and again, based on years of experience – I have found ONE question with the potential to immediately disqualify you. It’s a question you’re almost certain to hear, sometimes more than once, regardless of the industry, company, or role. “Why do you want to leave your current job?” What’s So Bad About THAT?!? It’s such a simple question, even trivial. And it’s neither a trick question nor an interviewer’s gambit to get the candidate to divulge something against their own interest. It’s also highly relevant, which is part of why it’s so dangerous to candidates. Here’s why: I’m here to tell you that there’s not a single manager walking the planet who gives the smallest fig on the oldest tree why you want to leave your current role. What they – and the company behind them – really want to know is “Will you leave US the way you’re leaving THEM?” So, what is your answer? Obviously, something like “my boss was a complete jerk” or “they made me work too hard” is a supremely poor choice. But other answers might seem more innocent and fail the test. What are some common reasons people leave their jobs? To be sure, having a bad boss is at the top of the list, as is poor work-life balance. But there are plenty of other common reasons: A toxic corporate culture
No chance for advancement
Poor compensation
Unchallenging work
A job that’s really 3 jobs in a trenchcoat
Unclear objectives, whether it’s for the company, the team, or your job specifically. Obviously, there are many more, but I’d like you to look at that list of reasons – as well as any you may have mentally added – from the perspective of the person on the other side of the desk. unable to fit in with a team
unwilling to put in the work for a promotion
unsatisfied with salary after negotiation
incapable of completing jobs as assigned
requires explicit direction and supervision I’m not saying either list is 100% accurate. On the other hand, none of them are 100% fabrications, either. As with so many things, the truth lies somewhere in the middle, where nuance, context, and details matter. But an interview isn’t always a place where we can rely on the chance to provide nuance, context, or details. And, as I say, this is the ONE question that could lose you the job. Consider Your Next Words Carefully So, what do I suggest? While you might be tempted to invent a complete fabrication, don’t. Not only is lying unethical, it’s a bad habit to get into. On the other hand, this is a job interview, not therapy. You don’t owe anybody (except, perhaps, your therapist) your innermost thoughts and justifications. My suggestion is to take a minute (before the interview) and come up with your own list of reasons for leaving. Odds are, you have more than one. Most folks do because it’s rare for someone to leave a job because of a single issue. It’s usually a combination of things, each compounding upon the next until what you have is a work environment that no level of hard conversations, compromises, or lateral moves will resolve. Once you have your list, look for ones that, as much as possible, leave both you and your current employer as blameless as possible while also emphasizing the immutability of them. Then wrap that reason around a series of positives before you drop your “but.” For example: “You know, my team was great. Everyone was an absolute champ and a lot of fun to work with. And the company was doing some interesting stuff. In fact, that’s what I was doing – working on some of the latest initiatives. BUT… once we’d gotten the new system up and running, there was nothing on the horizon. The company wanted me to move into an operational type role and I’m just not a “keep the joint running” kind of person. I’m energized by learning new things and finding new applications for what I’ve learned. It’s really not that I wanted to leave XYZ company as much as they needed me to move out of the work I was hired to do, which is the work I love doing and what I was hoping I’d be able to continue doing here.” That’s the general structure. Other ideas you might build your answer around include: The company had been fully remote and is now pushing for in-office a few days a week.
The project you were hired to work on ended, and there was no new project to move to and you’re just floating between smaller jobs.
The company trained you in a new technology, but there’s no role on the team responsible for that tech, so you’re effectively stuck in your old role waiting for someone to leave, while all those new skills go unused (and fading from memory). The point is to make a case where your reasons for leaving aren’t anyone’s “fault”, but simply a matter of circumstances that both you and your current employer would have preferred to avoid; and which your new employer can safely say “We don’t do that kind of thing here.” and thus, your reasons for leaving your old spot aren’t a pattern so much as an unfortunate fact of business. The Get Out of Jail Free Card There is one group of folks who have, whether they realize it or not, the perfect response. Everyone who’s been touched by the epidemic of layoffs has, in one of the biggest examples of real-world irony I’ve ever seen, a hall pass on the interview killing question. “Why do you want to leave your current job?” “Well, to be honest, if I had my choice I’d still be there today. I loved the work I was doing, my team, and the mission. But 3 weeks ago, 2,300 folks from XYZ were shown the door, and I was part of that group. I know the phrase “it’s not personal, it’s just business” is a cliche, but when 2,299 other people are also laid off I’m pretty sure it really WASN’T personal.” While layoffs might have been a certain kind of scarlet letter once upon a time, it’s now become so common that it’s hard to find someone during the interview process who wasn’t, themselves touched by it, which translates to a possibility for empathy. Thanks, Leon. One More Thing to Stress About Not really. I didn’t write this to fuel your anxiety during what is almost certainly a deeply anxious experience. I wrote it because I’ve seen too many folks blithely answer this question, never realizing how much damage they did to their chances. Now that you are aware of it, you can prepare for it. In the meantime, if you have other thoughts on the subject, questions, corrections, or kudos, I’d love to hear them in the comments below. The One Interview Question That Lost You The Job People worry – sometimes with justification, but often without – about small things that might have tipped an interview or job-hunting interaction against them. Were they dressed “right”? Too dressed up? Not enough? They joined the Zoom call 1 minute late; did that ruin the whole thing? Did they answer every single question? Did they ask too many questions themselves? And on and on and on. often without My perspective – built from 35 years in tech as well as trying to help friends find their own new roles from time to time – is that most interviews are a series of moments that all add up. No individual moment is a deal-breaker. Instead, how a candidate “did” often comes down to the overall sense the interviewer feels after the entire conversation. (I would say “vibe” here, but my kids have been very clear that the word is absolutely forbidden for my personal use.) However – and again, based on years of experience – I have found ONE question with the potential to immediately disqualify you. It’s a question you’re almost certain to hear, sometimes more than once, regardless of the industry, company, or role. “Why do you want to leave your current job?” What’s So Bad About THAT?!? What’s So Bad About THAT?!? It’s such a simple question, even trivial. And it’s neither a trick question nor an interviewer’s gambit to get the candidate to divulge something against their own interest. It’s also highly relevant, which is part of why it’s so dangerous to candidates. Here’s why: I’m here to tell you that there’s not a single manager walking the planet who gives the smallest fig on the oldest tree why you want to leave your current role. What they – and the company behind them – really want to know is “Will you leave US the way you’re leaving THEM?” So, what is your answer? Obviously, something like “my boss was a complete jerk” or “they made me work too hard” is a supremely poor choice. But other answers might seem more innocent and fail the test. What are some common reasons people leave their jobs? To be sure, having a bad boss is at the top of the list, as is poor work-life balance. But there are plenty of other common reasons: A toxic corporate culture No chance for advancement Poor compensation Unchallenging work A job that’s really 3 jobs in a trenchcoat Unclear objectives, whether it’s for the company, the team, or your job specifically. A toxic corporate culture No chance for advancement Poor compensation Unchallenging work A job that’s really 3 jobs in a trenchcoat Unclear objectives, whether it’s for the company, the team, or your job specifically. Obviously, there are many more, but I’d like you to look at that list of reasons – as well as any you may have mentally added – from the perspective of the person on the other side of the desk. unable to fit in with a team unwilling to put in the work for a promotion unsatisfied with salary after negotiation incapable of completing jobs as assigned requires explicit direction and supervision unable to fit in with a team unwilling to put in the work for a promotion unsatisfied with salary after negotiation incapable of completing jobs as assigned requires explicit direction and supervision I’m not saying either list is 100% accurate. On the other hand, none of them are 100% fabrications, either. As with so many things, the truth lies somewhere in the middle, where nuance, context, and details matter. But an interview isn’t always a place where we can rely on the chance to provide nuance, context, or details. And, as I say, this is the ONE question that could lose you the job. Consider Your Next Words Carefully Consider Your Next Words Carefully So, what do I suggest? While you might be tempted to invent a complete fabrication, don’t. Not only is lying unethical, it’s a bad habit to get into. On the other hand, this is a job interview, not therapy. You don’t owe anybody (except, perhaps, your therapist) your innermost thoughts and justifications. My suggestion is to take a minute (before the interview) and come up with your own list of reasons for leaving. Odds are, you have more than one. Most folks do because it’s rare for someone to leave a job because of a single issue. It’s usually a combination of things, each compounding upon the next until what you have is a work environment that no level of hard conversations, compromises, or lateral moves will resolve. Once you have your list, look for ones that, as much as possible, leave both you and your current employer as blameless as possible while also emphasizing the immutability of them. Then wrap that reason around a series of positives before you drop your “but.” For example: “You know, my team was great. Everyone was an absolute champ and a lot of fun to work with. And the company was doing some interesting stuff. In fact, that’s what I was doing – working on some of the latest initiatives. BUT… once we’d gotten the new system up and running, there was nothing on the horizon. The company wanted me to move into an operational type role and I’m just not a “keep the joint running” kind of person. I’m energized by learning new things and finding new applications for what I’ve learned. It’s really not that I wanted to leave XYZ company as much as they needed me to move out of the work I was hired to do, which is the work I love doing and what I was hoping I’d be able to continue doing here.” That’s the general structure. Other ideas you might build your answer around include: The company had been fully remote and is now pushing for in-office a few days a week. The project you were hired to work on ended, and there was no new project to move to and you’re just floating between smaller jobs. The company trained you in a new technology, but there’s no role on the team responsible for that tech, so you’re effectively stuck in your old role waiting for someone to leave, while all those new skills go unused (and fading from memory). The company had been fully remote and is now pushing for in-office a few days a week. The project you were hired to work on ended, and there was no new project to move to and you’re just floating between smaller jobs. The company trained you in a new technology, but there’s no role on the team responsible for that tech, so you’re effectively stuck in your old role waiting for someone to leave, while all those new skills go unused (and fading from memory). The point is to make a case where your reasons for leaving aren’t anyone’s “fault”, but simply a matter of circumstances that both you and your current employer would have preferred to avoid; and which your new employer can safely say “We don’t do that kind of thing here.” and thus, your reasons for leaving your old spot aren’t a pattern so much as an unfortunate fact of business. The Get Out of Jail Free Card The Get Out of Jail Free Card There is one group of folks who have, whether they realize it or not, the perfect response. Everyone who’s been touched by the epidemic of layoffs has, in one of the biggest examples of real-world irony I’ve ever seen, a hall pass on the interview killing question. “Why do you want to leave your current job?” “Well, to be honest, if I had my choice I’d still be there today. I loved the work I was doing, my team, and the mission. But 3 weeks ago, 2,300 folks from XYZ were shown the door, and I was part of that group. I know the phrase “it’s not personal, it’s just business” is a cliche, but when 2,299 other people are also laid off I’m pretty sure it really WASN’T personal.” While layoffs might have been a certain kind of scarlet letter once upon a time, it’s now become so common that it’s hard to find someone during the interview process who wasn’t, themselves touched by it, which translates to a possibility for empathy. Thanks, Leon. One More Thing to Stress About Thanks, Leon. One More Thing to Stress About Not really. I didn’t write this to fuel your anxiety during what is almost certainly a deeply anxious experience. I wrote it because I’ve seen too many folks blithely answer this question, never realizing how much damage they did to their chances. Now that you are aware of it, you can prepare for it. In the meantime, if you have other thoughts on the subject, questions, corrections, or kudos, I’d love to hear them in the comments below.

How to Answer This One Interview Question That (Might) Lose You The Job

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