Why are you leaving your job? 9 good reasons

When you’re attending interviews, you might be asked why you’re leaving your current job (or why you left). Think carefully before answering this interview question. If you left on bad terms, it can be tempting to slate your old employer. But this will work against you. The last thing your interviewer wants to hear is negativity about your old boss. The way to nail your interview is to keep it professional.

Check out these 9 professional ways to explain why you left your old job in an interview.

• Career progression
• The commute
• Being underpaid
• Seeking a new challenge
• Wanting a new industry
• Company changed hands/management
• Flexible working
• Job wasn’t aligned with your career aims
• Redundancy

9 valid reasons for leaving a job

1. Career progression

Career progression is a great reason to leave a job. If your old company wasn’t able to provide you with opportunities to progress, who can blame you for moving on? It shows you’re ambitious and keen to get stuck in.

2. The commute

Travel is a big factor with your job. If a commute is too long, it can eat into your free time and take away from family time. So it’s perfectly acceptable to say you’re looking for a better commute.

3. Being underpaid

Salary can be a driving factor for finding a new job. Just make sure you don’t come across as being too money-focused. Otherwise, the interviewer might think you’ll leave as soon as a better salary comes along. So be sure to explain that it’s not about always wanting a higher salary, but being paid fairly for your skills.

4. Seeking a new challenge

Sometimes doing the same thing can get a little…samey. So it’s only natural to want a new challenge to reignite your passion. This is a great reason for leaving your job.

5. Wanting a new industry

It’s normal for your interests to change throughout your career. So if you’re switching industries, use this to your advantage. Explain why you’re interested in their industry and what excites you about it.

6. Company changed hands/management

A big part of job satisfaction is to do with the people you work for. You need to like their management style and the way they run the company. So if a company changes hands, they’re bound to do things differently. And it’s okay if this doesn’t suit your style. 

7. Flexible working

In today’s world, more and more employers are offering flexible working arrangements. Whether it’s because of childcare or just to have a better work-life balance, flexible working is a strong reason to give in an interview.

8. Job wasn’t aligned with your career aims

We’ve all had to work jobs that weren’t our end goal. Maybe you had a job just to pay the bills. Or perhaps you just wanted a bit of work experience for your CV. Either way, this is a good excuse for leaving a job and finding one that’s more aligned.

9. Redundancy

Redundancies happen. Don’t feel ashamed if this happened to you. There’s no need to hide it in an interview. You can explain that the company had no other choice than to make cuts. But be sure to follow this up with everything you achieved in your role.

Professionalism is power

Remember that one of your biggest strengths in an interview is staying professional. Never blame your old employer for anything. Never rant about office politics. Even if the relationship turned sour, find a way to keep your answer professional.

Need a fresh start? Join the job revolution and find a job with 1 tap on the SonicJobs app today!