what to say in interview: why did you leave your last job?

[JackieOnLine]

I have a (phone) interview tomorrow morning and I will be prepared with a list of questions - the more I know about how the therapy company and that specific facility works the better. My attitude is that I want this job IF it is a good fit; in fact, I have said that explicitly in other interviews. but I try to keep it light-hearted, you know? I love patients and I can do decent therapy...hope to again, don't foresee any problems and of course I need to shut up and let the interviewer - who would be my boss there - steer the conversation.

the question I know I will get that is hardest to answer is why did you leave your last job. I want to be truthful but only up to a point because part of the truth is I don't deal with stress well and I'd just as soon not let them know that. I believe that place was WAY over the line of what is unreasonable stress- that it's not just me, I mean.

I hope to emphasize I liked and got along with the other therapists and nursing staff and the patients, no problem, but not sure about the problems I did have...the Director of Nursing Services scared me, for example, he hated the entire therapy department and treated us all like we were his enemy. He was actually fired since then, apparently too many people quitting said he was the reason why. (not me, but his staff)

the patient care there was very poor but that is true, sadly, in all the places I've worked to some degree. in fact, there is a lot of crap that went on that I will have to deal with again because it's everywhere. like, you have to work off the clock to maintain "productivity" - totally taboo to even admit that happens.

but a whole bunch of crap went down there all at once including they kept printing schedules for every room with our first and last names on them, remember when I posted about that? that is just all kinds of wrong but it's hard to talk about without sounding like a ...I don't know, complainer. because that policy was instituted by our boss's boss and when we voiced our objections he basically mocked them.

well....open to suggestions and good vibes!

 

[southernlady]

Good vibes...but no suggestions.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

I think I would be prepared to talk about what I LIKED about the previous job, list a thing or two I learned from folks there, and then some variation on, "While I appreciated the time there, I recognized that I needed to make some changes in my life, and that meant a relocation. I'm really excited about ABC community (i.e. the vibe I feel in Bozeman) and so was thrilled to see this opportunity come up."

 

[Terri]

Sending positive juju. I have no suggestions. I suck at interviews, I talk to much.

 

[Munchkin]

Good luck and say positive things about the old job!

Be a spin doctor. Think like a politician. You can put a positive spin on anything!

 

[newanatomy]

I might say something about not feeling powerful enough to institute positive changes for my patients. I would mention the policy of full name disclosure. I don't feel either of these statements would reflect negatively on you.

Good luck!!

 

[JackieOnLine]

yes, all good stuff, thank you.

I do know the last thing they want to hear is me talking about how crappy the last job was - so yes, I have to spin it. spin it but not get dizzy.

I talk too much, too, Terri!! or I freeze up and can't think of anything.

 

[vanishingirl]

You didn't quite fit in with the "culture" and although the job was great because of x,y,z, (name all of the, things that are similar to where you want to work), the culture was not a good match for your personality.

 

[brooklyngirl]

Spin the deflect! I'd mention a few key things that you liked about it, then something about the patient care that was substandard (showing that you value that) and then get to how excited you are to relocate and join their organization.
I lied and said I left in order to relocate (instead of the relocation happening as an indirect response to losing my job) so I didn't have to directly answer that question. Too much toxic stuff to even want to go there!

 

[hilary1617]

Good luck! I agree with keeping it positive and matter of fact. You'll do great!

 

[more2adore]

You felt like you'd learned everything you could from your last position and you're looking for a new challenge.

 

[southernlady]

Avoid mentioning "not fitting in" as that may leave the impression that you won't fit in anywhere.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Interesting reading this stuff.

I think I'd focus on "the opportunity to relocate to" this..uhm...vast wilderness...wait...rural ghetto...no, that's not it....two-bit backwater town...uhm, still not right....charming oasis...that's it...whatever positive thing you can thing of about the new location...and the reason you are leaving the current place is that you want to be somewhere else, easy peasy.

If they demand something negative, I dunno. Maybe that it's a smaller company (if it is) with fewer options, such as _____ (and name something this place has, like opportunities for advancement or tuition assistance or something they brag about on their recruiting info.)

 

[Charris]

@Spiky Bugger you are too funny

 

[JackieOnLine]

yes, she is - charming oasis is a good phrase and it made me snort.

name something this place has, like opportunities for advancement or tuition assistance or something they brag about on their recruiting info

that one is easy - they are employee owned.