How to explain a sudden 'I quit!'

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How to explain a sudden 'I quit!'

Deeksha Singh


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April 14, 2008

Mishta Jetly recently quit her job with a telecommunications company without serving the notice period. Serving the notice period was like a waste of time and skills for her. However, what she did not anticipate was how she would explain her sudden 'I quit!' to prospective employers. Her inability to explain the sudden departure from her last job became a roadblock in getting a new job.

If you have also felt trapped in a similar situation where you need to explain and rationalise the decision you made to a prospective employer, here are a few pointers that you should consider:

~ My skill sets were not in alignment with the job profile
If you have gotten bored of your daily tasks and don't enjoy coming to work then it's probably time to move on.

Dealing with workplace failure

There is no point in going around in circles when your heart is not in your job. You will be less productive and your performance will deteriorate if job ceases to stimulate you.

While sharing this with a prospective employer, do ensure that your dislikes are not of an emotional in nature ie people you were working with, your job title etc. You can however state that your interests and likings were in conflict with the expectations of your job.

Snoozing at your desk? Time for a job change!

~ I was looking for greater responsibility
This applies if you feel that you have hit a ceiling in terms of your career growth and don't see any growth in the current set-up.

There are times when you can't seem to get to the next level unless your manager resigns. In this situation, you must state that you tried negotiating for a different role within the organization, however had to leave when nothing worked out.

~ My work-life balance was getting impacted
Maybe your job left you with no time for the family or your company expected you to work even days a week. You may be traveling a little too much at the cost of your health or working in erratic shifts. In some cases, personal reasons may push you to opt for a change.

Do explain that you are committed and hardworking, however, you also respect your personal and family time.

Dealing with a high-pressure job

~ The organisation was downsizing
Maybe your company is planning to pull the shutters down. It's better to walk out before you are left with no choice. There are no foolproof ways to protect against job loss so you decided to call it quits before you are asked to.

~ I could not get along with my boss
This may not make it to the "best answers for leaving a job" list however if you can't stand your boss and dislike your job because of that, you are just a part of a large community who feel the same.

The popular cliche "People don't leave their organisations; they leave their bosses" stands true.

Do mention to the prospective employer that you realise that finding the perfect boss-employee match is impossible, unless both parties are willing to work on each other's flaws and strong points.

How to be a great boss

Make a clean exit
Even if you are not serving a formal notice period, do ensure that you don't leave any tasks unfulfilled. Prepare a replacement as soon as you make up your mind to leave and transfer all information about your daily tasks to this individual.

Never handicap the organisation or your department in any way by stealing any data. Don't try and sabotage or delete any documents.

In summary, never lie to a prospective employer. Any knowledgeable employer, can make a few phone calls, and have a pretty fair preliminary report, regarding a potential employee, delivered to their office or inbox. It's not worth it to burn bridges in a business relationship.

Deeksha Singh is a managing partner with WCH Training Solutions, a New-Delhi based training and consulting firm. Feedback can be shared at info@wchsolutions.com.


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