Your job interview is moving along quite well when, suddenly, you’re asked one of those difficult-to-answer interview questions that can make or break your chances of getting the job. The question is: “Why did you leave your last job?”
When a hiring manager asks you this question, you need to know what to say to portray your previous position—and yourself—in the most flattering light possible. Here’s some help with answering this tricky interview question.
How to Answer “Why do you want to work here again?” – (Interviewing with a former employer)
As I look back on my time with ABC Co., I realize how much I was learning and the numerous opportunities that were available to me if I wanted to advance in my field. After a year at XYZ Corp., I feel theres limited potential for professional development and, thus, the chance for my career to grow.
It is not unusual for workers to contemplate returning to a previous position with their current or former employer. Either way, you will inevitably have to answer questions about your request. Acknowledge the positive aspects of your current job situation while emphasizing everything you can contribute to the company if you return to your former job.
I left ABC Co. to accept another job that pays more money; however, I realized that the health and retirement benefits werent as good at XYZ Corp. I ended up spending that bump in my salary to pay for additional costs associated with employee benefits.
The potential for career mobility and advancement could have been greater at the former company than at your current job, which is a good reason to return, provided youre interested in moving up.
Ruth Mayhew has been writing since the mid-1980s, and she has been an HR subject matter expert since 1995. Her work appears in “The Multi-Generational Workforce in the Health Care Industry,” and she has been cited in numerous publications, including journals and textbooks that focus on human resources management practices. She holds a Master of Arts in sociology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Ruth resides in the nations capital, Washington, D.C.
Review Your Resignation Letter and Exit Interview
Hopefully, you left your former job on good terms and had a carefully crafted resignation letter—the last thing you want is HR pulling out your file and remembering your choice words about the company on your last day. (And frankly, if you didn’t leave on a good note, you need to really ask yourself if going back is worth it.)
But assuming your parting words were complimentary and thoughtful, they can be useful icebreakers when you apply or when you first contact those influential employees who can help you land an interview. For example, did you say that you were leaving to gain management experience at a bigger company, or mention that you would be open to certain kinds of opportunities in the future? Use that as an opener or a segue to more detailed discussion about your future responsibilities.
Treat the Interview Seriously
So you’ve landed an interview with the company you once left behind—great! But don’t automatically assume you’re a shoo-in. Sure, your familiarity with the company is a huge plus, but keep in mind that you’re likely one of many other qualified candidates. Any one of them may have expertise that surpasses yours, and some of your company-specific experience may not be relevant anymore.
In addition, consider who you’ll be interviewing with. You may be meeting with newer employees (who will look at you just like any other “fresh” candidate), or interviewers who do know you but may not remember your former contributions. Make sure you not only describe your past accomplishments and responsibilities in detail, but that you also highlight any new skills you’ve gained since you left.
In July 2017 she made the decision to boomerang back to Profiles. “A few women I worked with previously were still there, so the thought of rejoining them was both familiar and exciting,” she explains. “Suddenly, the timing was right.”
During her first few weeks on the job, she had many onboarding conversations to learn new processes and protocols, as well as to understand her role in new team and management meetings, which the company hadn’t had before.
Reset colleagues’ expectations… When you left, “people had a certain view of you and your capabilities,” Watkins says. Now that you’re back, you need to demonstrate — in both your approach to the job and your office demeanor — that “you have had new experiences and you’ve grown.” This can be “especially challenging if you’re brought back into lead your former peers or maybe even your former boss,” he says. “But the fact that you’ve been away” and presumably have learned a lot in the process “is an asset.” Dillon recommends being “a bit more formal and reserved in your behavior, at least at first,” in order to showcase how “you’ve matured.” Your colleagues “will either see you with fresh eyes or the same eyes within the first few weeks,” she adds.
Case Study #1: Reestablish yourself as a senior leader in the organization by being generous with your knowledge
After working at the Bateman Group, the San Francisco–based PR agency for three years, Amy Ziari left the company because she got the “startup bug” and wanted professional experiences beyond PR.
FAQ
Would you go back to your old job interview questions?
- Address your former employer. To start your email, address your former employer by adding a greeting. …
- Write the introduction. …
- Explain why you left the position. …
- Ask for your old job back. …
- Craft the conclusion. …
- Proofread your email. …
- Include a subject line. …
- Check job availabilities.
Why would you want to return to a former job answer?
- What are your career goals?
- Why did you leave the company previously?
- What made you decide to come back to our organization?
- What have you learned while you were working elsewhere?
- What new skills do you bring to the position after working for another company?
How do you interview with previous employer?
The potential for career mobility and advancement could have been greater at the former company than at your current job, which is a good reason to return, provided you’re interested in moving up.
