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As a woman in tech who has faced similar things, I still try to avoid bringing it up and instead pivot to asking about company culture to ensure I don’t get stuck in the same situation.
Generally as a hiring manager, I rarely ask why people are looking to leave their current roles or why they left their last roles. I’m more interested in what they’re eager to learn in the role/company they’re interviewing for. If negative experiences came up naturally in conversation or as part of your answer, that’s fine but if a candidate brings them up it sometimes changes the tone of the convo and it’s hard to have a productive conversation afterward.
If you bring it up, focus on turning the negative about old roles into a positive for the new role. So saying something like “I don’t have much opportunity for growth in my current role and there’s often a struggle with diversity of thought so I’m really excited that XYZ company has a strong mentorship program and really encourages people from different background to have a seat at the table.” That’s going to get you further than just stating you had bad experiences.
As a hiring manager, I don’t view as negatively as I did 5 years ago. We all know how bad some employers and roles are. Personally, I’d still rather focus on why you want the role you’re applying for and highlight what it offers versus your past roles.
Yes, but do not be whiny about it.
No one wants to hear a complainer, at any time… 👍
I’ve had people mention that to me, I still move them forward in the interview rounds if they are qualified but usually check references
Thank you, and I agree. I would never bring it up myself, it’s only when pressed.
Keep it at a constructive evaluation"the company's values do not align with mine" or "I could no longer see myself growing in so-and-so company". If it's a personal matter, nobody else necessarily has to know. All the best!
If pressed, I’ve had success sharing the reasons in a thin veil- say it politely & tactfully but not so vague that they don’t immediately understand the real cause. Following up with a contrasting statement about why you’re excited about the new role helps too! I don’t think it’s a NO to share, but from my experience in similar situations you still have to be careful about how you deliver it. Best of luck!!
What I would offer as advice as another female in tech, and a hiring manager, I’d stay high-level as to why you left, instead of saying toxic company culture maybe say something along the lines of “I found the company’s values and mine had not matched over X amount of time, so when I left I went to pursue different avenues.” If they press and want to know details, mention that the environment was no longer productive, and the effort wasn’t matching the outcome. You of course can state it was a toxic environment and over time you didn’t want to deal with that to protect your mental health. The goal is to not give specifics but also not sound negative- sometimes if you mention toxic work culture, some recruiters or hiring managers can wonder if it was you just not being a team player (which I’ve seen).