Getting a job is a recursive experience. Your current job might not be the first and the final one. There are still many professional plans in your mind that prompt you to look for opportunities elsewhere. Hiring managers know this nature in every candidate. As they check the work experience section in a resume, they show their curiosity about professional changes. Fratres will lead you to the best answer for revealing why you are looking for a job change. Let’s get started.

Justify Your Work History:

Telling your work experience in a chronological order puts more value on your professional path. Here is how to write a career change in a CV. However, it draws attention to some episodes that push employers to speculate about your career change. They might conclude that your professional changes can be related to positive reasons, such as looking for more opportunities, working on career growth, and advancing in level. They might think that these changes are also due to some tragic events, such as losing your job, getting in an accident, or an illness. Therefore, your mission here is to clear out the reasons for your various professional changes to employers. Is changing your career troubles you? Here is  How to Make a Career Change in MidLife after Recognizing 7 Signs

Things to Avoid while Answering this Interview Question:

Leaving your previous job and meeting employers can raise many question marks about what happened in the past. Interviewers want to draw the lines between positive assumptions and negative expectations. As a candidate trying to come up with the best answer, you need to avoid these points:

1. Do not Make up a Story:

Truth is the essential criteria in winning an interview. Never and strictly don’t invent a story concerning your job changes. You need to tell the truth as it is, be it nice or bitter. Employers can request a reference list and might get a different version of your story. Therefore, don’t make up a story, or else you will burn the bridges with your potential employers.

2. Do not Over Victimize Yourself:

Many applicants like to play the victim trying to grab the interviewer's pity. This is a big NO in answering interview questions. Interviewers usually want self-confident applicants, who fight for their rights with a strong personality. If you already show them that you are very sensitive in bullying with colleagues or you have plenty of complaints, you already give them a bad impression about your personality and turn them off. Here is how to boost your self-esteem at work.

3. Complaining About Previous Employers and Colleagues:

Your answer should not sound like gossip. Reporting bad news about others will not show you as an angel. You should have more professional spirit and avoid critics and gossip with others. Take a look at; Dangers of Workplace Ostracism Along with Some Efficient Coping Mechanisms

What is the Purpose of this Interview Question:

Although we are invited to neglect the past and look forward to a bright future, the case is not the same with interviewers. Employers investigate your career change to know:

• What you have learned from the past in terms of experience and skills.
• How did you invest in these changes and get exciting opportunities?
• When do you decide to leave a job, and what kind of challenges have you met?

Now, after exploring the interviewer's way of thinking with what to avoid and answers, it is time to structure the best answer for this interview question.

1. Improving Knowledge and Personality

Life is a process of continuous learning. For me, every job I have obtained was an opportunity to learn a new lesson in life. I become more aware of workplace ethics and more proficient in various fields like computing, arranging meetings, and assessing reports. I even developed a friendly personality after being an introvert and a sensitive person. These changes have enabled me to learn how to manage time and become more organized in performing different tasks.

In this example, you have emphasized:

• Respecting the company’s culture.
• Increasing your skills
• Overcoming your weaknesses

2. Looking for Better Opportunities:

I have always been in search of exciting opportunities. My first job was just a way to collect money to pursue additional studies. I also changed my job after the summer holiday, looking for another profession that goes well with my educational schedule. Some of them were similar to my hobbies. I was enjoying them, and that’s why they didn’t affect my grades. They were like soothing me after long hours of studies and concentration. After trying several professions, I was able to complete my studies and get the final degree that helped meet the demanded qualifications of your job offer.

In this example, you have linked job changes to your ambitions of completing your college studies. You have also revealed that:

• Some of your work experience was similar to your hobbies.
• You were forced to change your summer work for another job fit for your college studying hours.
• You showed pride in your part-time jobs that enabled you to apply to this current position.

3.         Making Use of Professional Networks:

During my college days, I have volunteered for organizational work and additional training. This experience has shaped a lot of my professional ties. Within a few months, I managed to make a good professional network that referenced me to many other jobs. I am very flexible and curious about other fields of expertise. My previous colleagues view me fit for certain positions. I always consider their suggestions and try to work with their advice, and this has helped me move to advanced levels in my work.

In this answer, the candidate describes professional changes in his network guidance and suggestion. There are also many other motives for leaving a job and moving to another, such as:

• Making use of training and volunteering experience in building a network.
• Having a sense of curiosity and adventure
• Taking into account the notifications of others to try different jobs. You can also Follow Networking Tips and Techniques for Job Seekers

This is how to justify leaving a job and applying it to another one. Your answer should highlight your overview of the jobs you have tried and what exists in the job market. Try to be as honest and diplomatic as possible in structuring the best answer for this interview question. It is never too late to make a career change; it is even possible at your 40s. You can join Fratres for more professional tips.