Why did you leave your last job?
The FBI will find out why you left your last job during your background investigation, but the interview panel wants to hear directly from you what happened. The interviewer wants to determine if you were fired, furloughed, or gave notice. If you were fired, explain the reason and what you learned from the experience. If you were furloughed, explain what happened to cause you to be laid off, and if you gave two weeks' notice to pursue another job, give your reasons.
Regardless of why you left your last job, avoid speaking poorly of your supervisor or coworkers. If you talk negatively about others, it shows that you are disrespectful and unprofessional, and those are not good traits to have as an FBI Intelligence Analyst.
"I left my last job to concentrate on finishing my bachelor's degree. I was working as a law enforcement officer and decided to pursue a career as an Intelligence Analyst. The hours I worked as an officer wouldn't allow me to obtain my bachelor's as quickly as I wanted, so I gave my notice and went to school full time. I left my position on good terms and received an excellent letter of recommendation from my Sergeant."
"I was laid off from my last job due to budget cuts. The CEO needed to reduce personnel by 30%, and Human Resources chose to let go of the most recent hires. The firm hired me one month before being furloughed, but this unfortunate event allowed me to pursue my dream career working for the FBI."
