Need job interview advice. Please.
lily.phoenixfire
jerisueva at yahoo.com
Wed Jan 10 16:27:39 UTC 2007
--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Luckdragon"
<luckdragon64 at ...> wrote:
>
> Luckdragon:
> I am posting this way off topic question here because I have found many
> great calculating minds on this website and I would really value any
> insight any of you may have to offer.
>
> A few years ago I was employed in a job I loved, but working for an
> employer who lost 90% of her original employees within the first year
> of business because she used her employees as scapegoats for her
> mistakes.
> My first year earned me a merit raise and recognition, however soon
> afterwards her mistakes revolved around my work and I became her next
> victim. Not wanting to have my reputation tarnished I quit, and went
> back to my previous career. For quite a while now I have found myself
> really missing the job I did with her company and have decided to look
> for a similar job elsewhere. My dilemma is in what do I say to
> prospective employers when asked why I left. If I am truthful and say I
> left due to conflict with my employer a red flag is instantly raised.
> Does anyone have any advice on how to creatively, but truthfully get
> through this question.
> Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
>
Lily:
I've never posted before but I lurk all the time. I enjoy everyone's
posts. I'm a Human Resources Director and I also do some career
counseling. You need to be very careful. Each HR person is different
and we all prefer different things in general. Try to avoid words like
conflict. All the suggestions about not speaking ill of your past
employer are spot on. Never talk negatively about a former employer or
supervisor. You can mention that the opportunity seemed right to move
on to a different place or the situation was such that you chose to
move on at that time. I know that those all sound so vague but try as
we might to be open and understanding of past situations: when HR
people hear certain keywords, we immediately get nervous. It's an
instinctive reaction. I'm sure there are other HR people here who have
other and opposite opinions and they should be listened to. This is
just something I have experienced and learned over the years in HR. In
the end, when you're in the interview; you'll have to rely on your gut
instinct. Hope this helps!
More information about the HPFGU-OTChatter
archive