how to answer “what could your current employer do to keep you?”

by Alison Green on July 23, 2015

A reader writes:

Can you please provide your take on what is the best way to answer “What would your current employer have to do in order to keep you?”

This is an actual question that I was recently asked in an interview, and I was really at a loss on how to answer it. My situation is a bit unique because I actually really like my current job. I respect my boss and we have a great working relationship. I have a very nice work-life balance and flexible hours. The work itself is challenging and stimulating. The pay could be better, but I am currently at a point in life where flexibility matters more than money (I recently had a baby and I am able to arrange my work hours aground her needs).

The only reason why I am looking for a new job right now is because the company that I am working for is really not doing well financially (in the past couple of months, they’ve struggled to make payroll). I am concerned that if I do not find a new job right now on my own terms, I might be forced to look for one very soon anyway. So, since it is always easier to get a job when you already have one, I started looking, even though I do realize that it would likely be impossible to find an employer that would allow me to have the same work-life balance.

When the interviewer asked me what it would take for my current company to keep me, I was really caught off guard. I don’t even remember what I answered, but it probably wasn’t too horrible since the company wants me to come in for a second interview. But I really would like to get your thoughts on what is the best way to handle this question, in case I ever have to answer it again.

Well, they’re asking for a few reasons:

First, it could produce legitimately interesting information — like that you’d stay if your boss left, or that you’re looking because staying isn’t an option (because they want you to go), or that you hate everyone you work with. Or it might just give them insight into what you’re really looking for in a new job, and whether the role they’re hiring for is going to be satisfying to you.

Second, they’re trying to see if they’d be likely to lose you to a counter-offer. If you say you’re looking only due to money, they’re going to wonder if they’ll make you an offer, your employer will counter-offer, and that’ll be the end of that.

Third, they might be interested in knowing how you handle it when you’re unhappy. If you say that you’re job searching because you want more opportunity to do client-facing work, a smart interviewer will ask if you’ve approached your current manager about that prospect. If you say that you haven’t (in a context that makes it clear you could), you’re signaling that you’re someone who will just leave rather than talking straightforwardly to your current employer about what would keep you there. As a prospective employer, that’s worrisome; I want to know that if you’re unhappy to the point of leaving, you’ll give me a chance to fix it (if it’s fixable).

And just to be clear, they’re not definitely assuming that your answer will give them insight into all this. As with a lot of interview questions, it just opens the possibility that it will, so they figure it’s worth asking — but they also know they might get an answer that isn’t particularly enlightening. And that’s fine, as long as you don’t appear to be actually dodging the question. In other words, don’t feel like you have to find an answer that will give them this kind of insight; they’re just asking in case it happens to. (The same is true with question like “why are you thinking about leaving your current job?”)

In any case, here are some possible answers to this question that shouldn’t raise any red flags:

* “I’ve really enjoyed working there and it’s not about anything they’re doing or not doing; I’ve been there six years and I’m ready for a new challenge.”

* “If there was something simple they could do, I’d have raised it with them — I’d want to give us both a chance to see if we could make that work. But I’m really just ready to move on to something new.”

* “I’d like to work more with chocolate teapots, and that’s not a possibility in my current company; we focus exclusively on raspberry teapots.”

* Or in your case: “I’ve really enjoyed my work there, but they’re having trouble making payroll, so I think it’s time for me to be looking at what’s next. I suppose if their financial problems were solved overnight, I’d consider staying, but it feels like the right time to be moving on to something new regardless, and I’m excited about this role with your company because…”

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{ 82 comments }

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  1. Helka*

    I really like Alison’s last suggested answer, the one particularly for you, OP. It’s honest, straightforward, and pretty understandable — if your company is having trouble paying you, that’s a really good sign that it’s time to get ready to move on. And the employers who wouldn’t find it reasonable — you know, the ones who want you to have personal loyalty to your company and not work for anything as crass as pay — are ones you likely wouldn’t want to move on to anyway!

  2. quietone*

    I’d feel weird mentioning that they were struggling to make payroll. Depending on how small the industry is, wouldn’t that get around and damage your current company even more? Is there another way to phrase it?

    1. OP*

      Yes, that was my concern as well. While the company I was interviewing with is not in the same field as my current one (I’m in accounting, so it’s fairly easy for me to switch from one field to another), I did not want to say anything that might damage my current company’s reputation.

      1. Meg Murry*

        You could make it a little bit more generic but still about how they are in trouble “recently, I’ve seen some indications that would show concern for the long term financial stability. If there was a new influx of cashflow [a new big account, a big sucessful product launch, whatever is relevant to your field] that would make me less likely to be looking, but I don’t see that happening overnight.”

        I think it’s valid to hint that you are concerned about the overall finances without being as specific as “they can’t make payroll”. Have there been actual layoffs or people let go and not replaced or a hiring freeze or similar? If so, I think you can say something about that without oversharing specific financial details.

      2. Stranger than fiction*

        Usually, though, if a company is having hard financial times, people know and are already talking about it. Especially if they’re publically traded because their financials are public record. I think as long as you put it politely, there’s nothing wrong with mentioning it because it’s true and a perfectly legit reason to be looking.

        1. Abby*

          I think if it’s public knowledge (even if it’s limited to people in the industry), then it’s fair game– you’re not saying much more than what the news would have already reported.

          However, if OP is in a privately-held company and kept hush-hush about its overall health, I would definitely not be comfortable disclosing financial problems, however dire, to people outside of the company.

    2. Mike C.*

      When you’re talking about something so fundamental as the inability to make payroll, I think the line has already been crossed as to the health of the company.

      Compare that with saying something like, “that new product we hyped up is actually a piece of trash” about an otherwise healthy company. That’s a huge problem, but the company isn’t going out of business over it, and there’s a good chance that the issue can be turned around.

      1. Snowglobe*

        In most jobs I would agree, but OP is an accountant. There is an expectation that the person who handles accounting functions will be privy to information that others in the company do not know, and should be able to keep that information confidential. So talking about the current employer’s finances to an outsider, could leave the impression that the candidate is lacking in discretion.

        1. BeenThere*

          Yes, this is a very fine line. Even as an engineer I had access to details that could affect the public perception of my publicly traded company. Sometimes there are things you cannot discuss.

        2. Meg Murry*

          Are the signs to people outside the accounting department? If so, I think the it’s fair for OP to mention that – for instance, people leaving and not being replaced, or a hiring freeze, or overall belt tightening. And if it’s a public company and the most recent reports are not good, that’s fair game as well.

          But I agree that OP shouldn’t mention things that she is privy to only because she is in accounting like how low the bank accounts actually are and how close they are to not making payroll from week to week.

          1. Stranger than fiction*

            Yes exactly, and if others are also worried and looking that’s a pretty big clue to recruiters that something is going on at that company since theyre seeing others’ resumes out there too

    3. TootsNYC*

      I think you could say, “I want to work for a company with more financial strengths and a growth mentality. I don’t know that they could convince me that this is their mindset right now, so I’m particularly intrigued by your opportunity.”

    4. F.*

      I had to sign a confidentiality agreement for my current position. Disclosing financial troubles at my current employer would be a definite breach of that agreement. As a manager who interviews employment candidates, I would question the integrity of a candidate who would be willing to divulge such confidential information in an interview with another company, competitor or not.

    5. Krystal*

      I agree with this, I would feel very uncomfortable about mentioning the financial situations of any company. I worked with some in the past that are in debt and literally struggling from month to month and with one in particular I felt I had to get out of there, that was a few years ago but I have never told anyone that was the reason I was leaving, I stated that I wasn’t challenged anymore (also true but not my main concern). To me the financial situation of a company is no ones business but theirs and their banks. ^^

  3. The Cosmic Avenger*

    But wait…unless that’s a typo, I don’t see how any interviewee could know what a current employer would do to keep them, and I don’t see how that would be relevant or helpful to an interviewer anyway.

    Now, if they asked an interviewee what a current employer could do to keep them, that would be good to know.

    1. oldfashionedlovesong*

      “What could they do” and “what would they do” aren’t the same thing… but “what could they do” and “what would they *have to* do”, which is what the LW indicated, are pretty much the same thing, aren’t they?

      1. The Cosmic Avenger*

        Ah, yes. I read it as “what would they do in order to keep you”. “What could they do to keep you?” would have been a much simpler and more direct way of putting it.

  4. oldfashionedlovesong*

    This is a really interesting question. It seems that all of Alison’s suggested answers are variations on the theme of “wanting something new”. That’s not a criticism; it’s probably apropos considering that really is why most people look for a new job, even if the surface reasons might be “current workplace is toxic” or “want to move somewhere different” or “don’t feel like I’m being challenged or getting to work on things that excite me”. (Clearly this has been on my mind… and none of those are appropriate answers, except perhaps the third one.) If I were asked this question, I think I’d opt to answer the second way, “if there were something simple they could do”– it seems to cover a lot of bases and shows there’s been some amount of careful thought behind starting to job hunt.

    1. OP*

      I liked that answer as well. I will store it away in my mental file if I ever have to answer this question again.

    2. Another English Major*

      Yeah I wouldn’t get into all of the reasons since there’s nothing that would make me stay at current employer.
      Would have to change whole culture there, pay a lot more, among other things.
      New challenges and opportunities would be my go to response-it’s the truth!

    3. Ad Astra*

      Since the OP says she’s in accounting, the idea of wanting to try something new (like a similar role in a totally different industry) makes a lot of sense. If, OTOH, she were interviewing for a nearly identical role at a similar company, “I’m just looking for my next challenge” would ring sort of hollow to me.

    4. Stranger than fiction*

      Problem is, though, when you give the more vague answer, often the interviewers push for more detail.

    5. kalli*

      When it’s a reason of toxicity it’s often useful to find something that would identify why and use that as an indicator, as well as highlighting a strength or aim. ‘I don’t find my current environment lets me do my best work, because they’re asking me to focus on lots of small tasks across departments and I don’t really get to handle big files. This position sounds a lot more contained, so I would be able to provide better service by having an in-depth knowledge on a few big files, which I’ve learned I’m better at.’

  5. TheExchequer*

    Ha! I’m glad I didn’t get asked that question at my interview. I’m not sure I would’ve been able to keep myself from a well deserved rant.

    OP, if you know the company is struggling to pay you (or not actually paying you), that’s a truly magical thing for most interviewers. Trust someone who knows.

  6. Substance D and Vermouth*

    An interesting question, and I liked how Alison answered it. But – is telling the interviewer “my current company appears to be in the process of going out of business” really a good thing to say? Will they think of you as a rat deserting a sinking ship?

    1. LBK*

      Maybe a crazy manager would, but I don’t think most normal humans would balk at the idea of looking for a new job if you think you’re going to be laid off. That’s what pretty much everyone who thinks they’re going to be laid off does.

      1. Charlotte Collins*

        Not only that, but if the OP is an accountant, it seems to me that if I were hiring her, I’d want to know she understood money & numbers well enough to get out when they aren’t at the levels they should be. It seems that people involved with accounting and similar positions should be some of the first to be able to see that a company is floundering, if they’re good at what they do.

        Just like I’d have more respect for a quality auditor who was leaving a job because they saw that standards had fallen in their workplace.

    2. Mike C.*

      I think only a crazy person would expect perfect loyalty in the face of a bounced paycheck.

      Pay is one of the most fundamental reasons people work. Who here would continue at their job if they weren’t getting paid for it?

      2. Richard Evans*

        I did have a few jobs that I felt I would be willing to do it without being paid. The enjoyment was worth it. Sounds odd but…

        I spent 38 years in the trucking industry working mostly with freight charges. Each bill was a challenge in one way or another and it was really fun. At the time, it was something very few people could do and I was good at it. Unfortunately, the computers are doing most of it now and I wound up out of work. (However, I lasted longer at it than most of the old time rate clerks.)

        To swing the discussion back to what others were saying, I went thru the trucking company shutdowns in the late 70’s and 80’s and I know of at least one trucking company which was forced out of business simply because of rumors that they were about to shut down. They weren’t until the rumors were so wide-spread they couldn’t fight it anymore and they had no customers left. So, I would really hesitate to say my company was in deep financial problems.

    3. oldfashionedlovesong*

      The rat does that to stay alive! Unless you’re the captain and you have some kind of apocryphal moral obligation to drown, get off the ship!

      :)

    4. AndersonDarling*

      If the business revenue got a little bumpy and the employee leaves, that is one thing. But hanging on to the point where payroll can’t be met, that is something different.
      I stayed with an employer through 3 rounds of layoffs before I decided the ship really was sinking and I better jump off. The companies I interviewed with commended me for being dedicated enough to stay as long as I did.

      1. AcademiaNut*

        I think that leaving during a bumpy phase is perfectly reasonable as well. The employee is dependent on their employer for a living, and in most cases, the employer can let them go with no warning and no severance package. So paying attention to the health of the company, and leaving if it starts to look sick is can be a very sensible thing to do, rather than waiting until you’re really sure the business is failing before starting to look.

  7. STJ*

    A very interesting question and answer.

    For me to remain in my current company it would need the culture to switch to one encouraging learning and development…but I think if put on the spot I’d perhaps go with one of the safer Alison answers and mentioning a company being unwilling to train people could come across like I was bitter.

  8. bassclefchick*

    I view this question as a trap. You can’t answer this honestly and not appear to be bashing your current employer. I like the “I’m ready to move on to something more challenging” wording.

    1. Another English Major*

      I agree. The only neutral reason to me besides new challenges is pay and current employer would have to double my salary to make it worth it to put up with everything else.

    2. LBK*

      I think there’s a distinct difference between saying what doesn’t work for you about your current job and bashing your current employer. It’s about avoiding placing blame. Saying “My manager is a jerk” is bashing, but “I have a really different work style from my manager and I’ve made do for a while, but now I’m looking for somewhere that syncs up better with how I operate” isn’t. A smart interviewer will probably still be able to read between the lines, but I think they’ll also appreciate the ability to put a bow on a pile of shit since that’s an extremely valuable in most jobs.

      1. bassclefchick*

        That’s a really good point! Being able to be creative in getting the “my boss is a jerk” point across without directly saying it is not one of my skills. Sometimes I’m too honest for my own good!

        1. LBK*

          Ha! I actually don’t have a particularly strong instinct for lying either, so what I tend to do is give the facts of the situation (“my manager wasn’t able to give me the level of flexibility I’m looking for at this point in my career…”) while leaving out the reasoning (“…because he’s an asshole”).

    3. Mike C.*

      Talking about an area where a workplace environment can improve does not always make the company look bad. Saying things like, “I’m looking for less travel/better hours/more stable industry/don’t enjoy being shot at/etc” in no way make the company look bad.

    4. Kyrielle*

      There are a few other outs, but yes, it is designed to bring Issues to the surface if they’re there, so in that sense it is a trap. (When I was interviewing, I was able to honestly answer, “Well, they’d have to reverse end-of-lifing the product I work on, but that doesn’t make business sense for them – the company that bought us already has a competing product in the same market space, and they don’t need two.” I think it really helped that I was able to say it calmly and indeed positively – well, they’d have to do X thing, but from a business point of view it just doesn’t make sense, even though it would be better for me.)

      1. quietone*

        In my case we were waiting to move forward with implementing a new ERP which kept being put on hold. So that was my answer – if I get a timeline for this implementation then it will be a harder decision. 3 yrs later and I hear they still haven’t moved forward.

        1. Hlyssande*

          That’s how we’ve been with implementing a new version of our main database. The rest of the sections of the company already did it a few years ago, and our changes just got pushed back again to 2018 at the earliest. Lol!

    5. hbc*

      I didn’t ask this question, but I essentially had three people answer it unprompted with a batch of interviews for a supervisor position. Two of them said that they didn’t like the way their company treated the low wage workers they supervised. If I had been looking for someone to crack a whip, that would have been the “wrong” answer, but since I’m looking to improve morale and retention, their honest answers put them at the top of the pile.

      Conversely, the third person said his current company didn’t provide enough training and guidance. It was the “wrong” answer in that our meager training materials are terrible (part of why we’re looking for someone in the position), but it was better for him and us that he told us he needed something that we can’t provide him.

    6. cv*

      Coming from small employers you could probably say something about a lack of paths for career advancement at your current job and it would be true and understandable. I’ve worked at multiple organizations with under 10 employees, and it’s pretty common for one person to wear multiple hats and for roles to evolve oddly based on the skills of the employees and the needs of the organization – one marketing/outreach person also handled IT, I was an executive assistant for the CEO but also did a bunch of database development and data analysis, the person who handled HR spend most of her time on program development, etc. Sometimes there’s just no way to reorganize the work so that you get to do more of the parts of your job you like and fewer of the parts you don’t, because the organization doesn’t need more time spent on what you’re interested in, or the person who does what you want to do is showing no signs of leaving any time soon and there are no other promotion opportunities. I’d hope most employers would understand “The organization would have to triple its size so I can get a promotion” as an answer to this question.

    7. K.*

      I don’t think I’ve ever bad-mouthed a company I worked for when answering this question. (Well, once I did, but that place was short-lived, toxic, and insane.)

      I think I’ve been asked some variation on it in most job interviews I’ve done, and for the most part it’s simply been that after 2-4 years in a position, I’ve run out of growth room, with no additional responsibilities I can take on or promotions I can look for. And saying, “I appreciate them and wouldn’t mind going back in the future, but currently there are no other internal opportunities suited to my strengths and I don’t want to stagnate” isn’t bashing them at all.

  9. Rae*

    I’d go with a variation of Allison’s last answer and second to last answer

    My employer KB Teapot is facing external pressures that are making it difficult for us to focus on Teapots Creation, and we’ve been engaged solely in Raspberry teapot sales lately. I value their dedication, however, my heart is in Chocolate Teapot creation and I’d like to transition to a role more suited to that, which is why Teapots R Us caught my attention

  10. Malissa*

    I, as an accountant wouldn’t say anything about them struggling to make payroll. It could be seen as a breach of confidentiality. And nobody wants an accountant that will discuss confidential information.

    Thankfully the last interview I had understood this. Usually I say something along the lines of, “While this position has been interesting, I fell it’s time to move on.” If pressed I will elaborate that my position deals with a lot of confidential information, which can limit what I can comfortably discuss.

    But really the best solution is to focus on the new employer. “I thought this opportunity looked like a good match and I figured it might be my next step.”

    1. Anon Accountant*

      +1

      In many accounting jobs this would eliminate you from the hiring process.

  11. John*

    My answer when I got a variation on this was, “Nothing — I’m ready for a change. And what I’ve learned about this job and the people I’ve met have only reinforced for me that my instincts are right.”

  12. AnnieNonymous*

    I think the last answer is the best one. I’ve actually said similar things in interviews: “I really like my position, and I’ve learned a lot there, but there have already been some layoffs and I can see the writing on the wall, financially speaking. I don’t think it’s sh!t-talking your current employer to be transparent about the fact that they’re close to shutting down, and it doesn’t make the OP look bad to be proactively seeking a new job.

    1. Charlotte Collins*

      Especially if you live somewhere with a fairly small metropolitan area. In a mid-sized city, everyone knows who’s hiring and who’s laying off – it’s all over the local media.

      1. AnnieNonymous*

        This is very true. I left my former job in part because the company was not in complaince with FDA regulartions. A google search brings up the FDA public alerts and the boss’ arrests for non-compliance. I didn’t see the point in avoiding that issue in interviews, and I think it would have been weird if I didn’t say something about things that seem obvious or are in the public domain.

  13. Ann O'Nemity*

    “I’ve really enjoyed working there and it’s not about anything they’re doing or not doing; I’ve been there six years and I’m ready for a new challenge.”

    Something about this one gives me a bit of a bad feeling, but I’m not quite sure why. It’s not like 6 years is a short stint or anywhere near job hopping. I guess it makes me think that even if everything is wonderful, the candidate is going to eventually get bored and leave.

    1. Long Time Reader First Time Poster*

      Are there really hiring managers out there that think six years is a short commitment? I’ve never hired anyone with a timeframe that nearly that long in mind. I mean, it would be *awesome* if after six years a hire of mine still loved her job and felt she had room to grow… but realistically, most people in my industry move on well before that milestone.

      1. Chinook*

        “Are there really hiring managers out there that think six years is a short commitment?”

        I hope not. I have yet to live in a community for 6 years since I left for university in the 1990’s (though we are in year 5 and there are no rumblings of another move). Then again, I spin my industry hopping as being very good at learning on the go.

    2. the gold digger*

      even if everything is wonderful, the candidate is going to eventually get bored and leave.

      Yeah, well, they probably will. Smart people who like to accomplish things like to be challenged. You can’t expect motivated people to keep doing the same things, year in and year out.

      1. Long Time Reader First Time Poster*

        Right, yes, this is exactly what I mean! High achievers almost always seem to want to move on to something bigger and better eventually. I don’t expect long term dibs on anyone.

        1. T3k*

          The only issue is when you can’t find that job that can keep things challenging for more than a year when you’re just starting out. I don’t want to look like a job hopper but at the same time I already want to leave where I am now because I’m so agitated from boredom (and I’ve only been here for 3 months). My boss even came in the other day to ask why I was getting so easily annoyed, and at first I thought it was because of a current problem she didn’t understand, but afterwards I realized it was because I felt like a husky that’s kept inside all day.

    3. kac*

      I, think, too its clearly a non-answer when you look at it closely. Why 6 years versus 5 or 7? What specifically about this moment is causing someone to want change? It’s so clearly not the full story. I think if you add, “and I’d really like to do more x kind of work” then it becomes a stronger explanation. Then it’s clear that you want specific things to change, not just random unexplained desire for change.

  14. Buffay the Vampire Layer*

    How should I handle it when it’s my own employer asking the question? My firm is appears to be quite anxious that I’m going to leave and, quite frankly, I have been monitoring job boards. I obviously don’t want them to know that though.

    The problem is that I don’t want to work in the for-profit sector, I want to go back to government or perhaps the right non-profit. I took this job because I needed to be employed somewhere while I got on my feet in a new city. So there’s nothing my office manager can do about my not liking it here, but she keeps asking because she thinks I’m unhappy because my boss is extremely difficult to work with. He is a pill, but her fixing that (even if she could) wouldn’t change my desire to leave. Thus far I’ve been just sort of brushing her off with reassurances that I like it here but I wonder if there’s anything else I could try.

    1. Long Time Reader First Time Poster*

      What if you turned the question around? As non-confrontationally as possible, of course. A response like “What makes you ask?” might identify some very specific issues that could be addressed in a way that deflects attention from your general desire to leave, and moves the focus to particular strategies for getting through the next few weeks/months until you do move on. It gives the added bonus of you not ever saying “oh no I love it here” and then having them throw that in your face when you ultimately do give your notice.

    2. Kyrielle*

      “I really don’t have any changes to suggest, honestly.”

      …because you’re content, or because no amount of change will keep you. Of course, if they dig into it, you’re back where you started, but.

  17. insert pun here*

    I recently left a job that was generally perceived, from the outside, as very prestigious and desireable, and I got every possible variation on this question when I was interviewing. Since “well, the organization is chronically mismanaged, I spend 3/4 of my day doing paperwork, and every 90 minutes something completely infuriating happens and I cannot live like this anymore” is not a good answer, I went with some combination of “unfortunately, due to financial constraints, I’ve been reassigned to a bunch of stuff that is not what I was hired for” and “structure of the organization leaves me nowhere to go.” The first part was always vague enough to not reveal anything confidential (not that I was privy to that stuff anyways.)

    I’m now at a much less prestigious organization, making more money, with a better title, and couldn’t be happier.

    2. T3k*

      Oh I love your answer and going to have to store that for future use if I ever get asked this.

  18. Anonymous Educator*

    The question is a bit presumptuous. There usually isn’t something your current employer could do to keep you… at least not anything feasible. A lot of people leave because they love the company, but their manager sucks (“Fire my manager”). Sometimes people just aren’t a good fit for the culture of the company (“Overhaul the entire culture of the company to fit my working style and values”). Sometimes it just has absolutely nothing to do with the company or job (you have to move to be closer to a dying family member or your spouse is going to grad school).

    In all my job searches, I can’t think of a single time when that question, if asked of me, would yield any helpful information to my future employer. I think the more traditional questions (e.g., Why are you interested in this position? Where do you see yourself in five years?) make a lot more sense to cover more real situations.

    And, honestly, especially in the tech industry, I know a lot of people who aren’t necessarily unhappy in their current employment situation—they just want to see what’s out there, and they may leave for something better; so it’s less about bad to good as it is about good to better. If the new opportunity is a good one, they’ll leave their perfectly fine old situation.

  19. Viva L*

    I probably wouldn’t tell a future employer that my current company is insolvent, aside from the reasons stated above, it seems like it puts me in a weaker position for salary negotiations later. As in, it makes me look like I’m in a more desperate position since Im worried if Im going to be paid at all. I’d definitely stay away from that sort of an answer, personally. Go with the “new challenge” answer.

  20. Indy*

    I am in the exact same situation and I don’t really know how to explain to my interviewers why I am leaving without providing unfavorable information about the company. I LOVE my job, LOVE my manager, LOVE the people I work with, I am paid very well, have AMAZING benefits, I can make my own hours and work from home, and my commute is 5 minutes if there’s a slow stoplight. What could my employer do to get me to stay? Well, stop restructuring and reorganizing every 10 minutes, and stop outsourcing everything! Raises and promotions are on hold until further notice, and my manager is purposely not promoting me because if he does, I will be first on the list to get axed.

    There are very clear signs that my department will be outsourced, as this is the model that the bigwigs have decided on… it’s just a matter of when. Do I want to leave? Hell no. Do I have to leave otherwise face a frenzied job search where I end up in the first rent paying job I find? Unfortunately, yes.

  21. Lisa*

    I have my review next week, and I’d love them to even ask. But they won’t, and I will probably just leave even though I like it here. I refer to things as ‘fixable’ until you’ve been ignored so long that they are no longer fixable.

  22. Sam*

    Is it ever ok to answer in the best professional way of “Even though my current place is fine, I am looking for a place where I am valued and respected more.”

    How does above look as a way to say such when the sad truth is in your current job you are being bullied, harassed, singled out or just given any type of unacceptable, one-sided treatment from team or superiors at worst when you do all you can and they won’t cooperate?

    Thanks

    1. kalli*

      Instead of making it about you, which can sound pretentious or arrogant, present it as wanting teamwork (which being harassed is not), unless you’re in a field where you do all your work solo. ‘I want to be in an environment where everyone works together to get the job done and everyone’s contributions are respected’ implies that you’re going to treat others well, but you’re still highlighting how you want to be treated.

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