http://work.chron.com/should-say-asked-previous-employers-32...
> A prospective new employer may ask you why you left your previous job and what you liked and didn’t like about your employer. This line of questioning is designed not only to learn more about you and your professional history but also to find out about how you’re likely to characterize your new job in the future. If you talk poorly or complain, it sends a red flag that you are unprofessional and lack company loyalty.
If a company expects me to lie in the future about my potential bad experience, it would not be a company I would work for. Sure, just "bitching" and whinery complaining ... no, nobody likes that and people who do that. But why should a company get my loyality, if they are indeed bad?
See also the other reply, but I seriously don't see why that would be bad for my (imaginary) company, unless I want to hide, that my company is indeed "bad"
> This is like saying you should tell everybody about the trouble you have in your marriage - because "truth" And no it is not. You don't tell everybody, but your close friends - because they are interested and might be able to help
And having a potential employee telling honestly you, what he did not like at his former place, is a very good context for useful information, to find out, if he fits.
Because if he didn't liked it for example, that in the last company they expected results ... than you know, that he probably won't fit in your place as well.
But if he tells you, that they focused much more on formalities, than on results, then you maybe say "welcome home", we also like more the latter ...