Bump!
I got a query via PM from someone, with the following situation:
-In a job ~4.5 years, had started looking for a similar position elsewhere, as the current workplace was toxic, stressful, and generally mismanaged
-Got a phone interview with a different place, but didn't hear back for a while, figured they were not interested in him
-Wound up quitting the original job for general suckage (finances not an issue)
-Place with the phone interview winds up calling him back after he'd already quit the original place
His questions are:
1). Have I screwed myself on the new job by quitting the original job?
2). How do I talk about having quit the original job?
**
My thoughts are:
1). They already saw your resume and you already had the phone interview. I think you're past the window where not having a current job could be seen as a negative. I think the whole "if you don't have a job, you must be unemployable" thing is horseshit, but regardless you are past the gatekeeper because they saw your resume, talked to you, and want to bring you in for a real interview. You've demonstrated that you're employable. I'm not even sure that you're obligated to tell them that you quit your old job (unless directly asked), your resume was accurate at the time they read it.
2). You don't want to disparage your old employer, as the natural reaction to seeing that is to assume that you'll trash them on the way out the door as well. You might be able to say that you had outgrown it, and were in a position to be able to leave and open yourself up to new challenges. You may also be able to talk about some of the things you learned from that experience tat you could bring to the new position, but do it in such a way that you're not throwing the old employer under the bus.
Very curious for other folks' thoughts on this, especially the second question...