Never EVER make that mistake

Never say ANYTHING negative about a company you about to leave / try to leave. I got pretty much cornered in an interview and right then and there I knew I said too much.

Needless to say the are currently in a stalemate. Because I am the most suitable from the technical point of view but that mistake could still cost me.

Agency now got support from a reference to try to rescue the whole thing.

So yea - don't do it. It is hard sometimes especially when you for example, you

Work for company A as bus driver driving from London to Paris and you apply for company B as bus driver to drive from London to Paris whilst you haven't even finished your probation.

Needless to say it is near impossible to give a reason why you want to leave without saying anything negative so make sure you think about questions like that beforehand.

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Comments

N2IT

Thanks for the reminder. Awareness is something we can all use from time to time.

cyberguypr

Good point. We had a guy come in for an interview recently who was very good on the technical side. HE killed it when he started saying how bad his current boss was and how he needed to get out of there. Definitely too much info. Even if it is true just diplomatically say that you are looking for a change of pace and a new challenge.

And the answer to the question is simple: the buses and routes of Company B are better

Iristheangel

My usual answer to why I'm leaving is something along the lines of: "Oh, it's a great job and I love the culture but there isn't much opportunity for growth and I am looking for something that would challenge me more."

Doesn't matter if I hate the place and my boss has horns, I'm still going to be professional and praise him/her for their positive attributes (even if they are scarce)

onesaint

In a more humorous stance, I tend to think of it like breaking up with a SO. Everyone has done that, everyone can relate. "Really, it's not them. They are an amazing outfit. We've just grown apart and I'm looking for something better suited to my skills and growth potential."

and this "Doesn't matter if I hate the place and my boss has horns, I'm still going to be professional and praise him/her for their positive attributes (even if they are scarce)."

Even if they put me in the basement with the water dripping on the file cabinets that fill my so called office, they still gave me a really nice red Streamline stapler.

Iristheangel

@onesaint - LOL. You are exactly right. Ideally, you wouldn't start talking crap about an ex on a first date with someone else.

Wilson502

onesaint wrote: »

Even if they put me in the basement with the water dripping on the file cabinets that fill my so called office, they still gave me a really nice red Streamline stapler.

I........ I......... believe you have my stapler........ Sorry had to throw in the Office Space reference there, lol.

TheCudder

Professional growth is always the reason for leaving a current employer....even if its not.

jibbajabba

Growth etc is a good argument but hard to justify if you are with the company for only a few months. could easily mean you aren't patient or something

onesaint

Go with the early breakup. The formula is [I loved the job/company] [some reason i had to go] [how this benefits the company].

"While finding the position interesting, the day to day duties were less challenging than I expected, and I feel the company would be better suited with another candidate."

jamesleecoleman

I remember learning this my first year at the community college. I have never had to leave an organization but I always keep this in the back of my mind before an interview AND when I'm working at another organization. I never know who knows who and who has the big mouth that will smile in front of you and say that "you <said this>" behind your back about your last company/boss/coworkers to your current boss/coworkers. I am guilty of making the boss that wants to be a power hungry controlling jerk look bad in front of other people.

paul78

In this situation, I prefer not to ever comment on any previous employers - good or bad. For all I know, the interviewer is already familiar with any negative reputation at a previous employer.

Usually, I go with the track that, its not really about me leaving but where I am going. And that the new opportunity is newer, more appealing and a better fit, growth, etc. I use the question as an opportunity to parlay a response on why I think the prospective employer's opprotunity is a good fit for me.

quinnyfly

I once almost made the same mistake speaking to a work colleague who turned out to be very good friends <outside of work> with the boss. I have said something like: "my boss can use a few lessons in social etiquette and his communication skills definately require some refinement." Once this colleague stated the relationship to my boss, my recovery was quickly instituted by citing how I admire them for working under such immense pressures from both upper management and subordinate staff. I also said something about how I perhaps could not come to work every day operating under such stress and I don't know how I would keep it together like they do.

In an interview for an instructor job, I was also asked why I left my previous position, I said it was due to the travel and that working closer to home offered me more study and personal time to expand my professional development. Even though at the last job my boss had his bad days, I still only try and reflect on his good qualities and keep these fresh when asked by a prospective employer and the interview panel of judges that want to tearaway all layers to expose the inner soule.

I suppose it must be said also that you never know who is related or friends with who (or is it whom?) and anything you say now can come back to bite you in the freckle!!!

Emphasising the positives from previous employment makes you sound and even look more upbeat and leaves a far better impression with an interview panel, especially if you end sentences with words like "I thought it was great" and " that experience has motivated me to take on new challenges" or "thanks to that positive experience" etc. My belief is that emotional memory is a very powerful tool, and using words, phrases or body language that places the interviewers' minds in a happy place after you have left will most definately help you land a position. Leaving them feeling a little gloomy about your last experience from your previous employment may not help you, and you would no doubt feel the same if you were stuck with someone who said very negative things about others all day.

Just my two cents:)

jibbajabba

The thing is, I knew I said something wrong the second I said it, but at this point it was too late - even told that the agent on the call afterwards. And most suggestions here wouldn't work in that scenario .. even travel .. I'd be traveling further, work longer hrs and so on .. So TECHNICALLY a job I'd be off worse lol ..

Ah well, we'll see how it goes ...