How to explain reasons for leaving?

[afterseason, ASN, RN]

I'm a new grad who graduated in May. I took the first job that came my way (despite having a bad feeling about it from the start) because I knew many of my cohorts were having trouble landing jobs. Much like I anticipated, I HATE the job (and with very legitimate reason). I picked up a second job working in a PACU, which I love, but my hours right now are PRN and not enough to sustain me quitting my first job. For that reason, I've been looking for another part-time job to fill the void.

My issue is that I've only been with this first job for a few months, and I'm unsure how to respond when an interviewer asks why I'm leaving and why so soon. I recently had an interview where I tried to politely answer by simply saying I didn't feel that the position was quite the right fit for me and that I was looking for something that allowed me to better cultivate my skills. However, the interviewer started to pry as to why it "wasn't the right fit." I kept trying to skirt the issue, but he pressed on until I pretty much felt backed into a corner and confessed that I thought the treatment of employees at the location was unfair and inappropriate. He then pressed me to elaborate and give specific examples. I tried to tell him that I wasn't comfortable doing that because I felt like I was bad mouthing the other facility and it just didn't seem appropriate. However, once again, he continued to press me.

The whole thing left me a little unnerved. I'm wondering how to best handle this situation in future interviews should it happen again.

[RunBabyRN]

Unfortunately, those answers are unlikely to help you find a job, and, as you saw, will lead interviewers to probe more, as they want to see what's important to you and if you're going to be one of "those" new grads who jumps ship the instant something better comes along. There's a lot the interviewer is assessing here.

You might say something like, "I'm excited at the prospect of working in unit X, as that's been my dream for a long time," or you may even want to leave it off your resume. I just left a SNF job as a new grad that I won't be putting on my resume because I left after 2 months. I didn't feel it was setting me up for safely practicing nursing, but saying that in an interview would lead to a lot of probing questions, and would likely lead a manager to think I can't handle a stressful situation or fast pace or whatever. It's more about not risking my license for an area of nursing that's so far removed from what I WANT to do. However, I think some things are just better left off the resume, if you can swing it.

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

Is the first job in addition to all the things you mentioned also far from your house? Reduced travel time can be a "safe" excuse. Otherwise, you'll have to think of a generic fit all excuse that won't encourage more probing into the details. Personally I feel it was very pushy of the interviewer and bordering on inappropriate for him to "force" you to give an answer. Not the type of facility I'd want to work at.

[afterseason, ASN, RN]

You might say something like, "I'm excited at the prospect of working in unit X, as that's been my dream for a long time," or you may even want to leave it off your resume.

I think I will probably just opt to leave this off as well. Unfortunately, I already submitted my resume to a LOT of facilities with this job listed on my resume, so it's inevitable I'll have to tackle these questions again in the future. It's so hard to figure out how to delicately word "well, my boss was a jackass who publicly humiliated me in front of patients, made inappropriate comments, put me in positions to practice unsafely, and made flagrant HIPAA violations."

[HarryTheCat, MSN, RN]

I would not recommend that you leave a job off of your resume. When you have to fill out an "official" application you will be required to list all jobs you've had within a specified time period. The discrepancy will be noticed, and your honesty and integrity will be in question. If you leave that job off of your application, and someone finds out about it, you could be fired for falsifying your background.

Just be candid with the interviewer. If the job "just isn't a good fit", be prepared to honestly discuss why it isn't. There are lots of good reasons to leave a job, and that interviewer just wants to know if your reason is sound, or if you are a potential problem employee. If it's the former, the interviewer will most likely understand. If it's the latter you should figure out why, and then fix the problem.

[afterseason, ASN, RN]

Just be candid with the interviewer. If the job "just isn't a good fit", be prepared to honestly discuss why it isn't. There are lots of good reasons to leave a job, and that interviewer just wants to know if your reason is sound, or if you are a potential problem employee. If it's the former, the interviewer will most likely understand. If it's the latter you should figure out why, and then fix the problem.

Well, if you read my reasons for leaving, you'll see that it's not the latter. I have had very few jobs in my life, and that's because I've held each for years at a time. My issue is that I'm afraid that if I'm very candid and open about what was happening in the workplace that caused me to leave, it will be seen as "bad mouthing" a former employer, and I'm concerned that they will think I may say similar things about their company. However, I have nothing but rave reviews about each place I've worked (hence why I've stayed with them for so long). This one particular job is the one and only time I've ever encountered these issues. But again, I don't want the new company to think, "Oh, is this how she's going to talk about us in the future?"

Edit: Fixed a typo.

[nt2002]

Ok, this is just me brainstorming because I haven't been in your position (yet), although I can certainly imagine being there -- so take it for what it's worth . . . . What about going into the interview with at least one way the position you're applying for is an improvement over the place you're already at in mind and just rely on that -- more opportunities for training, more exposure to experienced nurses to learn from, better opportunities for advancement, etc. I think you can even say the other place isn't a good fit if you follow that immediately with why this position IS a good fit. In other words, don't leave it hanging out there for them to follow up but redirect the conversation back to the position you are seeking and your strengths

Or try a variation of the flat out truth -- XYZ position wasn't available when you started your search and in this job market you really felt that the most important thing was to get experience and start building your nursing skills. Now that XYZ position is available, you're really excited and this is why you're perfect for the position.

Since you have a really solid job history, you could allude to that -- you aren't making the decision to change jobs so soon lightly, as the recruiter can see from your resume, you have had a really long tenure at your previous jobs, and you're really grateful that stinky job was willing to take you on as a new grad, but you're so perfect for XYZ position that you couldn't pass up this opportunity.

I have no idea how HR people think, but I assume they at least susdpect that you're totally unhappy where you're at; I'm guessing they're asking to see how you handle the answer. I agree with your instinct that getting too specific about stinky job's failings won't help.

[Nonetheless]

I would start off by saying something positive. "At this job, I really liked the coworkers and how we worked together as a team".

Then say the negatives "however, a few issues made me realize it was not a good fit for me. I didn't feel it was living up to its highest potential because of XYZ situation with policy and XYZ situation with HIPAA". Then end again with something positive and why you think this job is better "I enjoyed the patient interaction there, and I want to work somewhere I can provide excellent care for them". And maybe talk about your solid work history and explain that you will be loyal in the future at a job where you can continue to learn.

Be very careful with your wording. Write a few drafts down then practice it and perfect it.

[afterseason, ASN, RN]

Thanks for everyone's advice. I managed to figure out a few ways to positively explain the situation, and have since replaced it with a better place of employment. :)

[caliotter3]

I found that when interviewers wanted to probe about the other employer, all they wanted was to hear your "juicy gossip". None of them ever put me into the "consider for hire" pile. I would suggest that you stand your ground, telling them that you can not bad mouth your current employer. Most likely you will no longer be in the running for the job, but at least you have a better chance of going home and not worrying about them calling the employer back to "verify" anything you have said.

[llg, PhD, RN]

When I interview people, I always ask follow-up questions when I get a vague "reheorificed" answer such as "It was a bad fit." To not ask a few follow-up questions would be irresponsible of me. "It was/is a bad fit" is what people say who have something to hide. It really doesn't give the interviewer any usable information. So if you are going to bring up the topic of "fit," you should be prepared to discuss the "fit" and why it didn't work.

Did it not fit with you long-term goals as well as this new position will? (Perhaps my personal favorite.) Did the schedule not fit with some of your personal needs? etc.