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I am graduating from college next weekend and I had my first job interview on Wednesday. It is with a large advertising agency (600+ employees) and I met with a lady with their holding company's HR that does their recruiting. I also had an initial phone interview a week prior, where they invited me to come in for this one. They asked me to fill out an application on site.
I thought that the interview went really well. I tried to be as prepared as possible, I went and talked to my professors to get a feel of what questions they may ask. I felt that overall, the interviewer probably could not tell that it was my first interview.
However, I was asked at the very end of the interview what other agencies I was talking to. This really caught me off guard. Why would they want to know this? I am getting even more self conscious about my answer. I told her that I was slowly starting my job search, as I wanted to ensure that I finished my school and finals and did well my last semester. I did tell her that I had an interview next week with another company (same type of job I was interviewing for that day). When I told her that, she told me that they would be going through resumes this week.
Is this a common question asked in interviews?? What is the purpose of it? I just want to be prepared for my interview next week I happen to be asked this again.
Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
4,640 posts, read 11,874,054 times
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Yes, I've been asked that before and, in my experience, it's a screening tool. The interviewer wants to hire someone who really wants to work for that particular company. That question is an opportunity to tell the interviewer about all of the wonderful things about the company that make you want to work there (which you would've uncovered during your research).
It's kinda like a date: you wouldn't tell the person you're currently on a date with that you're meeting someone else later.
If advertising firms are like accounting firms, they probably just want to get an idea if you are a candidate they may have to compete for--then they know for example how fast they need to get back to you if they are interested, etc.
I helped a little with recruiting at my last job, and we were kept in the loop about what candidates had gotten an offer and also if they had gotten an offer with one of our competitors.
Yeah definitely. I just didn't expect this question at all! I have spoken to some of my friends and they have said that they didn't get this question or anything remotely close it in their interviews.
However, I am thinking that it may just be because of the scale of the job I interviewed for. This is one of the larger agencies in the city - and their holding company does their recruiting -- the place I interviewed at also does recruiting for several other agencies in the area.
Either way, I am very nervous by my answer. I didn't want to look like I was desperate for a job, or look like I am just looking for *A* job. I wanted to overall express interest, and show that I am serious about looking for a job in the particular field I applied for.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,105 posts, read 80,190,829 times
Reputation: 56947
As a new graduate it is expected that you will be applying all over. You should answer honestly but tell them (and each other one) that you really want to work for them, not the others that you applied to.
In some cases a good candidate will get a better job offer (salary)
in order to keep them from accepting a position with a competitor,
so this could work in your favor.
I think it can be a positive or a negative. If you tell them you are applying to 10+ places they may think you don't know what you want and are just looking for a job.
If you tell them you are applying to 1 or 2 other places that are similar to the org. you are interviewing with it could reinforce the fact that you are an excellent candidate.
You may have handled it just fine - you let it be known your focus is on successfully completing school and that while you are applying for a FEW jobs, you are in no way mass producing your resume for every company under the sun.
It could show that you are selectively applying for places that you know you want to work at and are qualified to do so - so look at the positives! You may have given them exactly the answer they wanted.
I used to ask that question when I interviewed to learn how active the candidate's search was .... to see if we were needing to make a quick decision about the candidate's fit for our job if s/he was a pretty good fit but maybe we had a hugh field of potential candidates or still hoping for a better match.
Yes, I've been asked that several times. I ALWAYS answer "this is the first company I've had the opportunity to interview with."
If I were interviewing people, I'd leave off this question. Everyone will lie.
Just like "Have you ever been fired or asked to resign?" If you got fired from a job 15 years ago that you didn't even put on your resume, of course you would say "No."
Interviews are really a test to find out who is the slickest candidate, basically who can lie convincingly and get away with it. Everyone lies in interviews and on resumes. If getting the job means food on the table vs. staying unemployed and starving, you will lie too. It's all a big joke.
..... If I were interviewing people, I'd leave off this question. Everyone will lie.
Just like "Have you ever been fired or asked to resign?" If you got fired from a job 15 years ago that you didn't even put on your resume, of course you would say "No."
Interviews are really a test to find out who is the slickest candidate, basically who can lie convincingly and get away with it. Everyone lies in interviews and on resumes. If getting the job means food on the table vs. staying unemployed and starving, you will lie too. It's all a big joke.
Absolutely, and that's a no-brainer. Grade school kids know that one. The funniest thing is that everyone who lies the most or knows others who do, rabidly denies that they lie or others do. Right. And the world is flat. If nobody. I understand they're mad that people get away with lying but that's the way the world works.Always been that way, always will be.Justice is subjective, that's why lawyers lie the most and make the most $. Of course don't tell the moralists that. They've never lied (lie in itself). They've never done anything wrong. Better that one starves...but tells the truth. lol.lol.lol.
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