explaining why you want to take a step back in your career

In this increasingly busy world we live in it is not uncommon for people who are older, unemployed, overstressed, balancing family or caring responsibilities or simply tired of working too hard to seek a lower-level position.

If going for an interview for a role which is a step or several steps lower than you previously worked in you may be asked why.  You need to convince the interviewer that you will be fully committed to the role and not just looking for an easy life.

They want to make sure that you fully understand that the salary and responsibilities will be lower than in previous roles and that you are willing to give this up.  They naturally don't want you to get bored or realise that the reduction in salary is too great within a few months.  From a recruiter's point of view that is a bad outcome since recruiting and onboarding a new employee is time consuming and costly.

The best approach is to focus on the attractive elements of your target job so why you are moving towards the lower level job as opposed to moving away from your current higher level role.  

Tip: Make a list of the most appealing aspects of the new role and relate these to your previous roles and what you enjoyed the most.

It can also sometimes be helpful to share more personal reasons why you are interested in a lower-level role e.g. a more manageable schedule or lower stress levels.

An example answer could be
"I am sure you are concerned whether I won't stay in this role long-term.  Actually I am eager to move into this role as I will be able to use the same skills I am using in my current role in a less high-pressure environment.  I like to make a difference to an organisation but would like to step back from some of the high stake stresses of my current role".

Remember to clarify that you are in this for the long haul and how you can add value to the organisation through picking things up faster (show your expertise and qualifications as a plus not a drawback).

You could also strengthen your case further by ending the interview with the question "Are there any concerns you have about my employment that I haven't yet answered?". The key is to alleviate any worries your potential new employer might have.

In conclusion, frame your answer in terms of what is appealing about taking on a lower-level position.

​#lowerposition #careerchange #stepdown