How To Add Good Reasons for Leaving a Job on Resumes

Understand why you want to leave your job

First, determine your main motivations – why do you want to leave your job? Often, it’s for professional growth, work-life balance, and better company culture. You may also want to change careers to a completely different industry or sector.

Reflecting on these reasons helps you reinforce your decision and gain confidence. It also helps you plan your future.

Understanding your motivations for leaving a job is crucial to a successful career transition. It can help you grow, fuel your motivations, and ensure you phrase your words tactfully when writing your resume and talking with an interviewer.

9 good reasons for leaving a job

After you know your reasoning, compare it to our list to understand it a little better. This helps you frame your decision in a positive light, so you can show hiring managers that you’re proactive and discerning.

Here are our nine good reasons for leaving a job:

1. Going back to school
2. Seeking professional growth
3. Organizational restructuring
4. Personal reasons, such as health issues
5. Career changing, such as switching industries
6. Poor cultural alignment
7. Advancement opportunities
8. Leadership opportunities
9. Relocation

Keep in mind that most of these can include another common motivator: additional compensation. While you can mention this to potential employers, it’s best to discuss other factors first.

How to put a reason for leaving on your resume

There are a few subtle ways to include your reason for leaving a job on resumes. Yes, subtle is best – it’s helpful to include this point, but it isn’t best to draw attention to it.

If you’re typically a project-based or contract worker, you’ll be in and out of roles often, and recruiters will need to know why you only worked at a company for a few months. Highlight this on each position in your work experience like this:

Seasonal workers are also professionals who rapidly go in and out of companies. This isn’t only natural, it’s also desirable to some employers, so it’s important to list it in your work experience section. Here’s an example:

For most other instances, you can insert a quick mention into your work entry’s bullet list. This isn’t always necessary and is best done when it can help highlight your achievements. Here’s an example:

Looking for inspiration on how to fill out your work entries? Browse our resume examples for realistic samples of quantified achievements and action language.  

When to include a reason for leaving

Generally, you shouldn’t include a reason for leaving on your resume, but there are always exceptions. 

Consider including a reason if you’re changing jobs for positive reasons like:

• Personal issues, like health or family
• Going back to school
• Professional growth
• Work-life balance
• Changing career paths or industries

Let’s quickly cover that last point in more depth. It’s important to mention a career change on your resume not only because it’s positive but also because it helps explain your lack of relevant experience. You wouldn’t want the recruiter to wonder why you’re applying for the job.

It’s also encouraged to add your reasoning if leaving your job was out of your control, such as seasonal work or layoffs.

We recommend you don’t add your reason if you were fired or suddenly exited the position without warning. Don’t lie on your resume – just wait until the question comes up during the interview and provide a short, tactful answer. 

Answering the question, “Why did you leave your previous job?”

Whether you include your reason in your resume or not, this question often surfaces during the recruitment process. Typically, the hiring manager asks this during initial communication, or the interviewer delves into this during job interviews.

Be honest and transparent when discussing your reason for leaving a job, but don’t go into great detail. They don’t need to know every message between you and your employer, and it takes up too much of the recruiter’s time. Give a concise answer, and go into detail if you receive follow-up questions.

When answering, focus on the positive side of your decision and how it aligns with your career goals. Highlight the skills and experience from your previous role and how you intend to build on them and expand your qualifications. 

Avoid complaining about your previous position and employer. Even if you had a very negative experience, it’s best to stay professional and diplomatic. For example, if you were fired over a heated argument with a toxic manager, you could say:

If the interviewer probes more deeply and you need to mention the argument, emphasize what you learned and what you would do differently next time. For instance, explain your growing conflict resolution and empathy skills.

Special cases and considerations

While it isn’t common to include your reason for leaving a job on resumes in the US, it’s common in other countries, so we recommend you research the company when applying internationally.

Discover where your potential employer is based and its cultural values and expectations. In some areas, discussing your reasoning may be viewed as transparent and respectable. However, in others, it may be unnatural or unsuitable.

Tips for explaining your reason for leaving

Let’s finish up with a straightforward list of the do’s and don’ts of listing your reason for leaving a job on resumes:

• Be honest and transparent when discussing your exit
• Don’t go into detail unless prompted
• Focus on the positives and how you intend to grow
• Don’t badmouth your previous role, company, or employer
• Emphasize the skills, experience, and qualifications you gained in your previous position
• Don’t describe personal reasons in detail unless you feel comfortable doing so

Remember that some interviewers may not ask at all, so don’t offer the information unless directly prompted. People leave jobs every day, and many employers won’t care, especially if your resume strongly interests them.

“We recommend you don’t add your reason if you were fired or suddenly exited the position without warning. “

Move on from your previous job to your dream job

Discussing your exit from a company can get complicated, but you can handle the situation tactfully, focus on the positives, and transition into your ideal role. Include a brief mention in your resume, or hold back and explain it face-to-face during the interview. 

Considering writing a new resume with your reason in it? Grab a high-quality resume template to ensure it looks tidy and professional.

Or, if you’d like in-depth creation features, try CVwizard’s resume maker. Our platform’s easy edit field and drag-and-drop interface make it effortless to build stunning resumes that catch the hiring manager’s eye.