Is it acceptable to trash talk your former employer at a job interview?

Question

If they ask me, why I left my previous company (which they usually do), should I just be honest and tell them that I was fed up with the corruption, nepotism hypocrisy, toxic work environment and incompetent supervision?

Telekinetic-Potato · Accepted Answer

If you really need to shit talk your previous job, the goal is to communicate the point as clearly as possible while also using words that don't make the interviewer feel like when the shoe is on the other foot, you're going to go on social media about this job now.

Complaining about your last job almost always makes you look hard to work with, uncoachable, and a general liability.

If I ever had to do it, I always spoke as if I were a manager having a conversation with someone very high up in the company.

"There were certain tenured team members who were talanted but developed habits which caused turbulence in the office. Even though I don't consider myself an uptight person, I'm looking for something with a little more structure where my success can be acknowledged. "

Something along those lines. Show some sincerity, show a willingness to grow and learn from your experiences and coworkers.

JoePro_ · Accepted Answer

I try not to trash talk. But if a new employer is asking why I left an old job (and it wasn't a good situation), I will try to tactfully explain to them the situation without going into details. "Management was changing, but it didn't appear to me that it was really for the better. I really wanted to continue on with them, I had some great years there, but certain new situations just made it difficult. I try my best to be a team player, but it's sometimes difficult to do so when others don't have the same mindset. As such, I found myself needing to look for a new team and I hope it might be with this team."

HelpfulWoman · Accepted Answer

No  You just sound like a pompous prick pretending to be this almighty edgelord.  Nobody wants to hire that.

HollyK21 · Accepted Answer

I know it’s tempting but don’t do it, for one you’d burn the bridge and two, it looks bad to the employer.

ArrowheadSW · Answer

I won't say that you "can't", but you have to be careful with it. If you trash them too much, they will see you as vindictive and they might not consider you to be a good hire. I did do that once but in that case, the guy who I was interviewing with came from the same situation in his former job. I caught on to that during the interview. He totally related. But usually it isn't quite like that. LOL

pig_droppings · Answer

Try using an aromatic blend of words that represent your experiences: "The company's working environment was like a foul-smelling locker room, with the stench of moldy gym clothes in the corner." It will establish a connection with the interviewer, since almost everyone has olfactory experiences.

DJB72 · Answer

Instead of "the company has corrupt practices" try saying "I felt the culture at that company wasn't a fit for me"

Instead of "my boss is a narcissistic sociopath" try saying "I feel my voice would be better received in a different position"

Instead of "my current team are total fucking morons" try saying "The current team dynamic may tend towards group-think"

Instead of "they pay me fuck all to do everything" try saying "I'm looking for something that will let me expand"

Never trash talk your employer to a potential new employer. Not if you want them to hire you.

RavVid · Answer

Be aware that there is an inverse to everything to say. Toxic workplace has the inverse you don't play well with others.

If you put it as you like to work in a friendly happy team environment and it wasn't.

I thing it is like name a positive thing about you and negative thing about. Attention to detail but sometimes i get into the weeds of details. The negative is flipped to a positive or a consequence of a highly positive attribute.

I think you need to do the same thing and not come off as someone who gets disgruntled and disruptive.

Anonymous · Answer

lol you could if you want to but chances are they won’t hire you. It’s like being in a relationship. When you’re dating a new chick or a new dude people usually don’t like it when you talk trash about an ex. Besides if you’re going into the same profession chances are they may know someone at your old job. For instance I work in the medical field. A lot of us know each other as big as the city may be. If we don’t know that person specifically we may know someone who knows a person from that other company. I’d just say you wanted something new, a new challenge. You felt that after sometime you had gone as far as you could growth wise so you’re looking to expand more on your career. I wouldn’t say that if I was w them for a few months or something because there’s no way it would sound believelabe.

BCA6010 · Answer

Be honest, but don't disclose anything specific that you don't absolutely have to. When looking at people's answers to those questions, it's about what kind of person YOU are; we don't care what it's like to work at wherever it is you came from.

OtterMan68 · Answer

"I didn't agree with certain practices of theirs I thought were unprofessional and not conducive to an efficient, productive, and positive work environment."

JacobJordan · Answer

Absolutely. Lol no of course not. The hell. Secondly off just your description of the problems as an employer I would immediately go "oh sorry position has been filled" you did nothing wrong? You made no mistakes? If they ask why you left you say word for word "difference of opinion and I wanted to expand my horizons" completely bullshit but it works so who cares.

Yannae · Answer

I did. But in a professional manner. I explained why I didn't like my former employer's approach on things.

BoopBoopBeep · Answer

Nope. You found that their policies and yours no longer aligned or you felt it was time to explore other opportunities. Trash talk is unprofessional and I'll see you as a liability that will spread shite about us if you ever get tired of here.

Phoenix98 · Answer

If it's actually valid and relevant to the discussion at hand and was a genuine reason for you leaving then yes but do so in a professional manner.

CuriousMufuxka · Answer

No that's fucking stupid! If you share dissent from a former company just to kiss ass, how am I sure you won't do the same here? Tell you what, go ahead and call the temp company and we'll get you set up with a 540 hour work to direct hire contract.

Jessica405 · Answer

No. Never slag off previous employers. It shows you might slag off the prospective business if you ever leave them.

BCRanger10 · Answer

Never  ever  do that!

Anonymous · Answer

No. For all you know, your interviewer is best mates with someone you are leaving behind, and people that bitch about others will get around to bitching about you.
Explain what you've gotten out of the job, what you hope to get out of a new one.

TacosRAwesome · Answer

Be honest but generic eg. Don't say my ex boss was a massive bitch, say I felt that there wasn't enough room for growth.

Anonymous · Answer

I usually pass on interviewees who complain about former management

noohair · Answer

If you are a moron, yes.

strateguy632 · Answer

2nd.

Is it acceptable to trash talk your former employer at a job interview?

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