Job Search Advice Needed.

20 Comments

1. AnonymousJuly 5,2023 at 6:14PM UTC

   Please do everything possible to resist the urge to air this dirty laundry. A potential employer simply doesn't care about your former boss or their derogatory comments. You'll sound bitter and petty if you bring this up in an interview. And it will give a potential employer pause in hiring you. While this may be your truth, process this with a therapist...not a hiring manager or interviewer.

   Rather, give a generic answer about looking for new opportunities, potential for professional growth, anything other than this drama with your old boss.

2. AnonymousJuly 5,2023 at 6:57PM UTC

   Don't miss an opportunity with holding on to that, and that pain. Grow from that and shine! You are Worth the chance to have joy and to find a better position. If you say negative things you are only hurting yourself not that prior employer, don't give that to them. Go, Grow.Excel. You got this! People are just ridiculous and I'm shattered you had to experience that. "I decided to leave to see what other growth opportunities are out there for me and to join an inclusive culture and help the business grow". Good luck. That prior employer's loss! Don't look back. Now, in saying this I am not negating that hurt. I cannot relate, but can listen. I cannot provide an example of discrimination due to nationality or race. I do know, that you are valued, and there's a company that will see that in you as a valued employee. Good luck.

3. AnonymousJuly 5,2023 at 7:46PM UTC

   Agreed! Good riddance, onward and updward. I spent a few weeks shedding the experience and have moved on. Thank you for your kind words.

4. Maggie CarlsonJuly 5,2023 at 7:05PM UTC

   So sorry for what you went through at your last job. Sounds like you did the right thing in leaving. If your departure was relatively recent, you certainly don't need to qualify it in a cover letter and some employers may not ask in an interview.

   But if the topic does come up, focus on a positive spin... i.e. After reflecting on your future there, you determined that the company culture/values didn't align with your own. You resigned to pursue new opportunities to grow in a company with a more collaborative and supportive environment. For any potential employer, you could swap in specific terms from their key values that you authentically connect to.

   I think the most important thing is being yourself and if possible picking up on the vibes/connection you have with the hiring manager. If you're comfortable and feel like you can be very candid, maybe just say simply that you left due to a hostile work environment and decided to get a fresh start. Some people might really appreciate that honesty.

   Best of luck on your search!

5. AnonymousJuly 5,2023 at 7:44PM UTC

   Thank you for your support and ideas on how to approach this in an interview!

6. Sue Gordon- retired Career CoachJuly 5,2023 at 8:19PM UTC

   You are 100% on the right track to avoid bad-mouthing.
   If asked, answer along the lines of looking for career growth/next steps. If pushed as to why you left before securing a new job, keep it simple-- something like you couldn't focus on the job search while working in that particular job so took a step back and opted to leave, so that you could begin your next steps. Keep it simple and minimal- just enough to provide an honest answer (and career growth is an honest answer).

   Avoid phrases like "not a good cultural fit" because that could lead down a rabbit hole of "what was that culture" as the employer will want to ensure they are the right culture and you won't leave them for the same reason. If you do opt to discuss culture- keep it focused on the type of culture you seek. They can fill in the blanks of what culture you are leaving.

7. MARI S PHONASA, CPSM & CPSDJuly 7,2023 at 12:44PM UTC

   Great advice!!! Could not have said it better myself. :D

8. MARI S PHONASA, CPSM & CPSDJuly 7,2023 at 12:44PM UTC

   Great advice!!! Could not have said it better myself. :D

9. AnonymousJuly 5,2023 at 8:50PM UTC

   Cite an NDA and leave it at that

10. AnonymousJuly 6,2023 at 4:58PM UTC

    I think there is an honest way you can address it with professionalism. You already mention you are past it which I think bodes well for you. Instead of thinking of it as bashing an employer, keep it to the individual and as factual and objective as possible. (i.e. - instead of "they made me feel", try "I was experiencing discomfort.."). You can frame it as a decision you made in your best interest. An example of how this might sound could be:

    "There was an individual I worked closely with that consistently acted in a discriminatory way I was very uncomfortable with. It's been addressed and for my own health and values, I decided it was best for me to remove myself from the situation. "

    Is it possible some employers may still worry about you leaving due to an uncomfortable work environment there as well? Sure! Do you really want to "win" an interview with a company that has to worry about that though, potentially putting you in the same situation?

11. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistJuly 7,2023 at 2:55AM UTC

    If they ask, just say it wasn't the right fit.

12. MARI S PHONASA, CPSM & CPSDJuly 7,2023 at 12:42PM UTC

    My personal opinion - you do not have to divulge all the details. Plainly stating the environment was not conducive to your well-being and you needed to leave is suffice. If they ask for more details, then in my opinion that is a red flag to me. Most employers would not ask and are more willing to take a chance on a person who takes care of themselves first. They need your whole self to come to work and perform.

13. Lisa Galczynski KahlerJuly 7,2023 at 12:44PM UTC

    "was no longer a fit"

14. Rebecca A BrittJuly 7,2023 at 1:55PM UTC

    The job no longer aligned with the direction I wanted in my career.

15. AnonymousJuly 7,2023 at 4:23PM UTC

    Post Covid, I have had a chance to really assess my career trajectory. I would like to be at a job where I can be an active part of its growth and whose movement in the industry is more in keeping with where I see myself going. I am very excited to move on to where I can really be excited about the work every day.

16. AnonymousJuly 7,2023 at 4:37PM UTC

    Keep it simple. 2 options

    A - I left me former employer because the leadership there allowed some unethical behavior that I could not get behind. I left on good terms and am referenceable there but chose to leave to fully focus on where I want to go next and not on their dime.

    B- My professional goals and where the company was going business-wise were not aligned. I don't like to take advantage once I have made a decision so I chose to leave and fully focus on my search vs on their dime.

    Good luck

17. tiffany birchJuly 7,2023 at 9:21PM UTC

    Keep it simple. Short and sweet. I've been there. I said the company and I were going in different directions with new leadership.

    You have some good advice from the Anonymous. Much good luck.

18. Sarah SolanaJuly 8,2023 at 1:08PM UTC

    Many people are without jobs right now, recruiters and hiring manager likely won't harp on it.

    I prefer candidates keep it positive and about them in the interview than hearing about your previous employer.

    Try something like this live "I didn't feel like I could thrive in their culture, and life is too short to feel out of place. I like COMPANY NAME because of your NAME CORE VALUES THAT YOU LIKE. How does your culture aligns with your core values?"

    Turning it into a question refocuses the conversation on what really matters- your future with them.

    Try something like this written "Cultural fit"

19. AnonymousJuly 8,2023 at 6:16PM UTC

    YES! Saying your looking for a culture fit is great, and list off anything you know about the company culture and why you would want to work there. Also, I would state your long term goals and how you think the company you're applying for might fit that goal. Recruiters want to hear why your excited to work for them. If you're a recruiter, are you going to consider the 100s of applicants that are leaving their jobs for whatever reason, or are you going to focus on the 5-10 people that are really excited about the company?

20. AnonymousJuly 11,2023 at 8:04PM UTC

    "My former manager and I weren't a good fit" Everyone's had a boss of whom they've thought "what is with this person?" I had a boss who only spoke in abstractions. Abstractions are nice, but when I need the details of what he wants, since he always wanted something very specific, abstractions didn't do the job for me. Asking him questions to try to get at what he wanted would just annoy him.