Your heart sinks.

It’s your third interview this month, and the hiring manager just asked the one question you were hoping to avoid:

“Why did you leave your last job?”

No matter how seasoned or successful you are, that question can catch you off guard. Especially if the departure still feels unresolved.

Over the past seven years, I’ve coached high performers through that exact moment. People who were laid off, asked to step down, or quietly pushed out. Then last year, it happened to me.

Here’s what I learned. How you tell your story matters more than the details.

Why This Question Feels So Tough

Most people think interviews are about proving they’re qualified. But what actually sets someone apart, especially in leadership roles, is emotional maturity.

Yes, experience matters. But what builds trust is self-awareness. Can you take responsibility? Can you reflect honestly? Can you move forward with clarity?

It’s easy to show up confident when the story is polished. Much harder when it’s fresh, raw, or still unfolding.

• Maybe your exit was abrupt.

• Maybe it wasn’t your choice.

• Maybe you’re still making sense of it.

And now, in a high-stakes interview, you’re being asked to explain it in a neat, convincing sentence.

How to Handle the Question You Dread

1. Face It Directly

One of my clients, Sam, kept getting ghosted after interviews. In frustration, he recorded one of them so we could review it together.

He handled all the technical questions with ease. But when the interviewer asked why he left his last role, he froze. Then said, “I kinda left there.”

The silence that followed said everything.

In our session, Sam admitted he had been laid off and still felt embarrassed. We talked through how to name what happened without defensiveness.

I suggested he say, “My role was phased out as part of a reorg. I’ve chosen to see it as an opportunity to grow and focus on what matters most in my next role.”

He tried it in his next interview. He got the offer.

The words mattered. But what mattered more was the shift in energy. He was clear. Calm. Direct.

2. Focus on the Future

Alex came to me with an impressive résumé but no offers. When I asked him to practice answering “Tell me about yourself,” he spent most of it talking about his former boss.

I told him it sounded like he was talking about an ex on a first date.

He laughed, but he got it. He hadn’t moved on.

Together, we rewrote his story to center his own voice, values, and vision. Instead of clinging to the past, he started speaking from where he wanted to go.

Once he did, people listened. The energy shifted. And so did the outcomes.

3. Own Your Story

Dana had co-founded a startup and was asked to step down by her co-founder. The fallout was painful.

Months later, she returned to interviewing. Things were going well until someone asked her how she felt about stepping into a role with less responsibility.

Dana panicked. She didn’t even remember how she answered. But she knew she lost them.

In coaching, we didn’t start with her interview response. We started with her actual story.

• What did she want next?

• What had she learned?

• What values were non-negotiable?

She realized she wasn’t afraid of a smaller title. She was afraid of being in a role where her voice wasn’t respected.

That insight changed everything.

In her next interview, she said, “Stepping away helped me realize I’m most energized when I’m building something with people I trust. That’s what I’m looking for next.”

That landed. Because it was true.

You Don’t Need a Perfect Story

After I was let go, I felt a mix of shock, sadness, and relief. It wasn’t what I wanted. But it turned out to be what I needed.

That experience clarified what I care about, how I lead, and why I coach.

Now, when someone asks me why I left my last role, I don’t fumble.

I say something like, “I was let go last year, and while it was a hard moment, it helped me get clear on what I want to build next. That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing now.”

Simple. Honest. Forward-looking.

The Story You Tell Yourself Is the Story They’ll Believe

Before your next interview, take time to get clear on what happened, what it taught you, and what you want now. Not for their sake—for yours.

When you believe your story, you can tell it without fear.

And when you own your story, you build trust without trying so hard.

You don’t have to fake confidence.