Many job interviewers like to ask candidates why they left a previous job. This commonly asked question is fairly easy to anticipate and your prepared answer may not yield much information about what really prompted you to go through the stress of a job change. For those interviewers who like to dig a little deeper and ferret out your true motivations for leaving, one approach is to ask the question, “If you were your boss and could make five changes in your current (or past) job, what changes would you have made?”
Your answer to this question will offer the interviewer insight into the person or circumstance that was most likely the deal breaker for you in your current or previous position. If the interviewer sees a similar situation arising in the job you are interviewing for, they may be hesitant to offer you the job. And at the end of the day, it is likely that old frustrations would come roaring back even in a shiny new job if you encounter your deal breaker yet again.
In terms of your own career development, this is a great question to ponder as you reflect on your past work experiences to help understand what it is you need in a future job. Additionally, you may want to ask yourself things such as: What have you learned about yourself in a previous job? What have you learned about other people? What kind of work environment do you thrive in? What do you want to avoid? What personality types push your buttons? What personality types are you drawn toward? Use your past experiences to not only help shape your interview answers, but also to gauge if that employer is truly a good fit for you.