As someone that has been laid off how do I respond when an interviewer asks me why am I looking for a job?

Question

My question is specifically for the tech industry and software engineer jobs.

I am a very high level IC in a big top tech company who got laid off. I am looking for jobs and in some cases even applying for positions below my current level. One of the first questions that gets asked in tech interviews is why are you interested? This becomes even more difficult if the position is at a level below my current level.

What is the best way to respond to this question in my situation? If I tell them I have been laid off I have shown my cards so to speak.

Answer 1

If you work within the tech industry, then you should be aware that layoffs are common and normal occurrences. You simply tell the interviewer that you were laid off. No one in their right mind is going to judge you, because a layoff is an involuntary termination without cause. You didn't quit. You didn't get fired. Which "cards" would you be showing that others also laid off wouldn't be showing?

As a "high level IC," quit overthinking! Devote some time to self-care while you are job hunting. If you can, take some time off, refresh your mind and body, and get recalibrated for next steps.

Best of luck.

Answer 2

The question to why are you interested could be seen as why are interested in this particular position, not why do you want a job.

Answers range from having heard good things about the work environment to something specific in the role that caught your eye. In the end we all work to get money, but that's not the answer to the question, why do you want to work here?

Answer 3

There are some options here that you could take that are not strictly lying (don't lie...) but would change the perspective.

If IC means Individual Contributor - then one would reasonably believe that this means you are akin to a specialist or contractor (of sorts) - in which case saying things like:

• The project you were working on came to an end and you are now seeking other opportunities (if pressed, you could say that the project was cancelled and as a result your specialist skills were no longer required = laid off)

• You say you were laid off - my understanding is that laid off and redundancy are the same and so you could say that you took a voluntary redundancy as a means to seek a different challenge

HOWEVER!!!

Being Laid Off does not have the same negative stigma it used to. Historically, one was only laid off if one was one of the substandard employees - but this is less-and-less the case - Good employees are laid off because business needs change.

And so - I would urge you, despite the above - to be forthright and up-front that you were laid off as it is not the stigma it once was.

Answer 4

To answer the specific question, a little corporate speak is what you need.

Something like:

At my last company, my position was eliminated during an internal restructure. Now I'm taking my time to find a new position that aligns with my long term goals and I feel what you are offering here is a good fit.

As others have said, it's not uncommon to have been laid off these days and there is little stigma attached to it. I found my current job after being laid off and, amongst the dozen or so of the new hire pool, more than half of us had been made redundant from our last role.

Answer 5

It's important to distinguish between the questions "Why are you looking for a job?" and "Why are you interested in this position?" These may seem like similar questions - especially if you're in the unfortunate position where you need to take whatever job offer you can get - but there are keys differences between the two.

"Why are you looking for a job?"

This question is asking about your present and past situation. The emphasis is on what happened to you and why you are no longer willing or able to work at your current/previous job.

I don't recall ever being asked this question during an interview. Personally, I would consider it rude. It can easily touch on sensitive topics - including the fact you have been laid off and are currently unemployed. It's not the sort of thing to ask someone you just met!

If you get asked this type of question, I would suggest one of the following tactics:

• State that you have been laid off or that your position was eliminated in a polite but firm manner. Try not to burn any bridges by being aggressive or defensive, but also make it clear you don't wish to discuss the matter further.
• Respond as if you were asked "Why are you interested in this position?" so you can shift the conversation to be more constructive and mutually respectful.
• If there are other questions or comments you can respond to, do so and ignore this question. Hopefully the interviewer(s) will take the hint.

"Why are you interested in this position?"

This question is asking about your future plans. The emphasis is on what will happen if the company offers the job and you then accept.

As an interviewer, I love this question! It helps assess a candidate in a number of ways including:

1. Sincerity - Are they genuinely interested in the position or are they just looking for work?
2. Motivation - How much time did they spend to learn about the organization beforehand?
3. Fit - Will they be able to get what they expect for from the job? Do they share the same priorities as the rest of the team?

I imagine other interviewers ask this question for similar reasons. It's a natural question to ask and tells you a lot about an applicant. With this in mind, here is my advice to handling the question:

• Prepare ahead of time. Spend enough time to learn about the company and the position so you can make some educated guesses about what the position will involve and what the company values.
• Focus on the positive. Even if the position is highly unattractive, there is likely something about it that interests you.
• Engage by asking about the position. If you're proactive, you can learn more about the position and answer this question more intelligently. You may even avoid the question all together as your engagement gives the interviewer(s) an idea of how interested you are and why.

In short, take each job opportunity seriously. If you're just going through the motions, interviewers will likely notice and force you into a position where you need to either blatantly lie or tell the unflattering truth. Most interviewers will be understanding about being laid off but few will tolerate you phoning in the interview!

Best of luck in your job search!