You may feel that the job interview is going well, you responded well to all of the questions so far and things seem to be wrapping up to move on to the next round. However, before you know it, the hiring manager asks the dreaded question about your previous position, why you’re leaving, and you cringe. “Tell me about your last job.” Bad memories run through your mind and you find it hard to form a sentence. You force a smile and say, “It’s a long story.” The hiring manager thanks you for your time and says she will be in touch. As you leave, you mentally kick yourself for not thinking of a better response and feel you may not receive a call for a second interview.
Have you ever found yourself in this situation or a similar one when you were asked about your previous position and you didn’t know what to say? Whether you didn’t get along with your boss or you didn’t mesh with your team, you just didn’t love your previous job. So how can you put a positive spin on it to keep moving forward in your career path?
Read Hallie’s latest US News article for tips on how to manage this kind of situation.
