If something better comes along, would you take it? (applying, interview, degree)

[aparker2005]

This is a question I was asked during my peer interview Thursday and had me wondering if I answered it "right".

I was applying for an ER Admissions job at my hospital. I have a Bachelors in Marketing, and a Marketing Assistant job will be available at the hospital soon that I applied for. The lady said with my degree, should they hire me right away, if something bigger comes along would I take it?

I answered I more than likely would, but I would take this job into consideration before jumping the gun. They told me if I was hired immediately and the Marketing Assistant job came open 2 weeks later, I'd have to wait 6 months to be able to apply for it internally.

The interviewer said she understood and she would do the same thing if she were in my shoes, and thanked me for answering honestly. I just hope this didn't put me out of getting the job, but what do people expect nowadays?

[Charles]

Tell them what they want to hear without looking like a dork now or later.

[Hopes]

I'd avoid answering the question directly.

I'd say "I'm looking forward to spending time in an entry level position to get a feel for the institution bla bla bla" without committing to anything one way or another.

She said she appreciated your honesty. Even if you had lied, she would have known the truth.

If she doesn't want someone over-qualified, she wouldn't hire you regardless of your answer because she already knows you are over-qualified.

But you have honesty on your side. Maybe that will prevail.

[FinkieMcGee]

I'd ask them what they meant by "something better". There are always a lot of factors involved in a new place. Maybe a job might be a promotion, but the atmosphere would be horrific, in which case I personally wouldn't take the bigger job.

[Hopes]

Good point, FinkieMcGee. It's often best to answer a question with a question when not wanting to commit to an answer.

[Stumbler.]

I'd say "of course". Because, the meaning of something better itself already implies that it's something that logically would mean a preferred choice.

If it were good in some ways but bad in others so that the bad outweighed the good so that I wasn't willing to switch, I'd not call it something better.