You could blurt out a negative answer to this question if you don’t prepare enough. (It’s easy to do if you’re nervous.)You want to be positive, yet transparent at the same time.
To help, here are some tips on how to best tackle this question:
1. Don’t mention how you don’t get along with your superior. This may raise a red flag and can imply that you are unable to work with a team. It’s normal in a working environment to not get along with everyone you work with. You can state generally that you may have run into issues with a coworker, but explain how you strived to do something about the situation. Perhaps it led to a discussion with your boss about changing an approach to a problem in the company.
If you haven’t discussed the problem with your superior, you may want to focus your answer on finding a new role that motivates you. Are you looking for a challenging position or something different from your current area of expertise?
2. Think of motivations for leaving your job. Are you tired of your colleagues not seeing eye-to- eye? If so, evaluate whether this is the sole reason why you are leaving your job. You may want to think more deeply, as there are usually several reasons for wanting to move on. If it really does come down to a lack of cohesiveness with the team, provide illustrative examples that demonstrate how it held everyone back from completing specific projects.
Again, your prospective employer may struggle with perception if he or she thinks you cannot work well with others. You can only be honest in answering this question, and explain how you tried to resolve the issue.
3. Avoid salary discussions. Avoid saying that you didn’t make enough money in your previous job, or that you feel you aren’t making enough in your current job. You shouldn’t discuss salary until the employer mentions it, and ideally, specifics shouldn’t come up until you have an offer. You can instead focus on how your skills are valued. Highlight your talents and experiences.
Be sure to prepare for this question and other questions ahead of time to help keep nerves at bay and ace the interview.
