Most likely they wanted to know how long you worked at that particular job.
When you're young and just starting your working career, employers know that you won't have been at any particular job very long. As you get older, it helps if you have more time put in at any particular job.
Think of it from their point of view: If an applicant has changed jobs every year or less, they probably won't stick around very long, and you'll be trying to hire and train a new person again in the near future. (Obviously, this doesn't pertain to seasonal or temp jobs.)
When I was a senior in high school, this point was really driven home to me. We had a mock interview with the Principal for an assistant position. One question was something about how long the interviewee planned to stay in the area. One girl said that she and her "husband" (the role was for a young newly married woman to apply for the job) would like to stay in the area for a couple years, "but then they'd most likely be moving on."
The Principal looked at her and said, "So in two years, I'll have to go through the hassle of trying to find another assistant?"
When you're young and just starting your working career, employers know that you won't have been at any particular job very long. As you get older, it helps if you have more time put in at any particular job.
Think of it from their point of view: If an applicant has changed jobs every year or less, they probably won't stick around very long, and you'll be trying to hire and train a new person again in the near future. (Obviously, this doesn't pertain to seasonal or temp jobs.)
When I was a senior in high school, this point was really driven home to me. We had a mock interview with the Principal for an assistant position. One question was something about how long the interviewee planned to stay in the area. One girl said that she and her "husband" (the role was for a young newly married woman to apply for the job) would like to stay in the area for a couple years, "but then they'd most likely be moving on."
The Principal looked at her and said, "So in two years, I'll have to go through the hassle of trying to find another assistant?"
My advice is to do the best you can to be a good employee, wherever you work.
