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As a candidate what is the answer/s you think an HR manager would like to hear when asking " Why did you leave your previous work" ?

<p>A- Low salary.</p> <p>B- Fight with administration.</p> <p>C- No progress.</p> <p>D- No fifteen minutes nap time.</p> <p>E- Not my dream job.</p> <p>F- Far away from home.</p> <p>G- No training.</p> <p>H- Long working hours.</p> <p>I- Too much work.</p> <p>J- The manager hates me.</p> <p>K- I am over qualified.</p> <p>L- The manager is totally biased.</p>

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Question added by Deleted user
Date Posted: 2014/09/30
Mike Adrian Obaña
by Mike Adrian Obaña , Staff Nurse , Medeor 24x7 Hospital Dubai

All answers are going to be against in you in front of the recruiter in some way. Some answers are good, some are really pointless. It will all depend on how you will deliver it and defend it with the interviewer

 

A- Low salary. - gives the impression that you will go wherever the money is, not a good main answer. If this is really your reason, use it as a supporting answer like "I have been given so much additional responsibilities over the past (years) which proved my track record for performance. However, they haven't considered any salary increase. Although I am fine with my current salary, I also have obligations for my family and I need to work to have a sufficient income for them and to save enough for our future."

B- Fight with administration. - well this conversation is not going to be good if you don't know how to defend yourself with the following questions from the interviewer. I am sure that the next follow up question would be "why?" - if you have a good answer, this can turn the table around and you can make yourself a hero. If not, it will just give them the impression that you always cause trouble and doesn't have the patience for authority.

C- No progress. - this can be a double edged sword. Be careful with this answer. If you didn't progress from your previous job, it could be your problem as well. Maybe you didn't perform well enough to progress or you were a mediocre that doesn't have the spirit to exceed expectations. This can also be a statement to target your previous employer, which is not professional. Progress comes from self-improvement and initiative. You can still use this as your answer but make sure that your previous company really doesn't have the urge to improve its employees and be ready to defend it from the interviewer because this can backfire against you.

D- No fifteen minutes nap time. - You are going in a workplace, not in a hotel room. Nap times can be utilized during lunch time. Some companies will proved fifteen minute breaks every two hours of work, but this is not a very good reason to use. It only shows that you are always looking forward for breaks and nap times.

E- Not my dream job. - this is a good reason. But the question is, "Why did you apply for that job if it is not your dream job?" -- with this question your back is already against the wall, a very delicate position to be in during interview. This only shows that you just settle for any job that is available and then quit once you are dissatisfied with it or when you feel that you've had enough. One good rebuttal answer for the killing question would be "I chose that job before because I am the breadwinner of our family I really need to provide for them, so I chose a different career pathway and sacrificed my own dreams in order to (provide a good family reason here like operation for your sick parent, school fees for your siblings). Now that everything is well, I can now think of myself and I have decided to pursue my dream job so I can start to establish my own personal goals"

F- Far away from home. - good answer, provided that you switched houses and you can no longer tolerate the long travel time from home to office. This will be a safe answer specially if you have moved to another country or to another state. But be cautious as the interviewer might think that you don't find ways to fix your personal problems and you let your personal things affect your work. (like finding a home nearer to your office)

G- No training. - well, unless you are going to school, this won't be a good reason. You learn when you work, and you work when you learn. Training can actually a self-initiated thing. You can study by your own, use references on your own to improve yourself. Although companies should focus on improving their people, it should also be coming from your end to develop your own self. This can be a valid reason but be careful in using this.

H- Long working hours. - flexibility is one key in developing a good career life. You should have known the working hours of your company on the day the offer letter was given to you. If you agreed with it, then you can't really complain about it because you had the option to turn it down and walk away from it. But this can be a valid reason if the long working hours were not included in your contract, for example they told you that you will work eight hours a day and then in reality, you are doing twelve hour shifts without any overtime pay, then this is a good reason and you can complain to your labor office about this. Remember, companies cannot force their employees for long working hours that is longer than what the labor law states, if they force you, complain directly to the labor office with sufficient evidence.

I- Too much work. - there is no such thing as too much work, every one is working "too much". It is just your way on how you will handle those work. If you are wise enough to prioritize things, then you will not feel the workload. Please don't use this answer in interviews, it is not good, honestly speaking.

J- The manager hates me. - Now another bad answer. If your manager hates you, there should be a reason. If it is politics and discrimination, then use that as your answer, not this phrase. 

K- I am over qualified. - overqualified? You left your previous job because you were overqualified? I don't think so. Maybe you were so full of yourself and have too much self-confidence that it cost you your job. Not a good answer. If you really are overqualified, let your CV do the talking, you don't need to tell your interviewer this. Rather, say it like "I believe that I am ready and qualified to handle larger responsibilities instead of small ones, that's why I am choosing to move forward with a larger company that offers larger challenges and responsibilities."

L- The manager is totally biased. - going a direct attack against your previous employer is not a good thing. Biased can be justified in different ways, it should be objective and not subjective. Who knows maybe you will also use this same reason to other employers when you decided to leave us.

i can say just super question , and super answer by @Mike Adrian Obaña

HANY MAHDY
by HANY MAHDY , ASS. SHIPPING MANAGER + QUALITY CONTROL MANAGER , DOMINION SHIPPING AGENCIES (EGYPT)

L- The manager is totally biased.

 

 

Saiful Islam Hiron
by Saiful Islam Hiron , Site HR Manager , Handicap International

Low salary and too much work.

saraswathy chandrasekar
by saraswathy chandrasekar , ACCOUNTS EXECUTIVE , PEGASUS TRAVELS & TOURS P.LTD

E. NOT MY DREAM JOB

Ahmed Mohamed Ayesh Sarkhi
by Ahmed Mohamed Ayesh Sarkhi , Shared Services Supervisor , Saudi Musheera Co. Ltd.

A- Low salary.

C- No progress.

 

E- Not my dream job.

F- Far away from home.

G- No training.

 

evaristus mwashumbe
by evaristus mwashumbe , waiter , southern palms hotel

no progress

Sheraz Siddqiui
by Sheraz Siddqiui , Asst.Manager Administration , Asia Poultry feeds Pvt Ltd

Perfect questions, answered by MIKE..

 i will be careful on the time of interview.

 

Omar Haddadin
by Omar Haddadin , Sales and after sales Engineer , W. Finan &Co.

C- No progress.

G- No training.

E- Not my dream job.

Nila Eslit
by Nila Eslit , Content Writer for Fitness web , George Allen

I guess an HR manager would want to hear low salary as the primary reason, so he/she can gauge how to adjust according to the applicant's answer.

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