Career Change Interview Questions and Answers (UK): How to Explain Your Move

Changing career in the UK is more common than ever, but the interview can be tough because you have to convince the employer that your experience still counts. The key is to tell a clear story: why you are changing, what you bring and what you have done to prepare.

Explain why you are changing, positively

Keep it focused on what you are moving towards, not what you are escaping. "After ten years in retail management I realised that the part of the job I enjoyed most was analysing sales data. I have completed an analytics course and I want to do that full time."

Identify transferable skills

• Communication and customer handling.

• Leadership and coaching.

• Budgeting and planning.

• Problem solving under pressure.

• Project and time management.

Look at the job advert, pick the three most important skills and match each with an example from your current or past work.

Show you have prepared

Mention courses, certificates, volunteering, shadowing or side projects. This proves your commitment and reduces the employer's risk.

Likely questions

• Why are you changing careers?

• What makes you think you will succeed in a new field?

• How will you cope with starting again?

• What do you know about this industry?

• Why should we hire you over someone with direct experience?

A good answer to "why should we hire you?"

"I bring a mix of experience that direct entrants may not have: five years leading teams, managing budgets and dealing with customers, together with recent training in the technical side. I learn quickly and I am committed to this field."

Be realistic about pay and level

You may need to take a step back in level or pay at first. Be open about it if you are happy to do so and ask about development.

Quick answers

Should I mention my age? No. Focus on skills.

Do I need to retrain first? Not always, but some evidence of learning helps.

Want to practise with questions written for your exact job? Our question bank covers hundreds of UK roles with model answers, and every role has five questions free.

Practise for specific roles

Pick your role: Project Manager, Business Analyst, Administrator.