Interview Do’s & Don’ts: “What Did You Dislike The Most About Your Previous Job?”

By Jane Gakaria,

So it’s a rainy Thursday morning and you’ve just beat the traffic jam and made it on time to your scheduled 9 am interview. You thank the Lord that no car did splash any rain water on you and you look neat and presentable. You go in into the interview and they throw the question at you, ‘What did you dislike most about your previous job?’

Obviously they know no job is perfect and depending on what you say, they may or may not hire you. So what is the appropriate way to answer this question?

I spoke to Tom Kamaliki, HR Manager of ICAP Kenya on the dos and don’ts of how to answer this question.

Dos.

The first thing   for the Interview Do’s & Don’ts,  you should  prepare, so expect to be asked such a question. Potential employers will definitely be interested in your previous job, after all your history will dictate your future.

“You should prepare proper answers (so that you’re not caught off guard) to this question by going back before hand to your previous jobs and identifying the job factors that were most unpleasant.” Once you do this you can then determine whether the current job would be suitable for you. Thinking about this question offers you the chance to identify what you didn’t like and what you can do about it so as not to find yourself again in a similar situation with a job you don’t like.

Two, focus on tasks rather than company politics or people. “If you have to state something negative about your previous job/employer make sure it’s about the job role or duties.” Don’t say things like you left because your female supervisor had issues and was jealous of you, even if it’s true, leave out such details.

Three, aim to connect past responsibilities with current responsibilities especially those that are essential and desirable to the position you’re seeking. “For example you could say, because company x was a small startup it didn’t have much room for me to enhance my sales skills, but I do see your company does offer that, so I hope I would get the chance to practice that.”

Four, remain factual about your challenges and limitations. If even you had the worst boss and going to work for them everyday felt like someone was punching you in the gut, don’t exaggerate the situation.
Simply state the factual limitation and leave out the unnecessary emotional components.

Don’ts.

One, don’t be too negative. “Being negative tells your future employer that should their hire you and you leave; you’ll go and spread negative things about them in your next job interview.”

Two, don’t state challenges without giving the solutions to how you handled them. “If I was interviewing you and all you told me was your problem this or your problem without offering any solution or an attempt to getting a solution, I wouldn’t hire you. All I’d be thinking is that you would simply bring more problems to my company rather than solutions.”

Three, don’t look like your trying to run away from your previous job. “If you have to leave a company, leave when it’s at its peak or out of your own accord but not as a last resort.” Don’t start looking for a job when the company shuts down or is about to. It simply looks like your abandoning the company with all its problems without trying to offer any solutions. If you jump ship when the company is doing badly, it tells me you’ll do the same when my company does badly.

Four, note on the Interview Do’s & Don’ts ,don’t be desperate. “Last week I was interviewing a candidate for a senior position and before I could conclude the interview, the man blurted out he would take whatever amount of money I offered so long as I gave him the job”. Being desperate shows a lack of character and tells me that should someone offer you a better offer, since you’re so desperate, you’ll leave immediately without a second thought.

His parting shot? Be professional, be confident and now matter how bad the experience with a previous employer, try to talk about them in a positive light.

In conclusion of the Interview Do’s & Don’ts, rather than thinking negative thoughts about this question, think of it as an opportunity to identify what you like, what you don’t like and how to improve on it so as to make you the best fit for the job.

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