How To Answer Interview Questions About Your Work History

Is your work history stable, has it prepared you for the job you’re interviewing for, and do you have any gaps in your employment history that the company should be concerned about? What experience did you gain from your last job? How was your relationship with your previous employer?

All these are crucial questions that you should be pondering on,  when preparing to answer interview questions about your work history. You’d be surprised how many job applicants fumble when asked about prior employment. Don’t be one of them! Refresh your memory before the interview by reviewing your resume so you can speak about your previous work history in detail and accurately.

This begs another vital question; Why is the employer interested in knowing your work history?

Interviewers need to ask      about your work history because it gives them helpful insight into      the type of employee you are. For instance, an employer can ask several questions about your relationships with past supervisors and coworkers to understand what your workplace dynamic might be like if you took the position.

Let’s dive in; here are sample answers to tackling work history questions in an interview;

Describe your work history.

This question is purposefully vague to allow you      to elaborate on your past work experience. You can use this question as a way to go in-depth about your work history beyond whatever’s written on your CV. When answering a question like this, try to include specific names, dates, and anecdotes that best encompass your past jobs.

Example: “I got my first job at a department store selling perfume when I was in high school at the age of 17. I was a seasonal employee for the holidays, but the intense hustle of shoppers day in      and day out      made me realize that I loved customer service. After that, I worked as a customer service representative for Vida Wireless during my time as a college student from 2015 to 2018. I received a promotion to junior supervisor six months into the position and eventually became assistant regional manager after two years. I loved encouraging my colleagues to meet their quotas and rewarding them for their hard work.

After graduating and moving away from my college town, I found a new job as the lead customer service manager at Boom, a growing cosmetics company. Over the past three years, I was able to lead my team to victory by having the highest customer satisfaction rate in the entire Southwest region of the country, which to this day is one of my proudest work accomplishments.”

What’s an achievement in your career that you are most proud of?

An employer may ask you to recount an experience or accomplishment that you are most proud of to understand your standards for success. When answering this question, you may want to explain why this specific achievement meant so much to you. For example, if you solved a persistent problem, impressed your manager or met a personal goal, you can share your reasons for being proud to the interviewer.

 Out of all your past jobs, which one did you learn the most from and why?

An interviewer may choose to ask a question like this to learn more about your previous experiences and also to understand what you value in a work environment. When answering this question, focus on the specific elements of your previous job that contributed to you becoming a stronger employee.

Example: “I would say that I’ve learned valuable lessons from every job experience I’ve had, but the one that allowed me to grow the most was when I worked as a production assistant for KTN news. During my time at the network, I had all sorts of odd jobs and projects. I once had to find a replacement guest after our original one came down with the flu with only one hour until we went live. Another time, I had to dash across the city to find the right props for a holiday shopping segment that was added to the show itinerary the morning of the broadcast.

My time at KTN taught me a lot about what it means to work on-call in the entertainment industry. I learned to always expect the unexpected and the importance of time management and communicating effectively with your colleagues.”

What’s something about your previous job that you hope to find here?

During your job interview, there’s a chance that your interviewer may ask you about what you enjoyed about your past job and what you’re looking for in their open position. Your answer to this question not only gives the employer an idea of your expectations      but also demonstrates the components of your previous jobs that you valued and are looking to find in this new role.

Example: “During my three years as a Senior Editor for Travelog magazine, I was able to make valuable connections with my colleagues that I’m confident can last a lifetime. The company culture at Travelog was very strong and focused a lot on team building and developing trusting relationships among coworkers. We would have weekly group meetings where everyone was able to share their thoughts, questions, concerns, and praise for their fellow coworkers.

I made some of my closest friends and strong work connections during my years at Travelog, and while I know it’s time to move on to something new and challenging, I hope to find some of those same qualities in all of my future jobs.”

Why did you leave your previous job?

This is another common work history question an employer may ask you during an interview. Interviewers ask this question to learn about what your motivations are for finding a new position, and also to find out if you are leaving your past job for reasons that may be of interest to them. When answering this question, make sure to be honest while maintaining a positive attitude.

Example: “My five years at Trust Banking taught me a lot about the world of finance and the art of financial consulting, but I could sense that there was currently little room for growth in the company. I was lucky enough to receive a promotion two years after being hired as a junior financial advisor, where I worked on the senior consulting team with top clients. I genuinely loved my time working on the financial consulting team at Trust, where I learned so much about investment banking, communicating with clients, and following market trends.

Despite all of this, I knew that my opportunities for growth were somewhat limited, as there was no higher position for me to move to besides a corporate role, which is not something I necessarily see myself doing. I decided to explore other options.

Conclusively;

Need help tackling such questions in our next interview?  Book a one-on-one interview coaching service today!

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