So you got the interview of a lifetime at a company that you’ve been wanting to get into FOREVER. You’re sitting there fielding questions from 2-3 different people and you could not be happier with how things are going. Then one of the talking heads in front of you asks, “So why are you looking for a new job?”
What happens:
You go on and on about how you didn’t get along with your manager, you disagreed on everything, you never saw eye to eye, he/she was the worst manager you have ever had. Are you done yet? Why on Earth would anyone hire you if you talk this way about a manager. Won’t you do the same for your new manager?
What should happen:
First off, don’t lie. Never lie in a job interview. If not for moral reasons, because lies are usually uncovered and things just get messy from there. I digress…. Answering that question is tough, especially if you really didn’t see eye to eye with your manager and that was the reason you left. My suggestion is to talk about it. You really didn’t agree with him/her, but also talk about the lessons you learned from that. Examples;
“I learned that I’m not always right.”
“From this, I learned to see things from other people’s point of view.”
“Because I didn’t always see eye to eye with him/her, I learned there are some things you just can’t control.”
Obviously everyone has different lessons learned from poor situations. Think of these before you get to the interview, this will make it much easier. Happy Interviewing!
The Des Moines Recruiter 