​How to Answer Tough Questions on Why You Left a Job

Sometimes life doesn’t happen the way you want to, and interviewers pick up on this. How do you answer tough questions like why you left after a short tenure or whether you got laid off? Neutralize bad assumptions, and instead point to facts. That way, you are not speaking ill of anyone, and the interviewer still gets the point. Here are common reasons to cite while remaining above the fray:

1. Point to rapid management change, e.g., in your 12 months at the company, you had 2 bosses or 3 CEOs. You don’t have to say your company was struggling – it’s clear by the turnover.
2. Indicate the number or percentage of people who left your department or company in a given period, e.g., of the people you worked with, only 1 of X are left there now. Again, you don’t have to say there were problems in your group; the numbers speak for themselves.
3. Mention shifts in product or strategy that didn’t prove successful for your employer.
4. Raise if your company was acquired. It’s common for entire groups to be laid off.

The best thing to do when you have a past that begs pesky questions is to get multiple offers. Having many options gives both you and prospective employers plenty of confidence.