why did you leaveI have a B.A., in English but since my graduation from college 2 yr ago, I have only worked in the food service industry (in pursuit of skills, which I see as more important than money/ respect). "Why did you leave your last job?" My bf was able & willing to support me/ I got pregnant, had abortion/ I'm seeking treatment for longstanding depression. And now it's been 2 months, and I don't want to reenter the food industry. I'm looking at library, university, admin asst, lab asst jobs. How do I answer the "why did you leave your last job" question without getting personal? Two ways to answer that in your situation: "I left for reasons of a personal nature in which I was the only family member who could handle the problem".....may be a bit ambiguous, but these are personal issues. The second reason could be: "I felt that I had gathered many skills that would allow me to pursue a position in the industry I wanted a career in and, with family support, dedicated myself full time to that goal." I would caution against naming your personal reasons if you pick that for your reason for leaving. First, because it is none of the interviewers business and second, because there are many people who would look down on you for making a decision that goes against their beliefs regardless of your rights. My bf was able & willing to support me/ I got pregnant, had abortion/ I' m seeking treatment for longstanding depression. Absolutely do not go with anything in that sentence. You shouldn' t be looking to your bf to support you ( you should be supporting yourself). The pregnant/abortion issue should be self-explanatory as to why you shouldn' t mention that and treatment for long standing depression is also going to be a major turn off. At most you could say "I had some personal issues to attend to. They' re all cleared up now." Better would be to say that you were looking to make a move out of food service to something that better suits your skills and abilities. So often on these boards, people answer their own questions. It' s a simple task of readers to point them out: "I don' t want to reenter the food industry. I' m looking at library, university, admin asst, lab asst jobs." There' s your answer, plain and simple. Answer all job-related questions with job-related details. You' re simply doing a career change to match your degree field. If they ask: "Why did you work in food service?" You have an answer: "Pursuit of skills, which I see as important."
Then list those skills--->> • Acclimation to a fast-paced environment with client-driven deadlines • learning to manage time/tasks in a fluid work environment • Gaining customer-contact skills • Working in a team dynamic and learning to assist or give directions without causing conflicts. In other words, you are NOW A MATURE, RELIABLE WORKER. | |
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Career Tips
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