New year, new you, new job? How to tackle burnout in your job interviews

As we step into the new year, some of us might be thinking about what’s next - whether it’s finding a new job or navigating the uncertainty after being made redundant. For those who’ve experienced burnout, though, the idea of job hunting can feel daunting. How do you talk about burnout with potential employers? And how do you ensure you don’t fall into the same trap in your next role?

This has come up often in ROW’s 100 Conversations About Burnout project, so we decided to dig deeper.

Amanda Law, a recruitment expert with over 16 years of experience in the UK and New Zealand, shares her thoughts on this sensitive issue. Having experienced burnout and job loss herself, Law understands firsthand how challenging this process can be.

"In my entire career, I've never had a candidate explicitly mention burnout as their reason for leaving a job," Law says.

This silence reflects the ongoing stigma surrounding burnout in professional settings. However, she points out that candidates often mention taking breaks or time off for personal reasons – a subtle way to address the issue without directly using the word 'burnout.'