This question trips up many experienced workers. Here's how to answer it honestly and confidently.
If you are a transfer worker in Singapore, you have probably dreaded this question. A new employer looks at you across a video call and asks: "Why are you leaving your current employer?"
It feels like a trap. Say too little and you seem evasive. Say too much and you worry about sounding difficult. But here is the truth: how you answer this question tells an employer far more about your professionalism than the reason itself.
Employers are not looking for a perfect story
Most experienced employers in Singapore have hired transfer workers before. They know that households change — families relocate, children grow up, care needs shift, or a working relationship simply runs its course. They are not expecting you to have a dramatic reason.
What they are watching for is whether you speak about your previous employer with basic respect, whether you take responsibility for your part in any difficulties, and whether you can stay calm under a slightly uncomfortable question.
A simple, honest answer works best
You do not need to rehearse a perfect script. A straightforward answer might sound like this:
"My employer's children are now in secondary school and no longer need full-time care. The household responsibilities have reduced significantly, so we mutually agreed it was a good time for me to find a new placement where I can contribute more."
Or, if the situation was genuinely difficult:
"The working conditions were not what was agreed when I arrived. I raised the concerns properly, and I am now looking for a household where we can be clear about expectations from the start."
Both answers are honest. Neither is an overshare. Both signal maturity.
What not to say
Avoid speaking badly about a previous employer, even if you have every right to be frustrated. It does not mean you are lying or protecting someone who treated you poorly — it means you are choosing to focus the conversation on your future, not your past. Employers notice this.
Also avoid vague answers like "I just want a change." That raises more questions than it answers.
Prepare before the interview, not during it
Think through your honest answer before the call. Practice saying it out loud. When you sound calm and clear, the employer's anxiety about hiring a transfer worker drops significantly — and so does yours.
At Anisya, transfer workers can connect directly with employers and have real conversations before any commitment is made. The interview is a two-way process, and you deserve to ask questions too.