How To Explain A Career Change In An Interview

Why Career Change- Interview Question and Answers

Whatsoever time yous look to make a career change, yous'll face the interview question "Why are you changing careers?"

And if you aren't prepared to respond, information technology can result in job rejections and potential failure in your task search.

As a erstwhile recruiter, I'1000 going to share:

How to answer the "Why career change?" interview question (and why employers ask this)
9 practiced reasons for a career change
iv word-for-word sample interview answers to why y'all want a new career
Mistakes to avert when answering career change interview questions

Why Employers Enquire This Interview Question

Employers inquire interview questions about why you're making a career change because they desire to understand your career goals.

In a chore interview, they aren't just looking to see if you can perform their job well; they want to know if you're likely to stay long-term and savor the job.

And the more you can prove them that you accept solid, well-thought-out reasons for irresolute careers, the more comfy they'll exist in hiring you.

If y'all seem unsure, they're less likely to rent y'all into their organization.

They as well want to brand sure you've researched and taken time to empathise this new career/industry you lot're looking to join.

They aren't going to hire you if y'all don't seem similar you sympathise the work and challenges that you lot'll face.

Finally, they're hoping to get a sense of whether you performed well in your by career or not.

If you lot tell an employer, "I'm looking to switch into a different career considering I've been getting poor operation reviews in my electric current job," they'll worry that you lot may struggle to perform well in their job, also.

Then equally yous reply this question, it's all-time to focus on the favorable aspects you hope to gain in your next role, and don't talk besides much about the negatives of your past industry.

The merely exception is if your industry is struggling every bit a whole and facing layoffs, reduced opportunities, etc. Yous'll see this in the example answers coming upwardly.

Let'south look at how to reply this question now…

How to Answer "Why Career Modify?" in a Chore Interview

When you face up interview questions like, "Why are yous looking to change careers?" yous should address the question caput-on with ane or ii articulate reasons.

Avoid badmouthing your current job, employer, or manufacture, and instead, focus on what y'all hope to gain in your next career path.

You can talk near how it'southward more in-line with what you lot're passionate near or interested in, how you feel it's a amend industry for future growth and job security, or how you've always wanted to exist a role of this industry and finally experience it'due south the right fourth dimension to modify careers now.

Also, highlight any ways in which your skills and feel from previous jobs will be relevant to the new career you're pursuing.

If you can point out how your past work will help yous succeed in this new job, it'll make the interviewer feel better most offer y'all the position. And it'll also explain why you lot want to change to this new career or job.

Also, it's best if you indicate out one specific career you're pursuing now in your task search. If you tell the interviewer that you're looking at 5 different new careers, it's going to bandage uncertainty about whether y'all know what y'all desire.

I'll discuss this more than in the "mistakes" department later in this article.

To recap, there isn't ane "right" answer hither but you need to exist directly and caput-on. Avoid badmouthing, and stay positive in your respond.

Don't worry if you're however not certain what to say for why you're changing careers. Coming up, I'll give you sample reasons for why you want to change career, and word-for-word interview answer examples.

Why Make a Career Change? 9 Good Reasons

More opportunities for long-term career growth and higher pay.
Personal interest/passion in an area.
Make a bigger social or customs impact.
Uncertainty about the long-term prospects of your current industry. (This isn't considered badmouthing if you but share your unemotional observations about the industry in general.)
Seeking new challenges and personal growth.
Taking a chore that is amend suited to your skills, experience, and/or personality.
Following colleagues from a previous company who have made a successful career change and have recommended this new chore/career to you.
Higher bacon potential. (It's best to combine this with some other reason to a higher place.)
Starting a new career that's more aligned with your idea of your "dream job."

four Example Answers to "Why Are You Irresolute Careers?"

Example Respond i:

I want to alter my career path for future growth potential and new challenges. I feel my skills and experience will transfer well into this new career. For example, I saw your job description mentions communication with clients and the ability to pb projects, which were key parts of my last job. And overall, I've received career advice from a few colleagues who have successfully made this same career change and recommended it as a way to abound, earn more in their career, and find new challenges.

This is a corking reply to "Why brand a career change?" for a few reasons.

You're pointing out your relevant skills and experience.

You're mentioning a few colleagues who have successfully made this change, which volition put the hiring manager's mind at ease nearly whether you'll "piece of work out" in this new career.

And you're explaining your personal reasons for wanting this new career path… such as higher potential for career growth and earnings.

This is a solid interview answer to why you are looking to alter careers. Let'due south wait at more examples.

Instance Answer ii:

My electric current industry is struggling and I experience this industry has many overlaps with my current manufacture and role, so I'll exist able to use my skills quickly to contribute, rather than having to beginning over and learn from scratch. For example, in my current role, I manage projects for four to five large clients at a time and utilize many of the skills listed on your job posting, like leading teams, leading meetings, and interacting with clients to provide progress reports and updates. So I see this as a mode to shift into a healthier, more stable industry while too keeping my relevant skills and beingness able to hit the ground running in my next position.

Discover how this answer is positive and direct.

Information technology besides shows how you'll be able to perform well for this employer based on your previous piece of work experience.

All of these factors make this a good answer that volition impress the typical visitor.

Example Answer three:

I'thou looking to change careers to join a visitor that'southward more than aligned with my personal involvement and passion for community service. I want to make a positive impact, not merely help a company generate profits, and I honey that your company has a focus on social impact and responsibility to the community. I read virtually this in detail on your website and a few of your latest printing releases and information technology'due south one of the primary reasons I wanted to utilise for the position.

Example Answer iv:

Two colleagues from my previous company changed from the finance industry to the tech manufacture and accept said they've plant the work to be more heady and fulfilling. They've convinced me that information technology'due south a worthwhile career move, and since I have similar interests and motivation to those ii colleagues, I'm confident I'll enjoy working for a company in tech. That's the unabridged focus of my task search now, and I'm non applying to whatever finance companies. I'm not unhappy in finance; I only experience tech would exist more than exciting and more aligned with my passions.

Mistakes to Avert in Your Reply

All of the above answers will impress an interviewer and successfully answer those tough questions about why yous're looking to change careers.

There are a couple of mistakes to e'er avoid, though, so let'due south go over each mistake now.

First, e'er address the question head-on. The interviewer will feel uncomfortable offering you the position if you seem to be dodging this question, unprepared to answer, or uncomfortable answering.

Practise and prepare a direct respond ahead of time.

Don't ever get into the interview unprepared or unsure how yous'll answer this question because you're not likely to come upwards with a great answer on the spot.

Next, don't audio unsure of your determination to get out your previous industry and chore. You lot demand to sell yourself past sounding confident in your choice.

You lot tin can re-read the end of the fourth example answer above to meet how to do this. In the 2d half of that answer, yous're showing the interviewer that your unabridged focus is on joining this new industry, and you lot accept no hesitations near your determination.

Employers don't want to hire someone who may change their mind later three months and decide to search for another position. So you lot need to sound less risky, and you do this by showing that you're sure nigh your decision to search for a new career.

Finally, as mentioned earlier, never badmouth in your chore interview. Always sound positive and focus on what you'll gain in this next job and career.

Even if an interviewer asks you lot, "Why practice y'all want to leave your current job?" it'due south not an invitation to badmouth.

Conclusion: Answering Why You lot're Changing Careers

Answering questions about why you lot're changing careers doesn't need to exist stressful.

Practice ahead of time, stay positive, and address the question directly.

Show employers that yous accept strong reasons for making a career alter and you'll get more than task offers.

And don't apologize for wanting to make a change! It's non bad to be targeting a new direction in your job search.

You but need to be prepare to confidently answer the interview questions that you'll confront on this topic, because employers volition ask.

Your interviewer may have even changed careers in the past (you can research them on LinkedIn to see if this is the case).

They're not asking to flim-flam you or trap you; they only want to know your motivations and reasons.