How to answer “why do you want to change or Leave your current job?”

How to answer “why do you want to change or Leave your current job?”

This is one of the most common question asked in an interview. Before you get answer to this question, have you ever thought why do almost all hiring managers and in every job interview this question leads after tell me something about yourself? Don’t you think something very important is hidden in the question and in the answer candidate gives. Why this question has more weight-age?

To answer and resolve the queries related to this question, I have divided it in three different parts which are relevant to understand the background behind this question.
A – Why Do People Change Their Job?
B – What are Hiring Manager’s expectations from the candidate.
C – How to answer this question?

A – Why Do people change their job?
No organization is perfect. Those days are gone when people stayed with same company for decades and they used to think like they are married to the company. People do consider this as an old school concept. I think anyone and everyone has a right to choose for themselves but there should be an apt and progressive reason behind that. In my career I noticed some of the reasons of changing the job or profile:

1- Exposure – Staying long with the same company, one may lose touch with the current situation outside the company or with the world outside. GOAL could be reduced to the daily target or to evade the internal politics or retain one’s position in the company. One may fall behind the latest things going outside the company.

2- New Challenges – Company offering the same job profile or a structured job Profile with no new challenge or growth then one can think about changing the job.

3- Curiosity – New Job allows one to meet new people and learn new things from them. It has a different level thrill in it. As a curious person, one will learn quickly and will be in search of new things. Once someone come to know that the current company or current role has nothing special for you, one start to search for new job.

4- Values – If you change your job you get a chance to redefine yourself and rewrite your values which were missing in your old job. One can apply the learnings and experiences of last job in the current one and earn more value, respect, importance in the company.

5- Monetary benefits – People do change job more often as to obtain salary hike. However, it is not always to be considered as a negative reason, as we always want to secure our future and be prepared for medical emergencies, lay off situations, pandemic like COVID, etc.

6- Monotonous –staying with same company and on same profile for long, becomes mechanical and monotonous. Eventually one loses interest in the job and it could degrade one’s performance and overall rating. To stop or evade the monotonous work life, one chooses to change the job.

7- Increased horizon –friend circle or people you know section increases by working with more companies. These people can help you in reaching new level.

Reasons might change from person to person but I have listed some of the common reasons observed by me among candidates looking for better opportunity outside.

B – What are Hiring Manager’s expectations from the candidate.

“You are not paid for your 8 hours; you are getting paid for how much value you add to those 8 hours”
Now let’s think from the point of view of the companies who are hiring the new people. Hiring managers do have some expectations from new joiners. While hiring they need to assess why you are opting for job change; whether because of career growth, new challenges or better opportunity.
Everything asked in the interview has a relevance in a broader way. Interviewer just wants to understand whether you are a right person for the job or not. Interviewer should see the spark and positivity in the candidate and how much worth you will add to the company. They will try to test you on how helpful you are in terms of team player. They don’t want to hear from you that you are fired because of your misbehavior and how you hate your colleague. Further, even if you are fired from your previous job, you should have spine to answer the question very positive way.

C – How to answer “why do you want to change or Leave your current job?”

We are now through the background of the question and I think we are ready to answer the question about changing the company.

1- Positivity – Highlight the points why you want job in their company like work culture, supportive management, good reputation in the market and availability of suitable skill sets with you which will help the organization.

2- Potentials – Show your potential in your answer with some dragon-slaying stories which will show your situation handling and team player ability. Like them know about your ability to handle challenges. Emphasize on your skills and experience that makes you better candidate from others.

3- Next MILESTONE – Frame your answer around your career path and how this job is important milestone to achieve that. Even if current position for which you have applied is not higher than you are actually working, then also portray i as, you believe this will be a feather in your hat to work with such a great company.

4- Strong Position – Don’t show you are desperate for the job. Instead of show you are doing good in your current job and you are in a good position/situation, you are just trying to improve your current position with a reputed company. Avoid any negativity or bad mouthing for your current employer whether in terms of salary, long working hours or any personal grudges with management or colleague. Do not show any exclusive information like your company is not doing good or any losses to your company or any unofficial lay-off news.

5- Outer Reason - You can give some different reason to change the job like relocation, travelling time, your spouse’s work location or anything which is not related to your current company. Giving the outer reason will help to create more trust on you. It will create your positive image. But ensure that this is not your primary reason to look for a change.

I think above given points will help the candidate to answer the said question in a BEST way. I have noted down the points from my experience while hiring people. I would like to encourage people to do more and to search more to find out their best value with respect to their work. You are your MASTER don’t let anybody else to control you.