In a job interview, is it ever all right to ask the interviewer why the person previously in the position is no longer there?

I recently heard on the radio that a friend of mine resigned her position as president of one of the largest women's organizations in the U.S, citing "irreconcilable differences." When I heard the news, my thoughts went immediately to the day when she told me she accepted the position.

A few years ago, we were at the health club where we both worked out. She told me she accepted the position and that she would be moving to Washington D.C. shortly. Since I was familiar with the organization since the early 1980's, I knew that the original president had only stepped aside less than a year before, and another president was named at that time. I thought to myself that the new president's departure seemed so soon.

After congratulating her, I asked, "Do you know why the previous president left the organization?"

She replied, "Jane Doe?" (Right...not her real name!)

I said, "Yes."

She said, "No, I don't."

It was then that my intuition clicked into high gear. Still, because she had already accepted the position, I backed off from questioning her further. However, my thoughts were something like this: Did the previous president leave because the responsibilities of the position, combined with her personal responsibilities, were too much? Did her husband's employer transfer his job to another part of the country? Or did Jane Doe leave the position because she and the board of directors could not work something out between them?

I also remember thinking that, if I was offered that position, I would want to ask each of my interviewers, in person, why the previous president left. First, I would want to see his or her facial expression and body language while answering the question. Second, I would want to "file in my mind" their answers and ponder their responses for a few days.

My hunch was that the previous president left because of a serious problem or issue that could not be worked out.

Since the timing of my friend's departure from the organization was during an election year, which is critical for this organization, I knew that she didn't resign lightly. This organi- zation has an executive director position, and that person runs the day-to-day business of the organization. The president is the chief spokesperson, tapes a daily radio show, and appears on the organization's behalf on television shows such as CNN's Crossfire.

So, does she regret taking the position at all? The jury is still out on that one, since I have not had the chance to talk with her as of this writing.

A reader of The Business Express took a new position several months ago. She was a candidate for the same position about a year before, but wasn't given an offer at the time. When they made the offer to her almost a year later, she accepted, but with reservations. After working at the new job for just a few weeks, she found out why they could not keep people in the position. Her position is "lended out" to projects within the company. While her boss was fine, a particular project manager was not fine. This project manager crossed trust boundaries time and time again. My friend started to speak up about the situation to her boss, and I encouraged her to keep doing so. Finally, they gave her a new project.

Sometimes, the position you interview for is a new "growth" position and you would not be replacing someone who left. In these interview situations, you just have to go with your gut.

About 10 years ago, I interviewed for a new "growth" position in a competing company. During the interview, there was just something about the manager that I didn't like. (Let's call him John Smith.) I recall that, instead of answering questions I asked, John answered questions I didn't ask. There was also something hidden about him that I couldn't put my finger on at the time. Well, the job involved more travel than I wanted, so during the drive back to my office, I decided that I didn't want the job. When I got back to the office, I saw one of my co-workers who liked to travel, and I mentioned that he might really like this job at the competing company.

He replied, "I don't think so. That would mean working for John Smith, and he's a @$%#!"

I said, "Oh. You know John Smith?"

He said, "Yeah. I worked with him at another company. I don't want to work with him again."

Score another point for intuition.

Getting back to my original question, is it all right to ask your interviewer why the person previously in the position left the company? Yes. It is. Please do it. It's your life, for crying out loud! As the interviewer answers your question, if he or she squirms, gets beads of sweat on the forehead, or cannot look you in the eyes, take some time to assess if you really want the position. Go with your gut.

2006 Borgeson Consulting, Inc.