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In a nutshell, I did some self-reflection and realized my former employer's product and mission bored me out of my mind and I would never have any passion for it. I opted to resign/quit to pursue industries that have products that I admire (currently looking at luxury automakers, health and fitness, or defense industry).
In my cover letter, I would like to articulate on why I am currently unemployed as I know it will come up based on the November 2016 end date on my resume.
Should I dedicate a sentence to it in my cover letter to preempt employers assuming worst case scenarios (fired, forced out, etc.) or should I not even mention it? How would you bring it up if you chose to include it?
I was thinking of something along the lines of:
"In November 2016, I made a personal decision to turn the page on my nine-year career in the ******* industry to <blank blank blank blah blah>. "
I don't think I would address it in the cover letter at all. As you note it will probably come up in the interview. I think it would be a distraction in the cover letter where you should be explaining why you are perfect for the job for which you are applying.
No, don't address any potential negatives in your cover letter, that should be a summary of your experience and why you are a good fit for the role.
If and when you are asked about it during an interview, I would suggest stating that you had decided to quit because it was time for you to move on and that you couldn't properly job search while putting in 40+ hours per week and that you had set enough aside to sustain yourself financially for a long period of time.
Have you been doing anything in the past four months?
If it becomes much longer and you aren't doing anything besides looking for work, you might want to start your cover letter with something like "After taking some time to reflect on my true passions, I have found that I am truly passionate about your company and your product, and I would be a great fit for the position X." or "After taking some time to recharge my energies, I am ready to take on the challenge of X job!"
But for now, I'd just address it in your interview. Particularly as you quit right before the holidays, one could easily imagine that you waited until after the holidays to start your job search and are still looking.
Agree with others. Address it if comes up, and be prepared to put a positive spin on it. Leave it out of your cover letter and let your experiences speak for you.
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