If you do, this may cause the interviewer may wonder if you will carry a similar negative attitude to your work on their campus.Īlthough it’s essential, to tell the truth, you need to use some tact when describing any negativity in your past position. Regardless of why you left your job, don’t speak badly about your previous employer. If you left of your own accord, be direct in your answer and focus your answer on the future, especially if your leaving wasn’t under the best circumstances. Explain to the interviewers why you were asked to leave but try to paint it in as positive a light as possible. Examples would be breaking a school policy, not meeting teaching goals, or not getting along with your school principal or co-workers.

If you were released from your position due to a more serious issue, you would need to respond carefully.

Let the interviewer know you were not fired for poor performance. If you were released from your job due to a school closing, downsizing, or layoff, explain your situation. Be completely ready to effectively verbal when asked. If you know, you will likely have to explain a firing, contract non-renewal, or layoff, have a short answer well-practiced. Stop yourself from doing this by practicing the answer you will give. If you start rambling, you could get into a situation where you share more information than is needed and may start to bring negative information to the table. Keep in mind you can make a brief explanation – don’t elaborate too much. “I was laid off from my most recent position, but as you can see from my resume, I’ve demonstrated my resourcefulness and ability to bounce back in adverse situations by taking on volunteer experience while searching for a new role,” is a great way to turn a rough layoff into a way to talk about your more admirable qualities. Stop yourself from doing this by keeping your answer short and sweet. If you start rambling, you could get into a “telling too much” situation and possibly start to bring up information that could detract from an otherwise excellent candidacy. A background check will easily find you out, so it’s paramount you tell the truth from the start. If you were fired or let go from your previous school, you shouldn’t lie about this. Interviewers want to find out why you are moving on from your past position. Why do you want to leave your current teaching position? Helpful Tips to Answer this Interview Question Truth and Tact If you need help brainstorming fabulous ways to answer this question, or if you want to learn more about different ways to respond, keep reading. It is important that the response you give to this job interview question is truthful, relevant to the position, and shows value to the school district. There are both right and wrong ways to respond to a question about why you are leaving your current position.

It could be you have a conflict with your current school administration, or you are recovering from being fired or laid off. This can be a tough interview question, regardless of your reasons for leaving teaching, whether logistics binds you (like moving to a new area), or ready for new responsibilities that you aren’t getting in your current role as a teacher. Have you been asked this interview question? Why do you want to leave your current teaching position?

Reason to leave a job on application