We had a candidate lose a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) job last week based on a bad answer to a simple interview question. A question he had answered properly in the five previous interviews. As he made it to the final interview, he became too comfortable.
MarketPro is the leading executive search firm for CMO and executive-level marketing roles. However, this advice is relevant for anyone interviewing above the entry level.
The candidate for this position truly was a great fit. He is a two-time previous CMO and had all the required success in his previous role in our client’s industry. Our client is in the consumer products space, and he has been a user and an avid fan of their product for over five years.
Not only was he a great fit for the role, but he also had the ability to be a great champion for the product and company as an experienced user of the product.
The Importance of a Positive Exit Strategy
So, what happened? Almost every interviewer is going to ask you why you are considering leaving your current employer. How they ask the question can vary but basically, you will be asked to see if you are really interested in the role and company you are interviewing with or if you are moving away from pain in your current opportunity.
If you say something negative about your current employer or manager, it is bad on multiple levels.
- First, how is the new potential employer supposed to know if you really want their role or if you simply want to escape the bad position you are in currently?
- Second, if things get difficult and you are willing to say something bad about your current employer or manager, will you do the same to them once you arrive?
Our Candidate’s Interview Process
Our candidate was first interviewed by one of our Senior Associates, then I interviewed him, and we forwarded his profile to our client. The client was very excited about his background and experience and he first interviewed with the hiring manager, then the senior human resources executive, then a peer in the US, and those interviews all went really well. The final interview was with a European-based executive as our client’s headquarters is in Europe.
In each of the first five interviews when asked why he was looking to leave his current employer the answer was something close to:
“I am not looking to leave where I am now, I am in a good position and enjoy my current company. Based on your company and product, I find this opportunity to be a great fit based on my experience and long-term career goals. I really see this role as one where I can have a significant positive influence on the growth of your company.”
Ultimately this is the correct type of answer and allowed him to move forward with each round of the interview process and going into the final interview it was his job to lose.
Staying Professional in Every Interview
When asked the same question during the final interview, he got too comfortable that the interview process was going well and let his guard down and gave a transparent answer about his frustration with his current manager. As soon as he did this, all the previous time, energy, and effort he put into interviewing immediately became wasted.
The interviewer from our client correctly ruled him out of the process, not knowing now if he was coming to their company based on a genuine interest in the opportunity and business or if he was simply running from a bad situation.
Additionally, would he complain about their company as well once he got there, making him a risk to the culture?
Closing Thoughts
Every interview is a chance to showcase your skills, professionalism, and mindset. Always frame your reasons for leaving positively and stay consistent throughout the process. Employers want candidates excited about their company, not just looking for an escape. Stay professional—especially in the final moments.