There is a stereotype that a person who has not worked for a long time becomes uncompetitive, loses his skills and connections. For this reason, employers are reluctant to consider such applicants. How to correctly explain a long break and turn the situation in your favor?

What does "long" mean?

The opinions of recruiters regarding the duration of the break are largely similar: for middle-level employees, two months is considered “decent”. This is enough for rest or advanced training and the search for a suitable place. Top managers are allowed to stretch the search period up to six months.

Arina Gorokhovskaya, personnel assessment expert, author of the methodology for developing responsibility:“On the one hand, the manager needs to take a time out before switching to another activity. On the other hand, top-level positions rarely appear on the market, and it takes time for a manager to find a position that matches his motivation and competence.

Yulia Efimova, head of the group of consultants at ANCOR Energy Services:“A candidate who has been looking for a job for more than a year alarms the employer, which means that the matter is either in the candidate’s high expectations, or in the fact that no one wants to hire him because of his personal characteristics, lack of experience and knowledge.”

good reasons

In the eyes of a personnel officer, most often valid reasons for a break in a career are moving to another city, health problems, and getting an education if it corresponds to the profile of work. A demanding attitude to the selection of work is justified if you have expert knowledge or a narrow specialization. Show that you have been involved in a particular business or project.

Elena Orlova, head of Smart HR:“There are advantages to be found in any break. Determined with further career development and received education? Great, emphasize the desire for stability and reluctance to jump from place to place. Family circumstances? Explain the reasons and let them know that you are now free and ready to go.”

An important point: it is better to explain the reasons for the break immediately in your resume or cover letter, so as not to look weaker than other candidates.

"Looking for myself, walking"

Employers are wary of candidates who, during a break in their career, were engaged in freelancing, their own business, or were simply looking for themselves somewhere in Thailand. It is important here to explain what you have learned, what you have done, how you can now apply it, and most importantly, why you still decided to return “to the system”.

Arina Gorokhovskaya:“It is believed that a person who once “logged out” will find it difficult to put up with established norms and rules. Small companies, in which success often depends on the initiative and enterprise of the employee, such candidates may be welcome. At the interview, it is important to emphasize what motivates you, besides money: professional development, team, ambitious tasks.

Ksenia Levina, head of the group of consultants at ANCOR Energy Services:“In situations where the candidate is a highly qualified specialist with a good track record, the presence of a break in work will not be a reason for refusing an interview. The main thing is for the employer to understand that the applicant is ready to quickly plunge into the work process and work in a standard mode.

Truth and nothing else?

At the interview, try to be sincere, any lie can sooner or later be revealed and play against you. Explain clearly and concisely the reasons and do not go into details unless necessary.

Elena Orlova:“An error when a candidate tries to hide a gap by stretching the terms of work at a previous job. You can always check this, and if you start lying about the terms of work, you will have to lie further. ”

Yulia Efimova:“It is not worth initiating a discussion of the nuances that will not play in your favor. It is better to strike a balance and answer the question posed by the interviewer, pronouncing your advantages and focusing on strengths.

Flash your mind

Most employers are ready to consider applicants who have not been working for a long time, it is important for them to hear an explanation for the break and motivation for activity.

Ksenia Levina:“You need to make it clear to the employer that you are ready to work as usual. It cannot be said that the decision to get a job is forced, and at any opportunity you will return to the previous rhythm.

At almost any interview, the employer will definitely ask you the reasons for dismissal. Even if you had no work experience, you may be asked what could make you quit. Today we will talk about how to correctly talk about the reasons for dismissal. And which candidates make mistakes on this issue.

Why ask about the reasons for dismissal

Changing jobs is a very big step in a person's life. Especially if the employee worked at the previous place for a long time. And the answer to the question why you left your previous job will give the employer an understanding of the employee's leading motivation. In addition, this question reveals a number of important parameters:

• Employee conflict;
• Loyalty to the previous employer (and therefore to the future);
• Decisive demotivating factors;

Based on the fact that a person talks about the reasons for dismissal, one can judge personal characteristics, professional achievements, expectations, as well as fears and fears in connection with a job change.

Dont lie

The most common mistake a candidate makes is that he tries to lie when answering a question about the reasons for leaving. This can be seen, as a rule, immediately, since the reason for leaving does not fit with what the candidate says about his goals and values. For example, a candidate says that a high income is important to him, but he quit because he could not work well with the manager. Such a mismatch says either that the employee is characterized by illogical actions, or that he is lying. A couple of clarifying questions will quickly put everything in its place.

Remember to never lie in an interview, as a rule, he knows how to detect lies. These people conduct dozens of interviews every day and, most likely, are much more experienced than you in this matter. Even if you skillfully lie, it can surface in the next stages of hiring and the result will still be sad.

What to do for those whose reason for dismissal is completely ugly and you don’t want to mention it. First of all, know that there are vacancies where almost everyone is hired. And if you made a mistake at the previous place of work, you should not hide it, you just need to start everything from scratch and earn a reputation again. I would honestly confess everything that happened to me and tell what lesson I learned from it. I am sure that there will be an employer who will appreciate such honesty.

What is the reason for leaving the interview?

In fact, there are almost no bad reasons for dismissal, more often there is poor-quality communication of the reason to the recruiter. I’ll make a reservation right away that this does not apply to those who are fired for theft, etc. An interview is a company to an employer. In order for the sale to take place, you need to know. In short, you need to follow following rules:

• Avoid prepositions "not". Forbidden words: did not work well, could not, did not give, did not want, etc.;
• We turn all the minuses into pluses. We do not talk about the difficulties, we talk about what you want to achieve;
• We do not scold the previous employer and boss. Nobody will appreciate it;

One and the same reason for dismissal can be voiced in completely different ways. You can say: “I was not given and interfered with,” or you can say “I wanted to grow and develop.” The first sounds like a complaint, the second like a normal position of an adult. If you think about all the words that you are going to pronounce and translate them from minuses to pluses, you will get what you need and at the same time absolutely truthfully.

Examples of reasons for leaving a job

Do not forget about the logic if you previously worked in a large federal company, where there are many opportunities, then no one will believe in the story that there were no career development options. Believe me, employers are well aware of competitors, and understand the labor market as a whole. And illogical things will be evident.

Having named the reason for dismissal, you should be prepared for clarifying questions. It's okay if the employer wants to understand the motive completely, he will ask as many questions as necessary. You need to be prepared to explain the reason in as much detail as required based on the above parameters.

A person quits not because of one specific reason, but because of a complex of factors. The recruiter, knowing and understanding this, may want to hear more reasons. Therefore, I recommend that before the interview, make a list of at least 3 reasons.

Good reasons for quitting

There are reasons for dismissal that do not cause unnecessary questions from the employer. Such reasons will be well received and if you trade for such reasons, then you have no reason to worry about why you left your previous job?

Such reasons include:

• Changing of the living place;
• Termination of the activities of your previous employer;
• Change of work schedule due to family needs (care for a child or other family member);
• Financial difficulties of the company, if they are public. If this is not available in open sources, then I recommend not to mention such things;

“We choose, we are chosen” - the job search process can be quite accurately described by a line from a famous song. Not surprisingly, applicants have to not only listen to employers refuse, but also say “no” themselves. How to do it correctly?

To help your diplomatic skills in your career, read the recommendations.

How not to go to interviews
“I sent my resume to the vacancy, they called me and invited me for an interview. Already after we agreed on a meeting, I realized that I did not want to go. Firstly, a good place is planned in another company, and secondly, it is difficult to get to this office. Is it worth it to call and refuse? Maybe just not show up for the interview?

Applicants give each other advice, as they say, to the best of their upbringing. "Why to call? Recruiters constantly promise to call us back and do not call back”; “Be sure to inform that you will not come, so as not to make a person wait for you in vain” - opinions, as we see, are polar.

And yet, experts recommend taking the time to make a call or write an email, even if you don’t feel like it, it’s unpleasant or just laziness. Since recruiters do not keep their promises, then we will not - such logic is unacceptable for a polite and responsible person. Whatever they say, diplomacy is an obligatory weapon of a specialist who is tuned to career achievements.

Cultivating a culture of rejection is also necessary because the professional world is often tighter than we think. It is possible that you will still have to intersect with this company or even with a specific recruiter. Rest assured that your diplomatic efforts will not be in vain. Many HR managers maintain their database of applicants, and if the mark “did not appear” appears opposite your last name, then most likely the path to this company will be closed to you.

According to the Research Center of the recruiting portal website, 22% of recruiting managers are sure that they usually lie in “the lack of a culture of behavior and business ethics”, 19% - in irresponsibility. Obviously, no one wants to be among the uncivilized and irresponsible. Therefore, you still have to call and cancel the arrangement. If you don't get through, send an email.

It is better to do this in advance, for example, on the eve of the appointed day of the interview. It didn’t work out - call at least an hour or two in advance: the recruiter will have time to reschedule his working hours.

How do you explain your refusal to appear for an interview? Since the negotiations have just begun, no special explanation is required - a polite message in a friendly tone is enough. “Thank you for being interested in my candidacy, but the circumstances are such that now I am not ready to negotiate a job in your company. I wish you to find the right manager. Have a good day, ”such a message will leave no doubt about your good manners and knowledge of the rules of business ethics. Most likely, no further explanation is required - recruiters encounter such cases quite often.

“I have to refuse your offer…”
Another thing is if you have already passed the selection, attended interviews, completed test tasks and received a job offer. Or perhaps you have agreed, and on Monday you are expected at a new workplace. And suddenly you changed your mind: a more interesting option was found, a child fell ill, doubted the prospects - the reasons may be different. How to be?

Here you can not do without explaining the reasons for your refusal, at least in general terms. Both the recruiter and the future boss, and you yourself have spent a lot of time and effort on interviews. If at the final stage of negotiations one of the participants suddenly refuses to continue them, the rest have the right to know about the reasons. Such explanations are not justifications at all, but reasonable observance of ethical norms.

Politely and kindly explain why you do not want to join this company. “I have another offer, and at the moment it is more interesting to me”; “I have soberly assessed my capabilities and have to refuse your offer: it is inconvenient for me to spend two hours on the road to the office”; “At my current position, I was offered to lead a new project, so I stop looking for a job,” - in most cases, you don’t need to invent anything. Both the HR manager and the boss are likely to understand your motives without any embellishment.

However, if the reason for your refusal lies in the personality of the future leader or in the poor, in your opinion, organization of business processes in the company, do not rush to publicly declare this. The art of diplomacy is to smooth out the negative moments. So instead of posting everything you think (“Look for others who want to work from dawn to dusk and tolerate an unbalanced boss for such a salary”), it’s better to say: “Now I’m not ready to accept your offer, because the working conditions do not suit me” .

At this stage, it is better to report the refusal by phone. Email is also acceptable, but personal contact is preferred. Don’t forget to thank the failed employer for taking the time, wish you all the best, and if your refusal puts someone in an awkward position (for example, if you already agreed and had to go to work), then also apologize for the inconvenience caused.

“Do unto others the way you want them to do unto you” - this adage has not lost its relevance for centuries. If we want recruiters to honestly inform us about the refusal, and not leave us alone with conjectures, then it makes sense to comply with all agreements ourselves and report the decision in time.

Good luck in your job search!

Every adult faces such a moment in his life as the transition from one job to another. Some people change jobs quite often. The new employer, in order to more accurately assess the human qualities of the candidate, wants to know why he left the previous company and why he did not work for long. How to explain to the employer the frequent change of work- to tell the true reason, to mitigate the severity of the problem, to answer evasively?

Whatever the real reason from the point of view of the employee, even quite natural and innocent, you still have to talk about it, therefore, for such a question, you should prepare an answer in advance. But first you need to have an idea of ​​​​what is commonly understood by the definition "Frequent job changes"?

At the legislative level, such figures do not exist, and each employer has a special opinion on this matter. In recruiting agencies, frequent transitions are considered to be periods from a few days to a year or a year and a half. Although if the employer did not like you, he will consider four years as a short period of work.

To designate a category of people who often change jobs, even a special terminology has been formed. "Flyers and Runners" - these are their funny nicknames. Of course, among them there are very interesting specimens that really fit the definition. There are people who begin to get bored at a new job after two or three months, and they believe that they have already mastered everything here and now they need to engage in self-development elsewhere. But this is not a rule, there are few such people, but there are many people who are forced by the employer to leave the already mastered place, for whom the change of work was not desirable.

The objective reasons for dismissal are many factors, but recruiting companies never take into account that an employee can quit for reasons that are artificially created by the employer. It is believed that only the employee is to blame for the fact that “didn’t work, couldn’t stand it, didn’t answer ...” that his salary is not enough and the like, that only his desire caused a job change.

In fact, it is not true that all employers are almost the purest charm of the purest example:

It is they who put forward the 99th requirement, which does not belong to the competence of the employee, but they demand to fulfill, if he could not, he was fired.
It is their mother who irritates them, who went on maternity leave (here you can’t be fired), but when she left, she was immediately fired.
He went on sick leave - he was fired (it is not difficult to find the right reason).
Cost optimization is planned - layoffs again.

It is employers who skillfully create conditions under which the employee is forced to quit, although, perhaps, he was originally going to work there for many years. The list of such events is long. Recruiters do not notice them, they always have an extreme employee, and if he cannot explain the frequent job changes at the interview, then simply because the reasons are ridiculous and created by the employers themselves. Who will trust the worker?

By the way, there is still information about how applicants are deceived, since the Internet has not been usurped by anyone, and agencies cannot but speak out on this at all, since clients (applicants) do not hesitate to tell them their unpleasant stories. As it turns out from surveys, job seekers are deceived during employment in almost 80% of cases. How does this happen? Reason for frequent job changes lies not only in the applicant for the place, and sometimes even not so much in it, but in how the employer behaves and what working conditions create.

The employer always depicts his enterprise in the best possible way and does not shun harmless, in his opinion, inaccuracies about working conditions. For example, he can indicate the amount of salary without taking into account the tax fees imposed on it, or pay salary only at the lower limit from the fork indicated for the vacancy. An unpleasant surprise turns into a quarrelsome team, which in the description was called friendly, welcoming, but in fact all its members look for each other's mistakes and collect gossip.

In addition, it turns out that gray salaries are not so rare, which is naturally not mentioned in job descriptions, which is a clear lie in relation to the applicant. Deception also occurs in the representation of working conditions, as well as job responsibilities.

Below are the most common situations due to which there is a frequent change of work, situations that, in fact, are a deliberate deception of applicants for a place or position. These are at the same time the reasons forcing newly settled employees to literally run away from the company that they recently tried to get into.

Inaccuracy in the description of the form of payment of wages

When raising the question of salary in an interview, the applicant will always receive a relatively standard answer that the company complies with the requirements of the Labor Code. There is no reason to expect tricks, and it’s impossible to look for flaws and pitfalls in everything, naturally, the candidate believes the confident statements of the employer.

The fact that the salary can be gray becomes known after the conclusion of the contract and registration for the position, and very rarely in the process of signing. And when the candidate "ringed" quitting after only a few weeks can be quite difficult. After all, the desire for a quick dismissal can be used by the authorities as pressure on a new employee, in the style that such a rapid change of work will be negatively regarded by other employers in further employment.

Working hours

The work schedule on paper can be verified exactly with the mandatory requirements of the TC, as in the best traditions of technical drawings, with an 8-hour working day and a 40-hour working week. When applying for a job, to the question of how often processing happens in a company, the candidate will certainly receive a standard answer that processing is a voluntary matter. Naturally, work without overtime, when you can go home at a certain time, is very attractive.

But in the end, having already started working, the new employee suddenly discovers that in order to go home at the end of the working day, he needs the approval of his superiors. Unfortunately, situations with such "cunning" schedule are not invented, and exist. Probably, only ordinary employees can truly clarify the situation, but it is far from always possible to communicate with them. It is quite natural that frequent job changes occur for such reasons as well.

At an interview and a personal interview, the company promises to formalize relations according to the Labor Code, in reality it’s different

AT this case the deception of the employer may lie in the fact that by inviting a candidate at the stage of bringing to light a certain "burning project", the employee is inspired by the prospects, connected to work, and right at this moment they seem to forget or do not have time to conclude an employment contract with him.

Then it turns out that the management hires several such candidates at once, and formalizes relations under the Labor Code with only one or two, and only after an additional request from the candidate with the question of when the promised official registration will happen. Here, what is called "who managed, he ate", and during this time it may take a month or two. For both candidates, changing jobs becomes a natural desire, because with inadequate and dishonest leadership, you can get into an unpleasant story in the future.

Fake salary

The candidate pays attention to all the conditions set out in the vacancy, where one of the main ones is salary. Usually, the employer determines a small amount for it during the probationary period, and upon successful completion, the salary is promised, for which the candidate agrees to this job. At an interview with the employer, the applicant additionally finds out the salary conditions, having received confirmation that the salary will be the one promised in the vacancy, he is firmly convinced that it will be so.

But after the probationary period, the employer suddenly openly declares that he does not intend to raise wages, and if a new employee wants to quit, he must understand that his resume will be spoiled by a short period of work and employment elsewhere will be problematic. Not all people can go to confrontation, and are forced to suffer from such arbitrariness.

Frequent job changes occur, among other things, due to such unscrupulous employers who expect that the enterprise will receive workers for pennies, and the new employee will be delayed, because it will be difficult for him to explain elsewhere why he worked only several months. Unfortunately, it is really impossible for a new employer to explain that you are "not a camel".

A situation may arise when it is difficult to blame the parties for inattention to each other. And the relationship, however, ends for the applicant with a job change. For example, at the time of employment, the applicant had an insufficient understanding of the job responsibilities in the new place, which seemed to be well known to him at the previous place of work. A new system of motivating elements may turn out to be tied to additional relationships with other employees, requiring more effort and additional time from a particular candidate than is calculated. This candidate could not assume, as well as the employer. It just turned out that the employee took this system more seriously than others did before him.

Frequent job changes, sometimes not an indicator of someone's negative qualities, but simply an unfortunate choice. The situation clears up rather quickly, the employee tries to fit into the circle of tasks, but still understands that he will not be able to do it for a long time "pull the strap" and he has to leave.

Real working conditions no longer correspond to contractual ones

Quite assiduous employees sometimes become involuntary. This happens when the original working conditions change so much that it is difficult for many members of the established team to exist in them. For example, the company was laid off. The duties of the departed employees were distributed among the remaining ones, and the salary remained the same. There is more work, you have to stay late, you come home later, you sleep less, you get more tired. One week is enough to feel "all delights" updates and a change of work for someone will be the only salvation from the tense conditions that were not originally signed up for, and the salary, which suddenly became disproportionately low.

Incentives for dismissal even from a company that is convenient in all respects is a change in leadership. As a rule, in "orphaned" in a team, there are always people who will not be able to accept a new management style and will have no choice but to change jobs.

This is only a small list of possible reasons forcing employees to look for a new job, in fact there are many more.

But now back to the question at the beginning of the article - How to explain to the employer the frequent change of work?

How, after all, to explain to the new employer the reasons for dismissal from the previous place? The situation is twofold. On the one hand, excessive frankness may not win over, but on the contrary, remove the recruiter from the applicant, set him up negatively. But on the other hand, it is frankness that will help to form a more accurate picture of the candidate for the position, characterizing him on the positive side.

Frequent job changes, as we have explained here, does not necessarily mean that the employee is not happy with the company. After all, the parties are equal in choice, which means that the applicant has the same right to choose as the employer, and he, in turn, may not like the company. Accordingly, he also has every right to refuse this vacancy.

A very popular question is “How to explain to the employer a long break from work?”.

It is important for the employer to understand why the applicant has not worked for so long. Here, the recommended response strategy is as follows: speak honestly, do not blame external circumstances (there was no job, they were not invited, etc.), look for reasons in yourself and convince you that you coped with all your personal affairs (family, health, etc.) so, and now you are fully prepared to devote yourself to work.

Honesty is very important, because deceit will surface quickly and easily. When an applicant at an interview disguises himself with general phrases, the employer thinks: “he is lazy and did nothing”, “apparently, he doesn’t need a job so much”, “maybe he has some “sins”…”. Sometimes it happens that you did not work due to a long job search - so tell the employer about this, how you searched, what you did. Here it will be important for the employer to know that you did not sit idly by, but did something. And if you did, then it will not be difficult for you to tell about it.

When asked why you left your last job, the tactics of the answer are: firstly, never lie, and secondly, do not criticize your former employer, but sit down and understand why you left. This is important so as not to step on the same rake. It is important for the employer to understand what went wrong in order to offer you such conditions that you would be interested in working for them. And you need to find a job that suits you. So tell honestly how it should and should not be. For example, you were not paid enough, and you realized this when you began to receive job offers, your salary was not raised for three years, you analyzed emerging vacancies, etc. It is absolutely not shameful that you want to receive a decent salary, and the market can offer it to you.

If you have not had a very successful experience - well, you didn’t do the job, for example, it didn’t work out, then it’s important for the new employer to understand why you didn’t succeed. Perhaps the new one will offer you conditions on which you can handle it. And perhaps he has similar ones - and then you better not go here.

If leaving a previous place of work is associated with unsettled relationships in the team, it is also very important to tell the employer the truth by doing some preliminary work on yourself. Analyze what the team was like and what you are, why the relationship did not work out and what would you do differently if you were once again in such a team. There is no need to be afraid to admit that the relationship did not work out, because the teams and corporate culture are very different. Perhaps the employer you are currently striving to get into has a completely different team, or if it is the same, then by telling you, you will protect yourself.

How to fill in the blank spots of the resume, if any? If it was maternity leave, training, then you can enter the dates in the resume. If you were engaged in some personal affairs, then it is difficult to reflect this in a resume and, best of all, voice it at an interview. As a last resort, you can mention in the cover letter that you have solved family problems such and such and that you have already dealt with them, and that now nothing interferes with your work. Some hide the experience of personal entrepreneurship, successful or unsuccessful, but writing about it is both necessary and possible, and for some employers this will be an advantage.