Despite having a strong profile and attending multiple interviews, I noticed that one of my clients was not able to progress much after that in terms of landing a job. He mentioned becoming shell-shocked whenever the question “why did you leave your last company?” came up, especially as he had been laid off and couldn’t figure out whether to respond honestly or not to such a question.
I noticed his voice becoming low and shaky even during our mock interview session when this question was asked.
In reality, if the interviewer has already gone through your profile (which they mostly do!), then they haven’t missed to see your last company’s name and are already aware about what has happened (Thanks to LinkedIn Newsfeed!, among other sources).
So, why do they still ask this question then?
Well, the answer is simple – this question is generally asked in interviews to explore your mindset. Do you still think positively about your ex-employer even after being laid off? The point being that no company wants someone who comes with a negative mindset!
Another reason is that they want to observe your confidence in such situations, when a tricky question is posed.
Try following the pointers below on how to handle this question/situation more effectively:
Scenario 1: When you plan to mention about the actual reason (lay off) –
Try to be as brief when talking about your ex-employer. This is in order to avoid further questions on the topic, which may become too tricky to manage. Additionally, divert the response smartly displaying more about your interest for the role that you are being interviewed for. This will ensure that in all probability the follow up question will be about the current role rather than your exit statement (the reasons for leaving your last company).
A sample response can be something like:
“There was a restructuring in my previous company because of which my job was impacted (along with X others – this part is optional). However, I am interested in this role” (now mention more on what brought you here – maybe a certain technology/product that they use or being associated with their brand, and so on.
Also, remember to sound positive and diplomatic, whenever faced with this or any other question around your previous employment.
There’s also the probability of being asked “Why YOU? Didn’t your company try to retain you?”
At such times, continue to stay calm and respond with something like “well, I cannot comment on the company policy, but I can assure you that this wasn’t performance based. Also, I am open to rejoining them in case of a suitable job opportunity.”
The above is just a sample answer and you may choose to say anything else. However, remember to ensure a diplomatic tone throughout the interview.
Scenario 2: Other reasons –
It is not uncommon nowadays to find someone taking a voluntary break for reasons such as personal well-being, upskilling, or taking some time-off to get more career clarity on what to do next. A few of the people I personally have worked with chose to mention a more personal reason such as family emergency or a health issue, when asked why they left their previous company and still got away with it!
So, what happened to the above client? You may wonder.
Well, he did get placed at one of his target companies in his desired location (he was almost fixated on this one!). And, when he called me up to let me know that he landed the job, he said “your exit statement strategy worked like magic in the interview!”
So, there it is – the exit statement – or your response to the question “why did you leave your previous company?” can prove to be a turning point in your interview. Responding to this question with confidence and self-assurance can turn the tables in your favour. So, prepare well for this question in advance and respond assertively.
