Why are you looking for a new job?
This is a question you’re most likely to answer if you have a current job and you’re interviewing for a new job, you can bet the recruiting officer wants to know why you’re leaving your present job.
It’s one of those unmissable questions from top recruiters. The question may be asked in several ways, including, “Why are you leaving your current job?” or “Why are you looking for a new opportunity?” The best way to answer this question is by understanding what the recruiting officer really wants to know when the question is being asked.
- Recruiters ask this question to understand your goals, inspiration, and motivations.
- Recruiters ask this question to determine whether you’re leaving your previous job on good terms.
- Recruiters ask the question to identify if you’re a team player who gets along with others.
- Recruiters ask the question to identify if you’re a good culture fit with the new company.
- Recruiters ask the question to identify if you’re diplomatic when discussing tough subjects.
- Recruiters ask the question to identify if you’re planning on sticking around at the new company if you’re hired.
During an interview, you may be asked, “Why are you looking for a new job?” In your answer, like stated above recruiters are looking for a few key pieces of information to help them decide if you are the best fit for the role. They are curious about how much thought you’ve put into your job search, why this specific job opportunity appeals to you, what you’re looking for in your next position and how long you’re looking to stay with them if given the job.
Potential employers learn a lot about you and if you’re a good fit from your answer to this question, so the smart thing to do is plan your response in advance. They will be listening for any red flags that may come up. For example, how you resolve conflict if and when they arise, If you are likely to leave shortly after you’re hired, have you contributed to the situation you’re looking to leave, In particular, they may become concerned if you say negative things about your former boss or colleagues, wondering if you would say negative things about them someday.
SEE ALSO: Is finance a good career path?
It isn’t advisable to lie in an interview but to make a good impression you must focus on the positive reasons why you’re leaving your current job and looking for something new.
This is also a great avenue to emphasize your skills, abilities, why you’re looking for the new role, and where you can use and improve them as an organization. Basically just marketing yourself in connection to the job role and what you’re bringing to the organization.
Tips to answering the “why are you looking for a new job” question excellently.
Read the recruiter
If you’re trying to transition to a new job in your industry or a related industry, it’s highly possible that your recruiter has gone through this same or similar transition at some point in his or her career, if so it’d be in your best interest to be conversational.
Market yourself
Open your answer by focusing on your skills and abilities, this is also where you talk about your competitive advantages over other candidates. This includes any niche work you’ve done, projects you’re proud of, extra education or even special certifications acquired that shows the value you’ll bring to their team.
Be positive
While giving your answer always remember not to put your current employer in a bad light as you try to establish that your current job role or current company’s mission might not resonate with you or that you’re not be finding opportunities to do the work you want to. Whatever your reason for looking for a job, apply the same principle by positioning your response into a positive and opportunity-driven statement.
Connect your answer to the job
This is where you move on to explain why the position they’re interviewing for is the right fit for your next career move and how it aligns with your goals and aspirations. This is where researching about the company and job description helps you craft an answer that your interviewers will appreciate. Recalling specifics about the company or job description from your research would provide an opening for you to address how your skills, abilities, and background make you the best fit for the job. Think about the question, “What are you looking for in a job?” Then find the overlap in what the employer is looking for in a candidate, and bridge that gap with your answer.
SEE ALSO: US Embassy Job Vacancy in Nigeria
Recap
sometimes answering this question takes time and if you happen to have taken a few minutes on answering this question, it most likely is that your answer is long, then it’s appropriate to give a quick summary at the end, in a few seconds quickly and positively mention your current job, gives a high-level recap of what you want in your next job, and establishes that the job they’re interviewing for fits into your plan.
Once you can be able to hit all the above listed point, then I can assure you, you’d have done excellently well in answering the question of “why are you looking for a new job”.
