By asking this question the interviewer is trying to (a) see if you will fit in, (b) see whether you will stay at the company for a suitable period of time, (c) determine if you are worth the company’s investment and (d) find out if there is anything wrong with you. To answer this question, deal with the interviewer’s needs and state your reasons for leaving in a positive context. Potential answer: If you were laid off, show you were just one of many. I joined the company because it was a startup and I would get a lot of opportunities to take on more responsibility quickly. Unfortunately, the rapid shift in the economy left us under-capitalized to properly market what ultimately will be a great product. Ultimately, for the survival of the company, management needed to reduce costs by eliminating the support team of which I was a key member. If you were fired, show that you had a different approach than management. I am a firm believer that all customers deserve the highest ...