Out of the many questions you may encounter in different interviews, “Why do you want to change your career path?” is one of the most challenging.
Your answer to this question can either get you one step closer to your dream job, or destroy your interview.
However, don’t get discouraged, there is a way to get it just right, and we are here to help.
In this article, we are going to explore the following questions:
- Why do recruiters ask “Why do you want to change your career path?”
- What is the best approach to answer “Why do you want to change your career path?”
And we are going to leave you off with some great examples to get you started on your own answer.
So, if you are ready to learn how to get the answer to “Why do you want to change your career path?” just right, let’s dive in.
Why do recruiters ask "why do you want to change your career path?"
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Before we move on to finding the best way to answer “Why do you want to change your career path?”, you should understand what are the reasons a recruiter might ask you that.
What they want to find out via your answer might be one of many things:
- What about this job appeals to you and why?
- How long have you been considering changing career path?
- What have you done to fill any skill gaps and make sure you are the right fit for the job?
But most of all, recruiters would want to make sure you are a good fit for the company.
That’s the place you can shine by highlighting your skills, abilities, achievements, and show them you are just what they have been searching for.
Best approach to answer "why do you want to change your career path?"
Now that you understand why recruiters ask “Why do you want to change your career path?”, it is time to find out how to make your answer just right.
As a rule, you need to stay on the positive side of things when answering this questions, but apart from that, you can follow a few simple steps to get the best out of your answer.
Make sure you understand the job description
The first thing you need to do is prepare yourself long before you get asked that question.
Take the time and go through the job description once again and determine any keywords you can use to make your answer stronger.
You need to show the recruiter that you are not only qualified for the job, but that you are passionate about the responsibilities that you will handle if you are hired.
Do your research on the company
But research on the job description is often not enough to get you the job. Also take the time to dig deeper in the company values and culture.
With that information, you can easily adapt your answer to show that you would be a good fit to the team, and that would instantly place you once step ahead of other candidates.
Be honest and direct
When you have done your research and the time comes for you to answer this question, make sure you answer honestly.
Share your reasoning for changing your career path, and focus on the skills you possess.
If there are skills from the job description that you don’t have, don’t hesitate to share that too, but make sure you show the recruiter that you are willing to work on that.
However, be careful not to make your answer too long.
When it comes to this question, a brief but direct answer would work perfectly fine.
Show adaptability
Last but not least, show the recruiter that you possess the ability to adapt to a new environment, as that is one of the most valued skills out there.
Show them that you feel enthusiastic about the career path change, and that you are eager to learn new things, meet different people, and advance your career in its new direction.
Example answers to "why do you want to change your career path?"
And now, as promised, we are going to provide you with a few examples to help you build your own answer to “Why do you want to change your career path?”
Example 1
During my recent years in Company Ltd, I had the great chance to improve my skills and use what I have learned to help other colleagues develop professionally. I was involved in the training process of the last eight new-hires, and introduced innovative techniques into the process. However, I think it is time for me to learn from experts in my field as well. I am seeking an environment that can challenge me, and helps me take the skills I have to another level.
Example 2
I have been working in the industry for five years now, and both me and my wife have focused greatly on our respective careers. I have enjoyed all aspects of my job, but due to the kind of work we were performing, we had to put in lots of long hours to succeed. I am currently seeking a stable company with effective policies and processes in place, so that I can also give more of my time to my growing family. Furthermore, I am excited about the opportunity to change my career path at this time of my life, and I feel enthusiastic about everything new I have the chance to learn.
Example 3
I have been in my field of work for over ten years now. I have learned a lot, and I have greatly improved my skills set. However, I feel that I need to change jobs to really advance in my career. I believe such a change can result in something good, and it is sometimes necessary if you want to get to the next step of your career.
Takeaways
We are all done, now you know how to get the best out of your answer when asked “Why do you want to change your career path?”.
Let’s go through the main things you need to keep in mind one more time:
- Keep your answer positive – you would need to keep it all positive as a rule
- Make sure you understand the job description – that’s how you can prepare your answer to focus on all the skills that the recruiter would be looking for, and you can stir your answer in this direction
- Do your research on the company – take some more time for research and learn more about the company values and culture, as you can use that to show that you would be a good fit
- Be honest and direct – don’t try to stir away from your real intentions for changing your career path, and make sure you only claim skills that you actually possess
- Show adaptability – it is important that the recruiter knows that you feel enthusiastic about their job opportunity, and that you are eager to learn new things
Take a look at our example answers once again, and prepare your own answer for your next job interview.
Make one that's truly you.
