for W3c validation
Note: as I’m currently evaluating and interviewing for product manager opportunities, I’m publishing many answers to the product, behavioral, business, and life questions I’m researching/practicing publicly rather than keep them private in a Google doc.
Why are you leaving your current role?
Virtually every company asks this one, and it’s no wonder why. They want to know you’re seriously ready for a new job. They want to know they’re not wasting their time with someone who is just playing the field.
I somewhat answered this in the post announcing that I was looking for a full time opportunity — but thought I’d elaborate slightly here.
Oh Hey World, Inc was setup in September of 2012. That’s 5 years legally. In fact, 5 years to the day (Sept 18). However, I spent the 7 months prior to that in full tech startup research and evaluation mode (most of it spent traveling through Southeast Asia speaking to travelers as I went). That means I’ve been working on a “travel startup” for about 6 years (Oh Hey World from 2012-2013 & Horizon from 2014-2017). Yes, I had some stock money from Zillow that helped fund the early OHW journey and yes, we went through Start-Up Chile while building Horizon — but it’s been a damn expensive 6 years for me personally. There’s no denying that.
The honest reality is the stress of not knowing where next month’s money is coming from has worn on me. Kicking my own financial future down the road a little bit longer isn’t sustainable any longer.
I’m ready to take the next step and find a new professional challenge that includes a bit more stability than bootstrapped startups offer.
