Job interview - reason for leaving last job.

Mr_Apples

Hello everyone,


I resigned from my last job, after several years as a solid employee, as following a loss of a staff member I faced a huge increase in my workload, and felt the role was untenable. During this period of 2-3 months my sick record got progressively higher, as the dis-stressing circumstances at work was taking its toll on me.



I will shortly have a job interview, should I mention these circumstances which led to me leaving? Should i mention my sickness record being particualrly high during this period?


Or am I best trying to gloss over this?


Many thanks for your help

Masomnia

Just say you resigned, need a new challenge etc.

jonnygee2

I will shortly have a job interview, should I mention these circumstances which led to me leaving?

Absolutely not. Complaining about conditions and workloads in an interview basically says 'I'm applying to work with you because I think I'll get an easier ride here'.


If you think it's likely you'll get a bad reference or your sick leave will be mentioned, then I'd say something more like you left because the job stopped working out for you and you were going through a difficult time personally, you knew you weren't performing at your best, and you felt you needed a clean break. Something like that.

Mr_Apples

jonnygee2 wrote: »

Absolutely not. Complaining about conditions and workloads in an interview basically says 'I'm applying to work with you because I think I'll get an easier ride here'.


If you think it's likely you'll get a bad reference or your sick leave will be mentioned, then I'd say something more like you left because the job stopped working out for you and you were going through a difficult time personally, you knew you weren't performing at your best, and you felt you needed a clean break. Something like that.

Problem is I won't know at the interview what the reference will contain, if I'm successful?

ska_lover

Hi OP - I empathise

I am in a pretty similar situation right now- I haven't left yet, but I feel a hairs width away from storming out if i am honest. I dont think I would get a bad reference (unless I end up storming out) as I have tried so hard to keep things afloat but it is untenable now

It is such a shame as I used to really like my job

I have started doing a lot of job hunting, but I have been wondering too, what to say, when this question comes up

It has come up on a few application forms so far, and I have been putting 'wanting a new challenge' - but that seems very generic, I am sure during an interview, that they would want to delve deeper into this

Nasqueron

Mr_Apples wrote: »

Problem is I won't know at the interview what the reference will contain, if I'm successful?

I think they tend to check references after the interview to save chasing up loads of firms. It also depends on what the firm says in a reference, they may just confirm the time you worked there but equally, the new firm may ask the amount of sick leave you had which you can't lie about

jonnygee2

Problem is I won't know at the interview what the reference will contain, if I'm successful?

No, you won't know for sure. You'll just have to make your own judgement about how likely a bad reference is and how much ground you want to lay just in case.

lew_1987

These days most references are simply covering the dates that you were employed at the job, and nothing more. I wouldn't worry too much about that.

elsien

lew_1987 wrote: »

These days most references are simply covering the dates that you were employed at the job, and nothing more. I wouldn't worry too much about that.

Everyone keeps saying that but in my line of work you'd never get that basic a reference. I do think it depends what field you are in.

Savvy_Sue

Whatever you decide to say, I do recommend practising saying it out loud beforehand.

Sea_Shell

Will you be changing industries, even for the same type of job? (e.g. accounts / admin).

If so, can you frame it around wanting to see what opportunities there were to work in a different environment/industry, whilst bring your experience in XYZ to the role.