WHEN TRYING TO CHANGE
JOBS
This Is How To Answer Your Most Dreaded Job
Interview Questions
How do you explain getting fired? What do you say about that jerk boss
you fled?
There are a few questions you can’t wait for
the hiring manager to ask you. A past project you worked on? You’ve got a great
story to tell for that one. A time you failed? There’s an amazing redemption
narrative tucked up your sleeve.
Then there are the questions you’re hoping to
avoid–the ones that probe at the weak spots in your work history that you still
haven’t decided on the best way to talk about. Here’s how to address four
common scenarios that you’re dreading being asked.
WHEN YOU GOT FIRED
“Why did you leave your last job?”
That’s an easy question to answer when the
reason is something like, “To take a better opportunity someplace else,” but
when you’re job searching after being terminated or laid off, things can get a
bit trickier.
The best solution here is honesty. As career
coach Jena Viviano recently told Glassdoor, it’s often best to bring this up even before an interviewer has a
chance to ask about it. “By bringing it up and being transparent,” she
explains, “you are able to build trust [regarding] an otherwise uncomfortable
topic.”
Whatever you do, don’t point fingers. People
lose their jobs for any number of reasons, but rather than sharing the
play-by-play or casting blame, the smartest approach is to keep it simple and
talk about fit: You just weren’t the right match for that company at that
time–but you are a great fit for this new opportunity.
WHEN YOU HAVE A RESUME GAP
“What were you doing between the dates of . .
. ?”
Much the same approach works when
there’s a gap in the dates between two positions you held, or between your last
job and your current job search: Just be as direct about it as you can.
Employers generally aren’t allowed to ask
personal questions that don’t relate to your work history or help them assess
how you’ll perform in the role, and you shouldn’t offer details that might open
you up to bias. But when you took time off to raise a family, care for a loved
one, go back to school, or backpack through South America, it’s best to distill
that experience into two statements that make the following points (in this
order):
1. The main purpose/activity you focused on at the time
2. What you learned from it
Don’t forget the second part! Writing for
Fairygodboss, career columnist Jaclyn Westlake puts it this way: “The first sentence addresses the reason for taking time off, while
the second line pivots the conversation to your applicable experience or
enthusiasm for the role. The key is to answer the question succinctly, then
move the conversation forward.”
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WHEN YOU’RE TRYING TO ESCAPE A BAD BOSS
“How would you describe your relationship
with your last manager?”
If your previous boss was a total
nightmare (or your current one is), it won’t get you very far to flat-out say
so. Ridding yourself of a toxic manager is a totally legitimate reason to look
for a job, but the key here is to avoid complaining and use the question as a
chance to discuss one of two things, or perhaps even both:
- How you handle challenges
- Your preferred management style
Even if a hiring manager decides to phrase
this question like, “What did you
like least about your last boss?” you should still avoid taking the bait. Keep it scrupulously impersonal.
For instance,
My last boss was a really talented operations
manager with a sharp eye for detail. Working under her, I learned how to keep a
lot of moving parts on track under pressure. But I find that I can do that best
when I’m given a little more autonomy, so I’m ideally looking for a work
culture that’s a little more hands-off.
WHEN YOUR LAST JOB WAS A NIGHTMARE
“Why are you looking to leave your current
position?”
Here, too, a negative answer might be the
most truthful one, but you’ll always want to put a more positive spin on it.
Your current job might be a total garbage
fire, but complaining about it won’t get you far. Instead, make it less
about them (your last employer) and more about you: “I feel I’ve grown about as far as I can in this role, and I’m looking
for an opportunity to do and learn more.” This is among the easier “dreaded”
interview questions to answer, since it lets you push the conversation back
toward what excites you about the new role, and why you’re such a great fit for
it.
In fact, that should be your goal when
answering any challenging interview question: The faster you
can get the focus back onto the amazing future you and the employer are going
to have together, the better.
BY RICH BELLIS
https://www.fastcompany.com/40546256/this-is-how-to-answer-your-most-dreaded-job-interview-questions
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