Please help: Failed probation, how to address "reason of leaving"?

Question

Dear community,

I am facing an unfortunate situation where I have been informed that I will not pass my probation at my current company. Given that I have switched roles frequently in the past, I would like your advice on how to address the question, “Why did you change jobs frequently?”

Throughout my career, I have switched jobs several times. In the first half of my career, I moved between different functions and companies primarily to broaden my skill set. After transitioning into consulting, I initially joined a company with fast-track promotions. However, during COVID-19 and up to now, I have had two unpleasant experiences: I was laid off from Company B (following a firm-wide unpaid leave) after 1 year, and now have not passed probation at Company C. I believe both situations were partially driven by industry downturns, especially in the case of Company B. I was very shocked by not passing probation, as I had consistently received feedback that I was “on track.”

In my future interviews, assuming I am interviewing with consulting firms and for corporate strategy roles, would you recommend that I be frank about the reasons for leaving my last two roles?

One option would be to frame both as voluntary departures and cite reasons such as family matters or other “pull factors,” like project pipeline issues. The second option is to be honest and state that I left involuntarily. While I feel I can defend myself (e.g., stating it was not a performance issue but rather a company issue), I fear this might backfire and cause interviewers to doubt my performance. On the other hand, if I choose the first option, interviewers might feel that I am not being honest or view me as unstable, thinking that I hop jobs at will.

I would greatly appreciate any advice you could provide so that I can successfully find my next role.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi there and sorry about the situation.

Indeed, the market environment has driven a lot of these positions being cut at consulting companies (that might have otherwise not happened).

To your questions: first of all it could very well happened you will not be “grilled” on the reasons of departure. I can of course not guarantee that and you are doing very well to prepare yourself for such questions, but from my personal experience people ask why, but they don't insist. So it might not be as bad as you imagine.

Which then gives you the opportunity (and where you should put most of your prep focus) on what you want to do next - aka, the rationale for your current application with the company you would be interviewing. This is the positive spin to your story you should be focusing both your preparation, but more importantly the time in the interview.

This does not take away the fact that you do need to have an answer prepared in case someone asks you whether you left voluntarily or were let go. In that situation, I would personally not lie, but explain (similar to what you did here, just a tad more structured) the context: you were on track, company probably let go of a high share of the workforce, etc. Keep it brief, last thing you want is to make it sound like a complaining session.

I hope this helps give some perspective.

Wish you good luck,

Ariadna

Answer 2

Hi there,

First of all, I am sorry to hear about your negative professional experiences in the recent past!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

First of all, I would highly advise you to frame your departures in a balanced way. Mention the industry downturns and company issues, but also highlight your adaptability and skillset improvements.
Moreover, be prepared to explain how each role has contributed to your professional growth and how you have overcome challenges.
Lastly, practice articulating your experiences confidently and constructively, focusing on what you have learned and how you are better equipped for future roles.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen