There is a question that makes working professionals sweat more than any other in IIM interviews:
"Why did you leave your last job?"
Or its variants:
- "I see you left Company X after 18 months. What happened?"
- "You have had three jobs in four years. Help us understand."
- "There is a 6-month gap here. What were you doing?"
This question is not about your resume. It is about your judgment, self-awareness, and honesty.
Here is how to handle every scenario.
Why This Question Matters
Panels ask this question to understand:
1. Decision-making patterns: Do you make impulsive decisions? Do you have a pattern of running away from challenges?
2. Self-awareness: Can you honestly assess situations and your role in them?
3. Professionalism: Can you discuss former employers without bitterness or blame?
4. Fit prediction: Will you leave the IIM program if things get hard? Will you struggle in placements?
Your answer reveals more about your character than your actual reason for leaving.
The Framework: Acknowledge-Pivot-Forward
Every answer should follow this structure:
Acknowledge: State the reason clearly and briefly. Do not hide or deflect.
Pivot: Explain what you learned or how your thinking evolved.
Forward: Connect to your MBA goals and future plans.
This framework turns any departure into a growth story.
Script 1: You Were Laid Off
This is increasingly common. Companies restructure. Startups fail. Recessions happen.
Bad Answer:
"The company had layoffs. I was one of the people let go. It was not my fault—the entire team was dissolved."
This sounds defensive and does not show any reflection.
Good Answer:
"My role was eliminated when the company restructured its operations after the funding environment changed. Initially, I was disappointed—I had strong performance reviews. But it taught me something important: individual performance does not insulate you from organizational decisions. This experience clarified my MBA motivation. I want to move into roles where I understand the broader business context, not just my functional silo. An MBA will give me that general management perspective."
Why it works:
- Honest about the situation
- Shows reflection rather than bitterness
- Connects to MBA goals
- Demonstrates maturity
Script 2: You Quit Because of a Toxic Workplace
This is tricky. You cannot badmouth former employers. But you also should not pretend everything was fine.
Bad Answer:
"My manager was terrible. There was no work-life balance. The culture was toxic. I had to leave for my mental health."
Never say this. It makes you sound like a complainer who might say the same about IIM.
Good Answer:
"I realized there was a mismatch between my working style and the organizational culture. I value collaborative environments where teams solve problems together. The culture there was more individualistic and competitive internally. Rather than trying to change an organization, I decided to find a better fit. This experience helped me understand what I value in a workplace. One reason I am drawn to IIM is the collaborative learning environment I have heard about from alumni."
Why it works:
- Frames as mismatch, not toxic workplace
- Focuses on your preferences, not their flaws
- Shows self-awareness about what you need
- Connects to why you want IIM specifically
Script 3: You Were Asked to Leave (Fired)
The hardest scenario. But honesty here builds more credibility than deception.
Bad Answer:
"There were some performance issues, but honestly, my manager did not like me from the start. The expectations were unrealistic."
Blame-shifting destroys your credibility.
Good Answer:
"I was asked to leave after 8 months. Looking back, I made mistakes in my transition from campus to corporate. I underestimated how different workplace expectations are from academic success. I was technically competent but struggled with stakeholder management and communication. Since then, I have worked on these areas specifically. In my next role, I received positive feedback on exactly those dimensions. An MBA will help me formalize these soft skills and build on this growth."
Why it works:
- Complete honesty about being fired
- Takes ownership without excessive self-flagellation
- Shows specific learning and growth
- Demonstrates that you have improved
Script 4: Short Tenure (Left Before 2 Years)
Panels notice when you leave quickly. It raises questions about commitment.
Bad Answer:
"The role was not what I expected. I wanted more responsibility faster."
Sounds impatient and entitled.
Good Answer:
"I joined expecting the role to involve client interaction, but it turned out to be primarily back-office work. After 10 months, I had an honest conversation with my manager about growth paths. When it became clear the role would not evolve toward my interests, I decided to make a change rather than grow frustrated. I learned an important lesson about asking better questions during interviews and being clearer about expectations. In my current role, I did exactly that, and the fit has been much better."
Why it works:
- Specific reason, not vague dissatisfaction
- Shows you tried to work within the system first
- Demonstrates learning
- Evidence that you applied the learning
Script 5: Career Gap for CAT Preparation
This is common but still requires careful handling.
Bad Answer:
"I took a gap year to prepare for CAT. I wanted to focus completely on getting into a top IIM."
Makes it sound like you could not handle both.
Good Answer:
"After attempting CAT twice while working, I realized I was not giving myself a fair chance. My preparation was scattered, and my scores plateaued at 92 percentile. I made a calculated decision to take 6 months for focused preparation. During this time, I also completed a digital marketing certification and volunteered with an education NGO. The focused time helped me reach 98.5 percentile. More importantly, it taught me about structured goal-setting and resource allocation. I know this is a risk on my resume. I took it with clear exit criteria in mind."
Why it works:
- Acknowledges the gap directly
- Explains the reasoning
- Shows you did not just study (certification, volunteering)
- Demonstrates self-awareness about the risk
- Shows results
Script 6: Multiple Job Changes
If you have changed jobs frequently, expect scrutiny.
Bad Answer:
"Each move was for better opportunities and higher salary."
Sounds like you will leave any job for more money.
Good Answer:
"Looking at my resume, I can see why the job changes stand out. Let me give you context. My first move was from a service company to a product company to gain exposure to building rather than just maintaining. The second move happened when my startup was acquired and the acquiring company's culture was very different. Looking back, I wish I had been more patient with some transitions. This pattern is actually one reason I want an MBA now—to make a more deliberate career decision rather than reactive job changes. I want my next move to be a 10-year career, not another 2-year stint."
Why it works:
- Provides context for each change
- Acknowledges the pattern is not ideal
- Shows self-awareness
- Connects to MBA as a way to break the pattern
General Principles
Never badmouth former employers. Even if they deserve it. It makes you look unprofessional.
Take ownership. Even in layoffs, talk about what you could have done differently or what you learned.
Be specific. Vague answers invite more questions. Specific details build credibility.
Connect to MBA. Every departure story should lead to why you want management education.
Practice out loud. These answers feel awkward the first time. Practice until they feel natural.
What Panels Are Really Looking For
Beyond the specific answer, panels evaluate:
Honesty: Are you being truthful, even when it is uncomfortable?
Maturity: Can you discuss difficult situations without blame or bitterness?
Learning orientation: Did you grow from the experience?
Self-awareness: Do you understand your role in what happened?
Future focus: Are you moving toward something, not just away from something?
If your answer demonstrates these qualities, the specific reason for leaving becomes secondary.
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