"You want to leave your job because ?? !!"

A question I always ask at interviews is “Why do you want to leave your current job?” and then delve deeper to understand their ‘real’ motivation to leave. I’ve learnt not to be satisfied with standard responses such as ‘better opportunities’, ‘career prospects’, location, compensation, lifestyle choice………….whatever

So, the other day when this young 20 something answers, “For career stability and improving my work / life balance”, I probe further and realise it’s due to “pressure in my work environment”. What sort of pressure? I ask her, “There’s a new rule at work that says no Facebook usage during office hours”

Now, I’ve met hundreds of candidates and stumbled upon reasons ranging from ‘petty’ to ‘pretty serious’ but leaving because her organisation takes a stand on Facebook usage…………………..well…………………...well………………..just left me speechless there, didn’t you Missy?

Comment by Christine Colucci on March 29, 2011 at 1:20pm: First there were water cooler discussions, then general internet surfing and now facebook; what will we ever do with people who abuse company time? Maybe we can just start to measure them on their productivity rather than face time and who cares if they use facebook if they are getting their jobs done. Actually those who facebook and are productive are likely excellent multi-taskers a trait commonly valued. It might be a better use of time to focus on developing competent management than to worry about who is using facebook.

Comment by Robin Stanton on March 29, 2011 at 3:13pm: @Christine - I agree with your point about evaluating people on their productivity, however, in this case Alban's candidate implied to him she was looking for a job where she could facebook and not a position where she use her skills to be productive. I would be leery of any candidate whose motivation for a new job was an opportunity to use social media at work unless that was a critical job function.

Comment by Barry Frydman on March 29, 2011 at 6:25pm: Wake up folks it's 2011

If it was 1979 and I was told I couldn't make personal phone calls.

if it was 1989 and I was told I couldn't make cell calls at work.

If it was 1999 and I was told I couldn't send personal emails.

I would not of been impressed.

Comment by Christine Colucci on March 30, 2011 at 12:46pm: Alban led us to believe that his candidate was looking for a job where she could facebook but what she said was her company instituted a new rule where facebook could not be used during business hours and this was something she gave as an example for what is creating pressure for her. I would agree with the candidate that a company that is being this strict and out of touch with how to create a productive environment would be a pressure environment. I would suggest the candidate was sharing that she would prefer to work in less micro managed environment not that she wanted a job she could use facebook at although the two are one and the same.

Comment by Alban on March 30, 2011 at 6:47pm: @ Christine, perhaps I should have mentioned the candidate has a retail background, then again I could have clarified her entire resume or detailed the entire interview. But this blog was not about that. The point I was trying to make is exactly how Robin Stanton understood it to be ie we've reached a time where reasons for leaving are Facebook or the inability to use it anymore at work.

Now, why did her company start a 'No Facebook' rule is none of my business, although I do know why......... they are a retail business, picture a shopper walking into a store only to find the sales attendant on Facebook, would we consider that multitasking?