Good excuses to tell interviewer when asked about quitting without securing a job?

[poor and stupid]

Originally Posted by biscuit

super long notice period for previous industry, unable to find employer wiling to wait, end up leave job liao might as well take a break?

This one sounds ok only, but got many holes; such as what industry, which company, blar blar. I think its best not to lie about stuffs that are traceable, but misinterpret information at personal level bah.

Muslims: Go Mecca
Christians: Go Israel
Buddhist: Go Tibet/Bhutan

Pilgrimage takes 3 months, no pay leave not granted, so resign.

Or full time studies if that is really it.

Actually u can also be honest, some reasons are valid like no worklife balance until it affects your health and family life and therefore to safeguard your health and family, its better to resign and take a break.

Originally Posted by oldfool

Are there any responses that will prevent you from looking bad if you quit your last job without getting a new one?

Are reasons like, want to think about career direction, wanted to focus on part time studies, wanted to take a break to travel for a while unfavorable?

Wanted to focus on part-time studies is actually a good reason, and not an excuse provided you can show evidence that your studies are really important for your career, eg degree, masters, and your work and your grades are both affected by this work-studies imbalance.

[biscuit]

Originally Posted by poor and stupid

This one sounds ok only, but got many holes; such as what industry, which company, blar blar. I think its best not to lie about stuffs that are traceable, but misinterpret information at personal level bah.

Actually I don't think there are excuses, it's either quit for good reasons or simply an outcome of less than ideal decision making..

I also quit without a job because my boss want post me overseas to middle east country for 2 years, I dun want then just quit la, since they not allow for internal transfer to another dept!!

Originally Posted by biscuit

super long notice period for previous industry, unable to find employer wiling to wait, end up leave job liao might as well take a break?

Mine is 3 mths...your super long is how long ?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I also quit without a job because my boss want post me overseas to middle east country for 2 years, I dun want then just quit la, since they not allow for internal transfer to another dept!!

why can't you tell him you are just unwilling to go? ask him if his boss wants to post him to the moon, would he do it?

[biscuit]

Originally Posted by MM1

Mine is 3 mths...your super long is how long ?

Slightly less than yours... Actually notice period is only a part of the story, another is cos I don't know how to sell myself hence the poor reception on the job search front.

Should one be honest about the real reason for leaving previous jobs when asked?

If give a politically-correct standard template answer, interviewers/HR would know it is BS.
If give the real reason, it will be seen as talking bad about ex-employer.

Either way seems unacceptable.

But honestly, if a company is good, no one would quit. Obviously something is bad enough to drives people away and to quit.

How honest should one be?

[foxy]

I seriously need a reason.

I quit my last job because my bosses all left the company, older boss went back home, 2 other bosses left 6 months before the older boss in June. I have been out of job since then and just gotten a lousy job with a 3 month notice period after probation and also resign within 1 year of service I have to pay back the insurance premiums.

If i had known I had to wait 6 months before i gotten this lousy job, I would have.

1. learn driving; at least can be part time female taxi driver;
2. learn cooking; can fry cha kway tiao part time in market;
3. learn baking; work for really stupid low pay at bread talk.

I have 2 and a half months more to go before i decide to be out of job and get chase out of home... such is the sad life of being single...