How do you respond to “Why do you want to leave your current job?”?

diney2u: How do you respond to “Why do you want to leave your current job?”?
I am looking for a new job after working for the same company for 10 years. My current employer is not “bad” but is verbally & emotionally abusive. How do I explain why I want to leave without slandering my current employer?

Answers and Views:

Answer by ♥ || Brown Eyed Girl || ♥
DO NOT tell them the truth. You don’t want to bad-mouth your current employer to your potential new employer. Tell them what I say – There’s no room for growth.

Answer by MissDementia
I would just say that you want to explore other career paths with more room for growth and advancement. You’ve been the same place long enough that shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone.

BTW – congrats on being incredibly patient and tolerant. I’ve snapped at employers before when they’ve been verbally abusive. I believe the last time my exact words were (spoken very harshly) “Don’t you DARE ever speak to me that way again.” I worked there for five years and the guy never did it again, either.

Answer by feroluce
Throw in ‘progressing my career’ or ‘room to grow’ and you should be fine.

If you say ‘I feel’ or ‘I think’ before anything you’re worried might be slanderous, it no longer is. An opinion can’t be slander.

Answer by Barbra
With the economy the way it is; looks like you would stay where you are until things get better. There are a lot of jobless people already. The choices are few.
If you do find a really good job, and you do tell them the real answer; it would be terrible if the new boss started doing the same thing.

It’s a shame that you can’t talk to your present boss and get him to let up on the abuse.

Answer by MOTO
Say that you’re looking for a ‘fresh start’ or a ‘new opportunity’. Seems pretty safe…