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How Do I Explain to Employers Why I Suddenly Quit My Last Job?
By Perri Capell, Career Journal
Question: I walked off my last job in frustration with a boss
who constantly belittled me and others, never gave clear guidance and
ripped apart anything that wasn't his idea. I know that not giving two
weeks' notice may hurt me, so how do I explain it in job interviews?
Answer: It may be easier than you think to deal with this
issue, so don't beat yourself up about quitting suddenly.
Feeling undervalued or unrecognized at work is one of the main
reasons why employees quit. It sounds as though you couldn't stand the
abuse you were getting from you boss for another moment and that walking
out was the right thing for you to do.
"If people are so abused on the job that it hurts them mentally or
physically or in their private lives, then walking out is sometimes what
they need to do for themselves," says Russ Jones, a partner with First
Transitions Inc., an Oak Brook, Ill., outplacement firm.
Potential employers may never know that you walked out without giving
notice, so don't bring it up unless you're asked. But you'll need to
craft a carefully-worded and dispassionate statement to explain why you
left. Tell the truth but keep your answer very general. As much as
you're tempted, don't blame your boss. There are always two sides to
every situation, and employers may shy away from someone who doesn't
seem to take responsibility for problems. You might say, "My manager and
I had very different work styles and I decided to leave."
However, be prepared to answer a follow-up question based on your
first response, says Mr. Jones. For example, in the answer above, you
mentioned differences in style, so you might be asked to explain your
boss's style. Here you could say, "My previous supervisor and I had a
very open collaborative relationship. But my latest boss took the
opposite approach and I felt I was working for a different company."
Try to take some responsibility for what happened, says Christopher
Seiwald, president of Perforce Software Inc. in Alameda, Calif. "If a
candidate says his former boss was a jerk, it sends off alarms," says
Mr. Seiwald. "But if you say, 'I couldn't handle my boss's style,' and
concede a bit, you'll gain respect."
Perforce Software typically asks open-ended "behavioral" questions
that require applicants to explain how they did something, Mr. Seiwald
says. His company might probe to determine if you can get along with
managers or if walking out is a pattern for you by asking something
like: "Tell us about a situation where you and your manager didn't see
eye-to-eye." Again, you might say, "In my last job, I felt I met all my
objectives and delivered more than what was required. But my boss and I
always had a different point of view. I resigned to devote myself
full-time to finding a new position."
If you're contacted by an executive recruiter, you'll likely be asked
more detailed questions about why you left your previous position, says
Marie Rice, a managing director of Jay Gaines & Co. Inc, a New York
search firm. In most cases, a recruiter will find out if you quit
suddenly, she says.
"It would come out in our discussions about the circumstances
surrounding the recent job transition," Ms. Rice says.
Recruiters try to explain any potential red flags about candidates to
their clients. Tell the search executive truthfully, objectively and
succinctly what happened. To ensure candidates were honest about a
career misstep, most search firms will try to learn both sides of the
story on their own, Ms. Rice says.
Have a question about job hunting or career
management? Send it to
Perri Capell. If you don't want your name used in our column, please
indicate that. Due to the volume of mail received, we regret that we
cannot answer every question. |
