How to answer "why did you leave your job?" with confidence Part 2
- Jul 20, 2020
- 7 min read
Your Heart Is Not Into The Work: My story

I wasn't a job search specialist as yet. I was a sweaty-palmed interview candidate, desperate for a life line. I had spent plenty of time in crisis mode: inflicting mental torture and blaming myself for the burnout I was experiencing as a mental health counselor.
I worked for a system inundated with people that seemingly preferred their prescriptions to heal them rather than braving the deep dives of talk therapy. Your schedule needed to be fully booked, leaving little time to write case notes, which meant that worked continued after I left the building. It was last thing I wanted to do when I needed to decompress from a job and avoid risks of vicarious trauma. Worst of all, I just did not enjoy the way in which I was helping them.
I could not shake the feeling that I was terribly mismatched with this career. As each month passed by, that excitement help others and change the world that welled up in my heart at the completion of my graduate program morphed into dread and eventually apathy towards my job. Then came the crisis.
I worked so hard in graduate school, had near perfect grades, was awarded program honors and was so enthusiastic about making a difference and helping the hurting. Was my story to end like this? What on earth was wrong with me? I felt like I was a failure- and was going to let a bunch of people down:
You just wasted 3 years of graduate school. What would your professors say if they could see you now? Trying to quit the field after just 6 months?
The voices of fear and failure in our heads can be so mean sometimes. So unforgiving. And their prediction of the future can be so bleak! I allowed myself to listen so much, my husband found me awake at 4 AM crying one morning. The thought of one more day in my little office with no windows stifled any joy and I was struggling to find any perseverance.
Fast forward a few months, and I was in an interview for a Career Planner opening with Goodwill Industries. Like many of you, I was certain that my short tenure was enough of an obstacle. And the sweat in my palms flowed because I knew that my interviewers were going to ask that "dreaded" question: "Why did you decide to leave your last position as a mental health counselor after 6 months?"
What exactly is the best way to explain that you put in your 2 weeks notice without even having another job lined up because you felt like your own mental health was starting to deteriorate? That your heart was not into the work? I prayed that whatever came out of my mouth wouldn't hurt my chances in the interview.
As painful as it is, the reality of being in the wrong role is far too common among workers today. And it can happen whether you've been on a job for 6 months or 30 years. In this post I am addressing when the problem is the work itself, not your work environment. But as I eventually learned, and hope that you will too, this is not an obstacle so big that you cannot overcome it in an interview.
The Solutions

#1 Get clear on what work matters
I had to pull myself together enough to see what I could do next. My desire to leave was so overwhelming, I gave my notice before even engaging in this step. While I would recommend that you stick it out while you figure where you need to be, I also understand that this just isn't always possible. Don't beat yourself up if you made the same decision to leave as I did.
I needed a job where:
-I could help people through teaching and coaching which I was good at.
-I wanted to help them in a single area where the outcomes were not ambiguous and connected to them being productive in society.
I reflected on my experiences as a counselor and realized that I enjoyed my work the most when I was was providing vocational rather that mental health counseling. Defining steps in a job search plan brought energy instead of despair. And I found myself wishing that I could do that more.
That's it! I want to be a job coach.
In hindsight, I wished that I had followed up on that hunch with conversations with career coaches to learn more about what career coaching was truly all about, or had done my graduate internship in that specialization. I would have had more knowledge at my disposal as I submitted applications. But at the time, my soul searching was enough to focus my job search.
In order to find the work that matters, take a look at your:
Skills & Talents: What do you or others notice about you that you are good at? Even if you are still in a job you hate, you are likely using some skills and talents that you are good at. Even when I was working with mental health issues, I was still using the skills of a teacher and coach. I needed to be able to explain what their mental illness was, demonstrate empathy for their stories, and teach coping strategies. Take an inventory of what you are good at.
Your vocational passions: One blessing of my former job was that I was able to actually participate in the work that brought me joy, even though it was sparse. What work motivates and energizes you? I'm such a fan of Ken Coleman and I really love his formula for discovering passion:
People (who do you want to help?) +Problem (what do you want to solve?) + Solution (what solution do you want to provide?)= Passion.
Ken, if you ever read this, thank you!
We all have (or should seek out) experiences that can make vocational passions clear:
The industry we are in/were in: Counseling is such a big field and I learned that I was just in the wrong branch. Perhaps that job you hate allows you to work adjacent to other roles that you find fascinating. Or maybe there is that 10% of the work that you do that you consider to be a silver lining (like I did) and you need to think about what role can turn 10% into 100%. Take note of what work motivates you and talk to people doing that work to learn more.
Past Aspirations: What did you dream about doing when you were younger? Let me tell you that it may be more than just childish day dreaming- and no you're not too old to look into it! Once you know what that is you should look into:
Volunteering/internship experience: A dear friend of mine was able to land an internship in the IT industry in the middle of this COVID-19 pandemic that is allowing her to work remotely from her home. She is on a journey towards finding out which part of that vast industry she fits in. I've always recommended shadowing professionals or volunteering as well as great ways to really learn about a potential career. Depending on government requirements and the type of work, remote or modified in-person opportunities could be available, in spite of COVID-19.
# 2 Focus on the positive & be honest in your answer
Once you've applied for that ideal role and you are asked that "dreaded" question, your answer should be a positive reflection on the role you've left/ are trying to leave + reassurance that you're sure you've found the work that matters to you.
Positive reflection: Like my last post in this series, highlighting what you've learned or accomplished is important. Briefly mention that the role was not a fit and it was time to leave without assassinating the work or the employer.
Reassure the employer: Talk about why your certain this next job is right for you:
-What is it about this job that excites you?
-What are those key skills and talents that you can't wait to put to work in this job?
Answer those 2 questions and you will make a strong case about your suitability for the role.
So there I was in my interview for Goodwill Industries facing this question. I told them that my last job was a great opportunity to help others and gain experience working with a vast amount of mental health issues, but that the problem was that the focus was too vast. It became apparent that the role was not the right fit. I realized that I enjoyed the work the most when I was counseling clients on their job search. My education and experience in counseling equipped me with skills that would make me a successful career planner, like being able to empathize, coach and teach. From what I learned about the opening so far, I was excited to work for their adult program and I had experience with adult clients. I was willing to learn from the team and continue my journey of helping others in the area of vocation.
The flutter in my stomach slowed down as I tried to interpret the look on my interviewers' faces. They seemed appreciative of that answer- and I was right because I got the job.
It was confirmation that short tenure was NOT a death blow to relaunching one's career. I succeeded at showing them that I had enough transferable skills, and that I was as sure as I could be that this was the work for me because I got some relevant experience and I was confident in my skills. I am forever grateful for that first job because it helped to guide me towards a career trajectory that energizes me.
I hope this post can reassure you as well! Getting clear on what your next job should be, focusing on the positive and understanding why that job is right for you will allow you to tell the right narrative on why you belong. Being able to acknowledge the blessing even in hard seasons of our lives, career or otherwise, can be so powerful and character building.
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