Most jobseekers have in some point in
their career where they have had legitimate grievances about a previous
company, boss, co-worker, or corporate culture. Every company, even the best
ones, are imperfect and can’t be ideal for every personality or work style.
Every company and every boss has ‘wronged’ certain employees at times.
Sometimes it happens out of bad faith from an individual, or often it happens
because of other factors or circumstances but without ill intent.
How you relate your bad experience to a
potential employer in an interview, however, can have a great impact on your chances of being chosen to move forward in the
hiring process.
That’s why job search advisers will
consistently tell you to never bash or criticize previous employers. It almost
never results in a good outcome for you. Yet… it’s one of the most common
mistakes people make in job interviews.
The ‘wound’ is usually ingrained in them,
and given the least bit of opportunity, it will open up. Regardless of how well
the story is spun, though, it will likely raise concerns or questions about the
other side.
Describing how a project failed because…
“Objectives and milestones weren’t well defined for me”
or how your previous manager and you had…
“Differing opinions about how to deal with customers”,
may be true stories, but may be interpreted in potentially negative ways. It would be natural for the interviewer to muse…
“I wonder how their previous boss views what happened.”
Furthermore, it can be viewed as if you are trying to avoid any personal responsibility and pointing the finger elsewhere. Candidates that take personal responsibility are always refreshing… because they are relatively rare! You could frame those same stories as…
“The project failed because I didn’t make sure I had objectives and milestones clearly defined for me. It was a great lesson to learn and a mistake I certainly won’t let happen again.”
Or…
“My manager and I had differing views on how to deal with customers, and I didn’t creatively come up with a resolution that would satisfy us both. The experience has taught me how to be more solution oriented.”
Describing how a project failed because…
“Objectives and milestones weren’t well defined for me”
or how your previous manager and you had…
“Differing opinions about how to deal with customers”,
may be true stories, but may be interpreted in potentially negative ways. It would be natural for the interviewer to muse…
“I wonder how their previous boss views what happened.”
Furthermore, it can be viewed as if you are trying to avoid any personal responsibility and pointing the finger elsewhere. Candidates that take personal responsibility are always refreshing… because they are relatively rare! You could frame those same stories as…
“The project failed because I didn’t make sure I had objectives and milestones clearly defined for me. It was a great lesson to learn and a mistake I certainly won’t let happen again.”
Or…
“My manager and I had differing views on how to deal with customers, and I didn’t creatively come up with a resolution that would satisfy us both. The experience has taught me how to be more solution oriented.”
The resulting response from an
interviewer is likely to be much more positive. They don’t expect to hire
someone that has never made mistakes. They would like to find someone that
takes responsibility, learns from their mistakes, and can progress.
As you describe your background and
experience to potential employers, be sure to consider how it may sound to
their ears. Show that you are someone that takes responsibility and learns from
your mistakes. It will reflect on you much more positively and your results are
likely to improve.
Source: CP
