When candidates ask why a position is open, they're not making small talk. They're trying to figure out if this role is a great opportunity or a toxic situation that chews through people. Your answer matters more than you think, and lying always backfires. Here's how to handle this question honestly without torpedoing your own search.

Tell the Truth, But Frame It Right

If the role is open because someone got promoted, say that. If it's a new position due to growth, say that. These are easy answers. The hard ones are when someone quit, got fired, or the team has high turnover. You can still be honest without oversharing.

"The previous person moved on to pursue other opportunities" is vague but not dishonest. If the candidate pushes for more detail, you can say something like "I don't have all the specifics, but the team is looking for someone who's a strong fit for the role and the culture." That's not lying—it's acknowledging you might not know everything, which is often true.

Don't Make Promises You Can't Keep

The worst thing you can do is paper over legitimate concerns with fake reassurance. If the role has high turnover because the manager is difficult, saying "this is a great team with amazing leadership" will blow up in everyone's face when the new hire figures out the truth in week two.

If you know there are challenges with the role, acknowledge them without dramatizing. "This role requires someone who can handle ambiguity and fast-changing priorities" is honest framing for a chaotic environment. "This manager has high standards and direct communication style" is honest framing for someone who might be difficult. Let candidates self-select out if they can't handle the reality.

Use It As An Opportunity to Set Expectations

Smart candidates ask this question because they want to understand what they're walking into. Use it as a chance to have a real conversation about the role, the team, and the company. If there are legitimate reasons for caution, candidates deserve to know. If there are great reasons to be excited, tell that story compellingly.

"The role is open because we're expanding the team to support a new product line, and we need someone who's comfortable building processes from scratch" gives candidates useful information. "The last person left, but we're really excited about finding the right fit this time" tells candidates absolutely nothing and makes them suspicious.

When the Answer Is Legitimately Bad

Sometimes the role is open for red-flag reasons: toxic manager, unrealistic expectations, budget issues, organizational dysfunction. If that's the case, you have two options: be honest about the challenges and let candidates decide, or acknowledge to yourself that you're recruiting for an impossible situation and adjust your expectations accordingly.

Recruiting for bad roles is part of the job sometimes, but you don't have to lie about it. You can be transparent about challenges while still selling the opportunity for candidates who might thrive despite them. Some people love a fixer-upper situation. Others run. Both responses are valid.

The Bottom Line

Candidates ask why a role is open because they're trying to protect themselves from bad situations. Lying to get them in the door might fill the role short-term, but it creates terrible candidate experience, hurts your reputation, and wastes everyone's time when they quit three months later.

Be honest. Frame things thoughtfully. Don't overshare unnecessarily, but don't lie. Candidates can handle the truth—they just want to know you're being straight with them. Trust builds placements. BS builds turnover.

Answer the question like you'd want it answered if you were the candidate. It's really that simple.