How Do I Answer: "Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?"

Following is: Penelope Trunk's (nom de plume, I hope) answer to the question:  "How do I handle the question:  'Why did you leave your last employment?' "

Mailbag 5:31 am on March 15, 2012 Permalink | Reply 

Saying why you quit the last job 

I was recently fired, and I’m finding it tough to answer questions regarding my unemployed status to potential employers.
I worked for my last company for 10 months. My numbers were high and my clients had only positive things to say regarding my service to them.  I always knew that there were some issues with my fit in the company culture.

Out of the blue i was asked to meet with my line manager and his manager for a drink one evening at the hotel they were staying at. I met with them and they were extremely awkward and i knew that something bad was coming. They said that I was being asked to leave the company effective immediately and that i would be paid 3 months salary. I asked what the reason was and both guys eye-balled each other and didn’t reply.

So I wished them well, asked for a good reference from my line manager, and I walked out.

I have been in touch with some potential companies and some headhunters with regards to new possible positions and the first question that always comes up is “why did you leave your last position after such a short period of time?” With some headhunters I have been honest about what happened in the hopes that they may be able to offer some advice from their expertise but most of them just say that they will find it hard to place me in a new position.

One head hunter advised me to say that my role with the last company was a “set up” role where I was employed for one year to establish the brand in the market using my industry links, marketing skills and product knowledge and that I was now free to pursue other options now that the set up was established.

Do you have advice on how I can overcome this hump?

 

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  Penelope Trunk 5:37 am on March 15, 2012Permalink | Reply

  The advice you got from the headhunter is right. The story about you being fired and them not telling you why you were fired and paying you for three months to get you out: very bad story for you. Makes you look terrible because it looks like they hated you so much they were willing to lose sales and give you money to get you out quickly.

  You need to tell people you did what you were hired to do and the job ended. That’s a better story. And it’s also a true story. There are many truths to the same story. That’s a really important thing to remember when you describe your career– any part of your career — to someone.

So, cutting to the chase, Penelope's answer is:  omit as much information as possible, and when necessary, lie.  


I disagree with this approach.  If we go through life lying because of the price potentially to be paid for telling the truth, the spiritual, relational, emotional, and eventually economic prices we pay will be much greater. 


 I am reminded of the story of patron saint of the legal profession, St. Thomas More, whose life became the basis of the movie "A Man For All Seasons."  More literally lost his head by holding to his truth.  The movie basically states Thomas' argument that he will not renounce his allegiance to God as a condition of showing his loyalty to King Henry VIII: 

Sir Thomas More: [to Will Roper] "Now, listen, Will. Two years ago you were a passionate churchman. Now you're a passionate Lutheran. We must just pray that when your head's finished turning, your face is to the front again."

So there you have it:  the choice between the turning head and the head that is lost.  For some the choice is easy, for the cost of the alternative is too high.  For a few, knowing exactly which face is showing up at any given time is of more importance. 


I counsel my clients not to lie. I also counsel them not to go into lengthy explanations for their departure.  I certainly counsel them not to be negative or disparaging in their descriptions of the work environment or management personalities of their last job.  


It is possible to simply state that you were terminated from your position for unstated reasons (which is often true) or to state the reason given, and that you did your best to address those reasons, and you feel that you were meeting expectations.  State simply that you do not agree with the reasons given, and you really do not know the true reasons.  (again, if this is a true statement.)  


How refreshing and persuasive it would be for a fired employee simply to say in an interview:  "I made some mistakes in my last employment.  I learned from them.  I have made adjustments.  I will not make them in this job, if it is offered to me."  


In the limited time allocated in the interview, focus on your accomplishments.   Let your face and body language express your enthusiasm to meet the needs of your new employer.  


Attitude is critical.  If you admit to a less than perfect job history, offset that with lots of positive statements about yourself, your successes, and your ambition to be the most successful employee possible.  Express why you are excited about working for this company, and how you see yourself contributing and growing as a member of their team.  Keep the overall tone of the interview upbeat and forward looking.  


And don't lie.  


"If the pink slip doesn't fit, get redressed!"
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