How to answer “why are you leaving your current job?”

It’s rare to attend a job interview without being asked to discuss why you’re leaving your existing role. Find out how to navigate your way through this common but tricky interview question successfully.

It can feel easy enough to explain why you are thinking of leaving your current job when someone close to you asks the question. However, it’s not just your friends and family who may want to know. This tricky question also often comes up in job interviews and it can be more difficult to articulate your reasons to a potential new employer. Additionally, the answer you give carries a significant amount of weight.

How to explain the reasons you’re leaving your current role at a glance

Naturally, the reason you want to leave a job may be completely different from one person to the next. No matter why you wish to move on, you should consider carefully how to articulate these reasons in your interview.

Regardless of your reason for leaving, you should put a positive spin on your answer. Focus on the skills you’ve gained and how they make you an ideal candidate for the new role, rather than dwelling on any negative aspects of your current position.

We have gathered all of our top advice below to help you answer this tough interview question successfully.

If you wish to discuss your employment needs with one of our experts, contact your local consultant.

Why does the interviewer want to know why you’re looking for a new job?

Simply put, the motivation you have for leaving one job links with your potential performance and level of engagement in the next. So, the interviewer will ask you this question to give them clues about what motivates and fulfils you. They will also try to get an idea of your long-term career goals and ambitions. Additionally, this question might help them gauge what type of company culture might suit you best.

Also, if you handle this potentially awkward question with clarity and professionalism, it will highlight the strength of your communication skills. The quality of your answer will likely either trigger or silence alarm bells in the mind of your interviewer. So, it’s important that you get the answer right.

How to answer the question constructively

The key to answering this question well is to think about your future rather than honing in on the past. Draw the interviewer’s focus on the many opportunities that you see in the new role. Ultimately, you want the interviewer to perceive you as a forward-thinking and proactive candidate. You want them to see that you’re looking to make a positive change in your career.

Example start to your answer:
“While I’ve learned a great deal in my current role, I believe it is now time to make a change because…”

From here, you have a platform to move your focus from the old to the new. You can go on to talk about your desire to develop and use the skills you’ve learned. Additionally you can mention how those skills can benefit the new employer. This way of answering allows you to articulate how your experience makes you the ideal candidate.

Formatting your answers in this way means that the conversation always comes back to you. This structure will allow you to talk about what you’ve learned and achieved. It will also allow you to focus on the value you can bring.

Here are some tips on how you can explain some of the most common reasons for wanting to leave one job, while pivoting the focus onto the new opportunity ahead.

Reason for leaving: You’re no longer learning in your current role

Straight away, the key point you need to get across here is that you want to develop and progress. You must communicate that you have learnt a range of key skills in your current role. However, explain to them that you foresee that these skills will be more effectively applied and enhanced elsewhere.

Example answer:
“Whilst I have learnt a great deal in my current role, such as X and Y, I’m now looking for a new opportunity. I wish to expand on my skills, and build on my experiences, on a more consistent basis. I believe this opportunity may enable me to do that, as I’ve found from my research that your company has a commitment to lifelong learning for your staff.”

Reason for leaving: You’re feeling undervalued in your current role

Here, the focus of the answer is not on the fact that you feel undervalued, but on what you’ve achieved.

Example answer:
 “In my current role, I am extremely proud to have achieved X and Y. However, I feel that now is the time to apply my skills to another company. I hope to achieve more success and deliver more value to my next employer. Having read the job description, I believe I will be able to provide genuine value in X, Y and Z areas.”

Reason for leaving: You’re struggling to see how you can progress in your current role

As this one will apply to many candidates, the interviewer will understand. However, getting your answer right is still crucial.

Example answer:
“Although I was promoted to a team-leading position, the structure of the business has made further progression difficult. The chance to apply the skills I have learned in my current role, to the more stretching responsibilities of an innovative and forward-thinking environment such as this, is simply too good an opportunity to miss.”

Reason for leaving: Your relationship with your current boss isn’t as productive and supportive as it should be

Here, you shouldn’t focus on what is wrong with the person who you work for right now. Instead, you must turn the attention to the new boss and impress them with the knowledge you’ve acquired so far.

Example answer:
“I’ve learned a great deal from my current employer, but I’m keen to work in a more collaborative environment. I was particularly impressed to learn that your company operates with a unified communications system. This system gives every member of the team the chance to be involved in all stages of the work.”

What you should avoid in your answer

You’ve probably noticed a consistent theme running through the sample answers above. The focus is always on you and your potential new employer – not on the role you want to leave. A positive and forward-looking answer will allow you to explain why you are the ideal candidate for the new role. Simultaneously, it will help you to avoid detailing why you no longer feel right where you are now.

No matter how much you have come to dislike your current role, badmouthing your current employer won’t sell you to the new one. You might believe that you aren’t currently being paid enough, haven’t learnt anything, or are not being challenged, but these are not the points that hiring managers want to hear. Relaying these aspects back to your potential new employer won’t reflect well on you. Focus your answer on the future and don’t dwell on what will hopefully soon be your past.

What you need to remember about answering the title question

“Why are you looking to leave your current job?” is indeed an extremely common interview question. It is also one of the most important to get right. It offers a fantastic opportunity for you to showcase your proactive mindset and dedication to delivering value to your next employer.

Take a look at our career advice page to gain more useful knowledge for every aspect of your professional journey.