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Should You Explain Why You’re Leaving a Job in an Interview?

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Should You Explain Why You’re Leaving a Job in an Interview?

The best reason for leaving your current job is because you’re looking to grow in ways that the new job offers. In a perfect world, that’d always be the case. But sometimes the honest reason — layoffs, burnout, feeling stagnant, toxic bosses, a challenging industry, or changing careers — doesn’t sound as compelling. You can still answer this question in a way that casts you in your best light.  

Think of this interview question as a way to talk about your past work experience and what you’re looking for in your next role. Here’s how a hiring manager and recruiter recommend describing your reasons for leaving a job in an interview. 

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Why do interviewers ask why you’re leaving a job? 

Asking about your reasons for leaving a job is another way of understanding what you’re looking for in your next role. If you describe aspects of the role that didn’t work for you, that can be a signal that you won’t enjoy or adjust to the prospective position. For example, imagine a job seeker says: “The tech stack at my previous job is incredibly outdated and these legacy systems get in the way of any real innovation.” Interviewers might hear that as a sign that the person isn’t willing to adapt to a legacy tech stack or inherit a longstanding codebase. It’s important to think about your answer ahead of time so you don’t inadvertently filter yourself out.   

Apart from the obvious, “Tell me about why you left your last job,” many interviewers will approach this question indirectly. “I might say, ‘The fact that you’re talking to me assumes that you’re either unhappy with what you’re doing or you’re looking for something different,’” says Jean du Plessis, Senior Engineering Manager at cloud platform Upbound. “‘Which one is it?’” 

They might also ask you to walk them through the motivation behind your previous career moves, so be prepared to give your elevator pitch. 

How to explain why you left a job 

You want to strike a balance between transparency and airing grievances. Interviews aren’t the place to get things off your chest. Some interviewers are sympathetic to challenges like toxic work environments and burnout, but it’s always risky to speak ill of a previous employer. Here are some ways to frame your reasons for leaving a job that will show you in your best light. 

Focus on your pull factors 

Are you running away from your current job, or running towards this new opportunity? In most cases, it’ll be a mix of factors. See if you can classify your motivation as either “push” and “pull” factors, says Lucy Jones, Headhunter and Director of the Executive Search firm Lawson Brooke. “There are always some aspects of your role that are less enjoyable or more frustrating — those are your push factors,” she says. “Your pull factors are things that appeal to you about a new role, like location, flexibility, compensation, or new challenges and opportunities to grow.” If you’re still working out what it is that you dislike about your current work situation, check out these questions to ask yourself when you feel stagnant at work. 

It’s wise to focus on pull factors, especially where there are elements of the new job description you can refer to as motivators:  

Example: “I’ve been working as a Back-End Engineer in a small startup, which has pushed me to be self-sufficient and learn a lot on my own. I’m excited about working in a more established engineering organization, where I’ll have more resources, opportunities to learn from Senior Engineers, and exposure to other architecture models.” 

Connect your reason to the job you’re applying to 

If you can draw a genuine connection between what is lacking in your current role and the opportunities you see in the new role, that’s a very compelling reason for the interviewer to want to hire you. “I always like it when I hear somebody is leaving somewhere looking for something that I know my environment can offer,” Jean says. 

Example: “My favorite part of being a developer has been interacting with other developers while contributing to open-source projects. I realized that I can make this a bigger part of my formal role by working as a Developer Advocate.”  

If you’re switching careers you can focus on what appeals to you about your target industry and highlight any commonalities between your previous roles and this new opportunity. 

Show your commitment 

When interviewers ask about your reasons for leaving a job, they might be assessing how flaky you are.  

“One of the things I often look for is grit,” says Jean. “I would rather not hire somebody who moved on at the first sign of struggle. So, if you weren’t happy, what did you do to change the environment?” 

If you’re moving on in search of more learning opportunities, Jean also recommends that you describe steps you took in your current role to maximize your potential there. “There’s nothing wrong with moving on, it’s more about the motivation behind it,” he says.  

Keep things positive 

Avoid dwelling on negative aspects of your current role or interpersonal challenges. “Don’t just say that you were unhappy in a position,” Jean says. “Articulate what it was about that role or environment that didn’t work for you and how you expect this new opportunity to be different.”  

Example: “I really want to collaborate closely with customers, but my current organization’s structure doesn’t allow for this. I applied for this role because it involves a rotation in customer support and partnering with early adopters to influence the product.” 

Keep the focus on the future and what you’re excited about with this new opportunity. 

What if you were laid off? 

The reality is that sometimes you don’t leave a job on your own accord. There’s nothing wrong with sharing that you were laid off — there are many excellent candidates out there in the same position as you. Interviewers know the tech landscape has been rocky so it will not be surprising to them. You might say something like, “My department was restructured, and my role was eliminated as a result.” Then, you can shift to focusing on why you’re interested in the new role. Read this blog for more advice about how to talk about an employment gap during your job search.   

Build your interview skills and confidence with our new beta Interview Simulator: Set up a mock interview based on the job title, level, type of interview, and company, then enter your own experience. The AI interviewer is trained to ask intelligent follow-up questions like a real recruiter and will provide you with feedback after the session.  

What Is Your Relationship With Fast Food?

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What Is Your Relationship With Fast Food?

Fast food is seemingly everywhere. One can find a McDonald’s, a Chick-fil-A, a Taco Bell, a Wendy’s, a Dunkin’ or a Domino’s, just to name a few of the most popular chains, in towns and cities across the United States and around the world.

What do you think about fast food? Is it something that improves our lives and makes the world a better place? Or is it a bad thing for our health and a negative influence in our communities?

Brian Gallagher begins the article “Fast Food Forever: How McHaters Lost the Culture War” by discussing how the fast food industry faced a strong backlash two decades ago, when the film “Super Size Me,” directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock, became a smash hit. He writes:

Following Mr. Spurlock as he ate nothing but McDonald’s for 30 days — and the ill effects that diet had on his health — the film became the high-water mark in a tide of sentiment against fast food. McDonald’s, specifically, became a symbol for the glossy hegemony of American capitalism both at home and abroad.

“McJobs” became a term for low-paying, dead-end positions, “McMansions” for garish, oversize houses. In 1992, the political theorist Benjamin Barber used the term “McWorld” as shorthand for emergent neoliberal dominance; seven years later, protesters against the World Trade Organization seemed to agree, launching a newspaper box through a McDonald’s window during the “Battle of Seattle” marches.

Two years after that, Eric Schlosser’s “Fast Food Nation” was published. A broad indictment of the entire fast-food industry, the best seller accused the industry of being bad for the environment, rife with labor issues, culturally flattening and culinarily fattening.

The article explains that fast food is still thriving 20 years later:

But two decades later, not only is McDonald’s bigger than ever, with nearly 42,000 global locations, but fast food in general has boomed. There are now some 40 chains with more than 500 locations in the United States. Fast food is the second-largest private employment sector in the country, after hospitals, and 36 percent of Americans — about 84 million people — eat fast food on any given day. The three major appeals of fast food remain intact: It’s cheap, it’s convenient and people like the way it tastes.

Mr. Gallagher also discusses the pivotal role that children play for the fast food industry:

Historically, fast-food companies have been very astute about marketing to children, realizing decades ago that creating customers early means creating customers for life. At the peak of his fame in the 1980s, Ronald McDonald was in some countries more recognizable to children than Mickey Mouse. In 2000, 90 percent of children ages 6 to 9 visited a McDonald’s in a given month.

But as Frances Fleming-Milici, the director of marketing initiatives at the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, put it, “If it’s marketed to children, it’s probably bad for you.”

That became increasingly clear in the mid-2000s. Childhood obesity rates had nearly tripled in 25 years, and the public outcry was growing more urgent. A consortium of large food brands, including McDonald’s, Burger King, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, tried to get out in front of the problem. They formed the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative, and the participating corporations self-imposed limits on advertising to children under 13 (later 12).

In place of that marketing to children, though, the big fast-food chains have found something arguably more potent, with McDonald’s, as ever, leading the way.

“They’re hyperfocusing on what they call fan-favorite moments, trying to essentially identify how we emotionally connect to McDonald’s,” said Kaitlin Ceckowski, who researches fast-food marketing strategies at Mintel, a market research agency. “What ‘human truths’ exist around their brand?”

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

  • Do you like to eat fast food? Why, or why not?

  • Which fast food chains are your favorites — or least favorites? Why?

  • When was the last time you ate fast food? In a typical month, how often do you eat it?

  • Do you think fast food chains make your town or city a better place to live? Why, or why not?

  • The article discusses paid partnerships between Travis Scott and McDonald’s, Megan Thee Stallion and Popeyes, Ice Spice and Dunkin’, and Lil Nas X and Taco Bell. Do these celebrity ad campaigns make you want to eat fast food more? In general, do you think that fast food advertising is effective — especially with children and teenagers? Why, or why not?

  • Are you concerned about health issues associated with eating too much fast food, such as diabetes and obesity? Do you think more should be done — by parents, companies or the government — to help limit how much fast food children eat? Why, or why not?

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Word of the Day: demarcation

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Word of the Day: demarcation

The word demarcation has appeared in 26 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on April 18 in “St. Vincent Dives Headfirst Into the Darkness” by Lindsay Zoladz:

Clark is a gifted and nimble guitarist with a dexterously spiky playing style that contrasts with the moony smoothness of her voice. She is also known for the absolute commitment of her live performances. “What she does is so transformative,” said the musician Cate Le Bon, Clark’s close friend of over a decade, in a video interview. “When I see her play, it freaks me out sometimes. I can be even helping her get ready for a show, and it’s like I know nothing of the woman who’s onstage.”

… Le Bon said she sees a stark demarcation between the somewhat severe and imperious musical figure “St. Vincent,” and, as she put it, “Annie Clark from Dallas.” Annie Clark from Dallas slowly emerged, in our conversations, as a funny, genial and lightly self-deprecating person who enjoys modern comedy (she quoted “30 Rock” from memory and referenced both “Veep” and “Waiting for Guffman”), is close with her many siblings …

Can you correctly use the word demarcation in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

If you want a better idea of how demarcation can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.

If you enjoy this daily challenge, try our vocabulary quizzes.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

The Word of the Day is provided by Vocabulary.com. Learn more and see usage examples across a range of subjects in the Vocabulary.com Dictionary. See every Word of the Day in this column.

City Street

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City Street

What do you think this image is saying? How does it relate to or comment on society or current events? Can you relate to it personally? What is your opinion of its message?

Tell us in the comments, then read the related article to learn more.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Picture Prompts here.

How Much Do You Know About Kuwait?

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How Much Do You Know About Kuwait?


How Much Do You Know About Kuwait? – The New York Times




https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/05/15/learning/KuwaitGeographyQuiz.html

Prizewinning Miniature Poodle

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Prizewinning Miniature Poodle

Sage, an extravagantly coifed miniature poodle, won best in show at the 148th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on May 14, prevailing over a tough field of competitors including a majestic German shepherd, a silken Afghan hound and a proud giant schnauzer.

The Times writes:

Like all show poodles, Sage appears to be about 75 percent hair, with a sumptuous coiffure that rises to a huge pouf above and around her head, surrounds her body in a kind of puffball, and reappears again as topiary-ed pompoms on the end of her tail and at the bottom of her skinny legs, as if she is wearing après-ski boots. She trots daintily, as if running was slightly beneath her.

Did you watch the canine competition? Which breeds were your favorites? Do you agree that Sage deserved the top prize? Have you ever entered a pet into a similar contest? Would you want to now?

Tell us in the comments, then read the related articles to see more photos from the show and learn more about Sage and the other finalists.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Picture Prompts here.

What Is Your Favorite Word?

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What Is Your Favorite Word?

Are you someone who loves words? Do you delight in discovering new words or trying to translate them into different languages? Do you enjoy using slang or exploring how language has evolved over time?

Is there one word, in any language, that feels especially beautiful, interesting or meaningful to you? What memories or emotions come to mind when you think it or say it?

In “Some Words Feel Truer in Spanish,” Natalia Sylvester writes about words and how they have the power to connect us across continents and cultures:

My earliest relationship with language was defined by rules. As an immigrant who came to this country from Peru at age 4, I spent half of my days in kindergarten occupied with learning the rules of the English language. There was the tricky inconsistency of pronunciation to navigate and, once I learned to speak it, the challenge of translating what I’d learned into reading skills.

At home, my mom would often create games to help my sister and me preserve our Spanish and improve our grammar. Driving around our neighborhood in Miami, she’d point at a traffic light, hold up four fingers and say, “Se-ma-fo-ro — on which syllable do you put the accent?”

Each language had its defined space: English in school, Spanish at home. But as my parents became more fluent (and my sister and I more dominant) in English, the boundaries became blurred. Being bilingual empowered us to break barriers beyond the rules and definitions attached to words. Some things were simply untranslatable, because they spoke to this new space we were living in — within, between and around language. We were making a new home here, same as so many immigrants who end up shaping language as much as it shapes us.

It became evident as the phrase “Cómo se dice?” or “How do you say?” became a constant in my home. Sometimes, it’d be my parents who asked, “How do you say” followed by a word like “sobremesa” or “ganas.” It seemed simple enough in theory, but proved nearly impossible for us to translate without elaborating using full sentences or phrases. After all, to have a word to describe a long conversation that keeps you at the table and extends a meal, you’d have to value the concept enough to name it. Some ideas are so embedded in Latin American and Spanish cultures that they exist implicitly. Of course “ganas” can be something you feel but also give, and be at once more tame yet more powerful than “desire.” (If you know, you know.)

Other times, it’d be my sister and I who were curious about a word’s Spanish counterpart. Was there really no differentiating in Spanish between the fingers (dedos) on our hands, and those on our feet we call toes? When we wanted to say we were excited about something, the word “emocionada” seemed to fall short of capturing our specific, well, emotion. Sometimes we would blank on a word. But sometimes, we would find that the perfect word isn’t necessarily in the language we’re speaking.

She explains further, using the Spanish word “maleta,” or “suitcase” in English, as an example:

This year, I was at a writing conference and met up with two Mexican American authors, one of whom brought her suitcase to the venue because she had already checked out of the hotel. We walked the halls and offered to help with her maleta, making several jokes and references to it, but never once using the word “suitcase,” despite speaking mainly in English.

This was an entirely natural and unspoken decision. There are some words that simply feel truer in Spanish than they do in English. I call these home words and heart words because I associate them with the place I most grew up using them: at home, among family. Though the words might share a literal definition with their translation, one version carries emotional depth that enriches its meaning. To code switch this way among friends implies we share not only a language, but an intimate understanding of where we come from.

A suitcase is for clothes and possessions when someone travels, but to me, a maleta meant family had arrived from Peru, carrying flavors, textures and memories of my birthplace. Language is rooted in context, which is another way of saying that language is driven by memory. In this way, what we do or don’t choose to translate is another way of telling stories about our past.

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

  • Do you have a favorite word, or a word that feels especially meaningful to you, in any language? What is it? Why do you love it? Do you have a story, like the one Ms. Sylvester shared about the word “maleta,” that illustrates what your favorite word means to you?

  • Ms. Sylvester says there are some words that feel “truer” to her in Spanish. Do you speak more than one language? If so, are there words that feel “truer” to you in one language versus another? Why do you think that is? Can you give an example?

  • Ms. Sylvester writes about “code switching,” or the act of shifting from one language or dialect to another, particularly based on social context. Do you often find yourself using different words, or even different languages, depending on where you are and whom you’re with? In what dialect or language do you most feel a sense of comfort and belonging? Why?

  • “Words are just sounds and letters until we collectively give them meaning through story,” Ms. Sylvester ends the essay. “When we use language to connect, it’s one of the most beautiful things that make us human.” Do you agree? What power do words and language hold for you?

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Word of the Day: innate

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Word of the Day: innate

The word innate has appeared in 107 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Oct. 26 in the book review “3 Ways to Unlock Your ‘Hidden Potential’” by Melinda Wenner Moyer:

In a culture that focuses so intensely on success, it’s easy to feel like a failure. But according to the organizational psychologist Adam Grant, that might be because we’re thinking about achievement all wrong.

Many people assume that accomplishments are tied closely to innate ability, so they give up on pursuits they find challenging. That’s a mistake, Dr. Grant writes in his new book, “Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things.”

Dr. Grant shares anecdotes about people who accomplished the extraordinary despite showing little aptitude at first — including himself. He qualified twice for the Junior Olympic diving championships even though, he writes, he was woefully ungraceful and for a long time couldn’t touch his toes without bending his knees.

Can you correctly use the word innate in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

If you want a better idea of how innate can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.

If you enjoy this daily challenge, try our vocabulary quizzes.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

The Word of the Day is provided by Vocabulary.com. Learn more and see usage examples across a range of subjects in the Vocabulary.com Dictionary. See every Word of the Day in this column.

6 Tech Products Invented by AAPI Technologists

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6 Tech Products Invented by AAPI Technologists

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and the 2024 theme is all about paying homage to AAPI leaders who’ve driven progress through innovation.  

From groundbreaking inventions to transformative advancements, AAPI individuals have played a pivotal role in shaping the technological landscape of America. Despite facing cultural and systemic challenges, AAPI innovators’ resilience and a pioneering spirit has revolutionized industries and enriched society. 

As we celebrate AAPI Heritage Month, we want to recognize and honor the trailblazers who invented and developed technology that’s part of our everyday lives. Read on to learn about the AAPI people who helped to build everyday tech products and tools. 

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Chieko Asakawa 

Home Page Reader 

Chieko Asakawa revolutionized online accessibility by inventing the Home Page Reader (HPR), a web-to-speech system that allowed people with vision impairments to navigate the internet effortlessly.  

Chieko, who lost her sight at 14, created the HPR in the late 90s, just as the internet was taking off. “I really wanted to be independent,” Chieko told the National Inventors Hall of Fame. “I wanted to be freed from relying on someone. That helped me innovate new technologies.” 

More recently, Chieko worked on an AI-powered suitcase that uses IBM Watson to help people who are blind navigate indoor and outdoor environments.  

Amar Bose 

Industry standard stereo speakers 

When Amar Bose graduated from MIT with his PhD in electrical engineering, he rewarded himself by buying a new hi-fi stereo system. There was just one problem: the sound quality wasn’t up to Amar’s standards. Like any resourceful technologist, he started to research acoustics and speaker design in his spare time, convinced there was a better way.  

This hobby eventually led to the invention of the 901(R) Direct/Reflecting(R) speaker system, one of the first stereo loudspeakers to utilize the space around them instead of reproducing sound as if in a vacuum. It was a game-changing discovery and the catalyst for Amar to found Bose Corporation in 1964. Today when you rock noise-canceling headphones at your desk or fire up your TV’s sound bar, you can thank Amar Bose.   

Ajay Bhatt 

USB 

Before cloud technology and Bluetooth was the norm for storing files and pairing devices, your computer needed multiple “drivers” to connect to peripheral devices. Not only was this tedious, but it could also change your operating system and applications. In 1996, Ajay Bhatt invented a tool to streamline the process: the Universal Serial Bus, aka USB.  

Ajay was inspired by electrical wall outlets, and created a connection interface that could automatically recognize new devices and translate their signals into a centralized message stream for the computer’s operating system. “We had a vision to bring about a profound change to the computer industry,” Ajay told Fortune in 2019. “That’s what my motivation was as a Computer Scientist.” 

There’s a good chance you have drawers full of USB cords and old flash drives — billions of USB devices have been made worldwide. Interestingly, Ajay never made any money from inventing this ubiquitous device. Intel, his employer at the time, decided to make the USB open and royalty free when they adopted it.  

Chan Yeh 

Electronically processed Chinese language 

Chan Yeh was a computing pioneer who made it possible to process Chinese characters on a computer. Chan developed an automatic Chinese photo-typesetting system called the IPX that translated bitmaps of Chinese characters into codes that a computer could easily store. 

Chan’s innovative approach, born from a blend of technological expertise and deep cultural understanding, transformed Chinese printing, making it less tedious and more accessible.  

An Wang 

Programmable electronic calculators  

In 1964, Computer Scientist An Wang developed one of the first programmable electronic calculators, the “logarithmic calculating instrument” or LOCI. This desktop machine featured nine different digit keys and various arithmetic and mathematical operation keys that enabled people to perform calculations in milliseconds with just the press of a button. The LOCI, which initially cost $6,500, also paved the way for programmable calculators (looking at you, TI-84).  

Ching Wan Tang 

OLED 

Organic light emitting diode or OLED is the technology that makes pixels on flat panel screens (from your smartphone to your Nintendo Switch to your car radio display) glow so you can see vibrant colors and high-quality graphics. Chemist Ching Wan Tang, along with Steven Van Slyke, invented the organic light-emitting device and organic bilayer solar cell, which was the basis for OLED technology.  

“Usually, you don’t discover something that’s totally unexpected,” Ching Wan told the National Inventors Hall of Fame. “You must be thinking about the problem all the time, even in your sleep. You just try mentally, one way or another, or in the lab… and you keep thinking about it. And then somehow the door crack[s] open, and that’s discovery.” 

How to Describe What You’re Looking for in a New Job

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How to Describe What You’re Looking for in a New Job

Hiring managers can quickly discern whether a candidate has applied to numerous companies without investing much thought into why, or if they’re genuinely interested in a particular role. And while applying to jobs is a “numbers game” to an extent, you should approach every job interview with a clear idea of how the job aligns with your individual goals. 

It’s standard for interviewers to ask you to describe what you’re looking for in your next role. Simply reciting the job description is not going to win you points. Neither will focusing on the job title, salary, or benefits — of course these factors influenced your decision to apply for the role, but they’re not relevant to this question.  

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Your interviewer is trying to learn more about you and understand what got you excited about applying for this role. So, how should you describe what you’re looking for in your next job? The first step is to get clear on what you want. Ahead we’ll break down how to pinpoint your goal, what to say (and avoid saying), and provide example answers to help you craft your own.   

How to describe what you’re looking for in your next job 

Being a good match for a role often goes beyond ticking boxes on a job description, says Jean du Plessis, Senior Engineering Manager at the cloud platform Upbound. A savvy hiring manager seeks diversity in their team and embraces individuals with different strengths that balance each other out, he says. If you only address what’s outlined in the job description, you’ll blend in as just another candidate.  

The person interviewing you is “constantly matching data points about you with what they know they need on the team,” Jean says. They’re looking for folks who are passionate, confident in their strengths, and aware of areas where they need to improve, he says. 

In other words, this isn’t a throwaway interview question: “People who don’t have a good answer as to what they’re looking for in their career come across as somebody who doesn’t have a growth mindset or looking to learn and improve,” Jean says. A murky answer also fails to demonstrate your excitement about the potential this role offers. “If you don’t know what you want, it’s hard for the interviewer to believe that this role is going to be a good fit for you.” 

Think about your future career goals 

It’s helpful if you can speak to how you’re looking to grow in your career. You don’t have to climb the corporate ladder or found your own company, but you should be able to articulate your career development aspirations. That way you can connect the dots between where you are now, where you want to go, and how this role helps you along your path.  

“Identify how the role is going to help you grow further in your career towards your end goal,” says Jean. “It’s okay if the role is a stepping stone. Don’t be shy to say you’ve got bigger ambitions but have the humility to acknowledge that it’s going to take a while for you to get there.”  

Make it clear that the role is aligned with what you need to do in your career to get to where you want to be one day, Jean says. “That shows you’re thinking about the big picture, more than just what’s ahead of you, which for a hiring manager is great signal to get as well.” 

4 ways to answer what you’re ideally looking for in your next role 

There are a few directions you can go when asked what you’re looking for in your next job. Here are four examples of how to answer this question:  

You’re looking to develop technical skills 

In this response, you can highlight that you’re seeking opportunities to develop specific hard skills, or gain more exposure to a type of technology or framework you’re interested in. For example, if you’ve worked as a Data Scientist, you might be targeting roles in the AI and machine learning space. Or if you were a Junior Developer going for a more senior role, you might be eager to take on more design and implementation work and spend less time writing code for features.  

Developers are constantly learning on the job, so it’s a good signal to interviewers if you’re actively interested in upskilling and learning new languages and technologies. This is a great opportunity to share any side projects (like hackathons or open-source projects) that got you interested in a new language or style of architecture.  

Example answer: “I’m excited about the prospect of joining a startup where I can contribute my skills and grow as a developer. I’m particularly interested in opportunities to hone my expertise in certain programming languages or gain exposure to emerging technologies or frameworks.

For example, I’m eager to deepen my understanding of machine learning and AI — I see where the industry is headed, and believe these technologies hold immense potential for the future. Additionally, I’m keen to expand my proficiency in cloud computing platforms like AWS or Azure, as they are increasingly integral to modern software development. 

Overall, I’m seeking a role where I can immerse myself in challenging projects that allow me to leverage my existing skills and acquire new ones, so I can contribute to the growth and success of the team and the company.”  

You want to level up your soft skills 

You could also focus your answer on getting experience that grows your soft skills, like working more cross-functionally or mentoring others. If you work on a small team and are applying to a larger organization, you could say that you’re looking for opportunities to learn from Senior Engineers.  

Maybe you’re motivated to take more ownership of your projects and develop your project management muscle — these are all thoughtful and valid answers that show you’re thinking beyond what’s listed in the job spec.  

Example answer: “Beyond contributing my technical capabilities, I’m seeking a role where I can also grow as a mentor and collaborator and contribute to a supportive and high-performing team culture. Specifically, I’m looking for a position where I can enhance my abilities in mentoring and cross-functional collaboration. 

I believe that strong soft skills are essential for fostering a positive team dynamic and driving successful project outcomes. As a self-taught developer, I want to share my knowledge and expertise with others while also learning from their perspectives and experiences. Similarly, I’m eager to work in an environment that encourages cross-functional collaboration, because I believe that diverse perspectives and skill sets lead to more innovative solutions.”  

You’re seeking a specific work environment 

If you’re a self-taught developer and have been working independently, you might be excited about working as part of a team in a more collaborative environment.  

Startups and big corporations have very different, but valuable, skills to teach you. You could call out something you’re hoping to gain from a transition if that’s the case for you. Learning to iterate and ship quickly is common in small startups, while larger organizations may provide more support for you to work with and learn from other teams. It’s best to focus on what you’re excited about with this new opportunity, rather than focusing on what you don’t like about your current role. 

Example answer: “In my previous roles, I’ve gained valuable experience navigating the fast-paced and dynamic environment of startups, but now I’m eager to explore the stability and structure offered by an established post-IPO company. 

One of the main reasons I’m seeking a role at a public company is the opportunity for long-term growth and stability, well-defined processes, resources, and a proven track record. Additionally, I’m interested in experiencing the scale and scope of projects that are often found in larger organizations, which can offer valuable learning opportunities and exposure to complex systems and technologies. 

I’m keen to be part of a company that has a strong brand presence and a global impact. Working at an established public company can provide me with a platform to collaborate with diverse teams and contribute to projects that have a broad reach and significance.”  

You care about the company’s mission 

It’s okay if what you’re ideally looking for in your next job has more to do with the company than the role itself. Maybe the company’s mission and the problems it solves align with your own mission and values in some way. Or, you might have a personal connection to the type of customer the business serves. If you weren’t looking for a new role but this opening stood out to you because have been looking for an opportunity to work in the industry or you admire the company, share this with the interviewer. It’s proof that you’re passionate about the role. 

Of course, you will still need to be able to speak to how you’re a fit for the role itself, but managers know that developers can get laser focused on the specifics of their unique role, losing sight of the business goals. Showing genuine enthusiasm for the bigger picture can be a big green flag for interviewers.  

Example answer: “The idea of contributing my skills and expertise to a company dedicated to developing innovative technologies that combat climate change is incredibly motivating for me. I’m passionate about environmental sustainability, and I believe that working for a tech company in this space will allow me to make a tangible impact. I’m drawn to the collaborative and forward-thinking culture often found in climate tech companies and I’m eager to be part of a team that is committed to leveraging technology to address global challenges.” 

This type of interview question is just as important to prepare for as your technical interview questions. If you want a safe space to practice, check out our new Interview Simulator and use the power of AI to build your confidence in interviews. 

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