Q: My management team is dysfunctional and the culture is terrible. How honest should I be about this in an interview? What should I say when asked my reasons for leaving?

A:  The High Road. It isn’t always easy to take. Particularly if you’re charged with negative emotions about a current or prior employment situation. But in a professional setting such as an interview, taking The High Road is the only option. And those who choose to walk a path with unchecked emotions risk tremendous career downsides. Regardless of how terrible things are: dysfunctional execs, mercurial boss, bad culture, being underpaid or being wronged … talking negatively about the reasons for your departure in an interview will reflect poorly on you. Every time. This negativity also makes a lasting impression on employers about their experience with you as a candidate. A disapproval that could follow you and impact your career—long past this job interview.

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