Career Change Motivations
When hiring for a management or executive-level role, one of the most important things to discern from candidates who are interviewing is their career change motivations. Both their motivation for leaving their current position and their reason for interest in the position they are interviewing for.
Sometimes this is not an easy thing to determine, especially when everyone’s answer will likely be vague and shielded, as they are aware that any response will be assessed and analyzed by the interviewer, and will register as a plus or minus in their column of strengths and weaknesses.
So how do you accomplish this? The answer is simple: just ask the right questions. Easier said than done, of course, because “the right question” will differ depending on the candidate and the type of position they are interviewing for, among other factors.
Unhappy & Indifferent:
Our current data suggests that 20%-25% of executives and managers are unhappy with their current position, with a further 12%-25% report a neutral response, suggesting that they are indifferent about their current role, resulting in a substantial percentage of managers and executives not content in their current leadership position.
Even if a manager or executive states they are content or indifferent, they can still be grouped in the “unhappy” category in terms of retention, as it is very likely that everyone in the “indifferent or content” groups do not have the buy-in needed to retain them long term.
Motivation for Leaving Current Position:
“What is your motivation for leaving your current position?”
Career change motivations will tell the Hiring Manager a lot about why the candidate is looking to move, and will also tell them quite a bit about their personality, ethics, current work culture, and their overall motivations behind their reason for wanting to leave.
Some of the common responses we hear from managers and executives regarding their motivation for leaving their current position are as follows:
- I’m seeking opportunities for growth that are not available in my current position.
- I don’t like the current company culture, and don’t feel that it aligns with my professional goals.
- I’m looking to move closer to family and friends, and/or looking to move back to my hometown.
The reasons given by the potential candidates, and the explanation behind those reasons are where the candidate evaluation process truly begins.
“I’m seeking opportunities for growth that are not available in my current position.”
This can tell you a lot about the candidate’s career goals, which helps Hiring Managers interpret if those goals align with that of the employer’s goals for the position we’ve been hired to fill. If there is no opportunity for growth in the open position, it is likely that the candidate, no matter how qualified, won’t be an ideal fit. But, if there is growth opportunity, then this aspect can be leveraged as a recruitment benefit.
“I don’t like the current company culture, and don’t feel that it aligns with my professional goals.”
This can be a double-sided response, as on the one hand, it may say that the company culture at their current position may be fragmented, chaotic, or just bad. However, on the other hand, it may be that the candidate is not compatible with the other personalities held by their co-workers, which is merely a mismatch of personalities, and not necessarily a negative aspect of the candidate.
“I’m looking to move closer to family and friends, and/or looking to move back to my hometown.”
This is typically a more straightforward response, and needs no interpretation from the Executive Recruiter, however it can indicate that this candidate won’t be looking to move again in the near future and could be a good long term fit.
That said, any response given can be a cloak covering more problematic issues, and it is always best practice to get some sort of confirming evidence that larger issues with the candidate are not hiding behind a contrived response.
Reason for Interest In The Current Position:
Discerning career change motivations is also important for Hiring Managers who want to understand the candidate’s reasons for interest in the specific position they are interviewing for.
This tells Hiring Managers quite a bit about the candidate’s career change motivations, particularly why they want the position they are pursuing, and not centered around why they are leaving their current role. By focusing the interview question around how they feel about the open position they are interviewing for, and what specifically they are interested in and excited about, is more effective at determining the candidate’s true motivations.
How candidates answer this question will demonstrate quite clearly if the candidate will be a good fit for the open position, both in terms of being best-suited for the role and if the candidate will fit within the company culture and be compatible with the other personalities on their team.
Their answers will also provide insight into the candidate’s true motivations for seeking the opportunity, as well as how they view their current role, which will differ quite dramatically from one candidate to another.
By focusing on what aspects of the position they are interested in, it helps the Hiring Manager determine the candidate’s level of interest, and determines if this is their dream job, a rung on their career ladder, or is it merely a way of making a bit more money for them.
Many times hiring questions centered around a candidate’s reason for interest in a particular position will also lead them down adjacent topics that were not part of the original question, but will draw out certain aspects of their professional approach which will shed a lot of light on the type of manager they are, as well as other personality characteristics that are very demonstrative of their style of management, philosophy, ethics, and professional responsibility.
Some of the common responses we hear from managers and executives regarding their reason for interest in a particular position are as follows:
- I’m looking for a flexible work environment.
- I really like the benefits and compensation offered.
- I’m seeking opportunities for growth in my career.
“I’m looking for a flexible work environment.”
One of the most recurring topics that arises when speaking with potential candidates is centered around work-life balance, and the company providing a flexible work environment. Candidate feedback reveals that many executives and managers are looking for the ability to have a hybrid work environment. Whether it’s Monday through Thursday, with a 3-day weekend, or working one to two days per week in the office and three to four at home, the message is crystal clear: people want options, and not everyone wants the same work hour configuration.
“I really like the benefits and compensation offered.”
Second to having a flexible work environment is the benefits package and compensation offered. In years past, compensation drove many executives’ and senior managers’ career change motivations. However, more recently, benefits seem to have overtaken compensation. Executives and managers want not just good benefits, but great ones. More and more companies are offering robust benefit packages that go well beyond basic health care. Health savings plans, long-term incentive programs, stock offerings, education expense accounts, company car, and discretionary expense account are some of the more generous benefit offerings we’ve seen. The number of vacation days has also steadily increased in recent years, with some employers adding additional vacation days to help recruit up-and-coming executives.
“I’m seeking opportunities for growth in my career.”
This is one of the most common things we hear as executive recruiters; it’s almost a given that every candidate wants career growth. Being a small fish in a big pond makes it hard to be seen, and if you don’t travel in the right circles, you’re career growth will likely stall out. So even if candidates are great in their current position, if they want to grow, they will start looking for new opportunities at other companies. Best practice would be to establish a clear succession plan, not just for executives and senior managers, but also for the new shiny star manager, who you know will be a good leader.
Revealing The Career Change Motivations:
By understanding the candidate’s motivation for leaving their current position, along with revealing the candidate’ reason for interest in the open position, Hiring Managers can get a real sense of the candidate’s true career change motivations, which goes a long way toward determine whether or not they are a good fit, and whether or not they should move forward in the consideration process for that particular position.
