Answering the Question - Why did you leave your last position?

Unless this is your first job interview, in which case you should be concerning yourself with other interview challenges, this question will most definitely come up. That being said, you need to be prepared to answer appropriately regardless of the reason.

Sometimes the answer is easy. For instance, your internship ended or your position was a contracted position with a limited set amount of time. Other situations are not as simple and will require a bit more explanation. For example, "Why did you leave your job after only two months?"

So why do interviewers ask this question? Simply put, your reason for leaving your most recent position is always relevant to a potential employer. For starters they are likely looking for the reason you left. If you left on a "whim" or because you thought your boss was a space alien plotting to take over the world, the interviewer will probably question what trust they can put in you.

Now, if you state that you left voluntarily, chances are the employer assumes you had a disagreement of sorts and were forced to leave the position. Your interviewer will most likely try to ascertain if you were asked to leave due to performance or integrity issues.

Hopefully, you left your previous position on good terms, in which case you should try to stay in contact with your previous manager or, even better, be able to use them as one of your references. This will go a long way in demonstrating that you were a strong employee and have good relationship skills.


Lets look at a few ways to answer this question. To begin with, if a potential employer is asking this question and you are not currently employed, your answer could make or break your interview. It may be unfair, but many interviewers assume that if you are not currently employed there are negative reasons behind your
unemployment. Most will assume that if you left, and didn't leave for another opportunity, there was some kind of insurmountable issue, in which case keeping your answer 100% positive will be difficult.

In the case that you were laid off for reasons unrelated to performance, be sure to make that clear and be sure to emphasize your accomplishments in that position. Most interviewers will not judge you negatively for being downsized. Just skip the negativity and ugly details. Be honest and concise in your explanation and keep moving forward.

In the case that you were terminated, whether for performance or other reasons, be sure to mention any extenuating circumstances, but you should avoid putting all the blame on others. Regardless of the reasons behind a termination, your goal in an explanation is to highlight the lessons learned from the experience. You want to assure the interviewer that the particular situation was an isolated incident and that you would not be a risky hire.

In any situation preparation is key. You should be prepared for the question and practice your answer, avoid beginning your response with "I don't mean to be negative" or similar phrases.
Otherwise, you may come across defensive or untruthful, even if you have nothing to hide.

For more great information review these articles:
How to Explain Being Fired (on an interview)
Interview Question: Why Did You Quit Your Job?
Reason for leaving a job: What to say in an interview