Interview question
Reasons for leaving a job, and what to say
Give one short, honest reason that points toward the new job, such as more responsibility, a new direction, a layoff or a move. Keep it to a sentence or two and never criticize your employer. On an application, a few neutral words like “Seeking more responsibility” are enough.
What the recruiter is checking
Leaving a job is ordinary. U.S. employers reported 3.1 million quits and 1.7 million layoffs and discharges in July 2026 alone. The recruiter wants to hear a clear, calm reason.
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Your motivation
Indeed's guide for hiring managers says the answer shows your motivation and how you talk about your supervisor, team and work environment.
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Whether the problem follows you
If you're leaving because you couldn't advance, Indeed tells employers that a job with little room to grow may not be a match. They hold your reason up against their job.
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Whether you badmouth
In a CareerBuilder survey, 48% of hiring managers called talking negatively about a current or former employer an instant deal breaker. Some recruiters ask what you'd change about your company to test for it.
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Whether the story holds
Indeed tells screeners to check answers for accuracy and treat inconsistent ones as a red flag. Your application, your résumé and your answer should match.
Good reasons, and how to say them
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You want to grow
Say“I've learned a lot running [area], and I want to own [bigger scope]. There isn't a path to that on my team right now, and this role is built around it.”
Don't say“There's nowhere to go at my company.” It sounds like a complaint.
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You were laid off
Say“My role was cut in a [company-wide or team] reduction in [month]. Since then I've [course, project or contract work], and I'm ready for a role like this one.”
Don't sayA long story about how the layoff was handled.
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You're changing direction
Say“The part of my job I like most is [task]. I want to do that full time, and this role is mostly that.”
Don't say“I'm not sure what I want yet.”
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Your manager is the problem
Say“I do my best work with [clear goals and regular feedback], and I'm looking for a team that runs that way.”
Don't say“My manager is terrible.” Describe the team you want, never the person.
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Pay is part of it
Say“I'm looking for more ownership of [area], and pay that matches the bigger job.”
Don't say“Honestly, I just want more money.” Pair pay with the work.
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You were let go
Say“I was let go from [company] in [month]. The job needed [skill] that I hadn't built yet. Since then I've [what you did], and I'm applying to roles that fit what I do well.”
Don't say“It wasn't my fault,” or a version of events your references won't back up.
On the application form
The field is short. Write a few neutral words that match what you'll say on the call, because recruiters compare the two.
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Still in the job
Write“Currently employed” or “Seeking more responsibility”
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Laid off
Write“Laid off, position eliminated”
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Contract or seasonal work ended
Write“Contract ended”
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Moved
Write“Relocated”
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Went back to school
Write“Returned to school”
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Fired
Write“Terminated,” with one calm sentence ready for the call
Tell the truth on the form. Some applications ask outright. The federal government's Declaration for Federal Employment asks whether you've been fired from any job in the last five years, and warns that a false statement “may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work.”
Practice saying it out loud
An AI recruiter asks why you're looking, then presses once on your reason. If you criticize your employer, it asks a neutral follow-up and sees whether you stay professional. Your search story gets its own score.
Practice the recruiter screenMore to practice: Phone screen questions · Tell me about yourself · Why do you want to work here? · Salary expectations · Questions to ask the interviewer