It's that time again, time for the Interview Question of the week.
When you are looking for a new job, being prepared for your interview is key to standing out in the sea of applicants. To help you prepare, each week we tackle another tough interview question and break it down to see where the traps are and come up with a strategy to answer it effectively.
So, without further ado, here is the Interview Question of the Week:
Question:
Why are you leaving your current position?
Or
Why did you leave your last job?
Why it's a trap:
Never, never, never badmouth your previous employer, the industry, your co-workers, clients, boss or staff. Under no circumstance is this okay. Even if you feel very comfortable with the interviewer and even if you boss is the biggest jerk on the planet, don't say it. When you start slinging mud, the only person you get dirty is yourself.
When you talk about “personality conflicts” or say that you and your boss didn't see eye to eye, you stand a high chance of making the interviewer see you as someone who has trouble getting along in a professional setting. This doesn't raise your chances of getting the job.
.
The best answer:
Depending on if you are currently employed, there are two different ways you can answer this questions. If you have a job at the moment, and are completely committed to leaving it, you should let the interviewer know that. Tell them what it is that you are looking for in a new job and explain what you are missing at your current job. This tactic works best if you can use information from the job description to match up what you are looking for to what they need.
If you don't have a job currently, and you were fired from your previous job, don't lie about it. It is too easy for the interviewer to check up on and I'm sure that you don't want to ruin your reputation over it. Then, not only will you have to admit to being fired, but also to being dishonest. If you were fired, the best way to answer the question is to admit to being fired. Then, briefly explain why you were fired, from the company's point of view. Take responsibility for your actions, accept the blame and assure the interviewer that you have learned from your mistakes. Be sure to make it clear that you understand the company's decision, and that if you had been your boss, you would have fired you yourself.
By accepting responsibility, you will demonstrate to a prospective employer that you are a professional. That you don't need to have someone to blame anytime you make a mistake. By being humble and showing that you have integrity you make a huge impression on an interviewer.
What do you think of this answer? Are there other questions you would like to see in this series? Let me know in the comments.
If you are looking for a job in Real Estate, visit RealEstateJobsite for the best Real Estate job listings.
By: Melissa Kennedy
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