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Direct recruiters for the company itself have never asked me this, but how would you answer in case it pops up?
Staffing agencies often ask this. If you tell them and they're among the bad ones, they'll just try to mine those companies for positions to fill and never get back to you. One suggestion was more honest ones should say something like... "I'd like to submit you to X Company; have you already been submitted there?". Nice thing about this is if they tell you something suspicious like "someone just beat you to it" or "they're doing final interviews on some good candidates", at least you can call the company and find out if it's true (sort of like reverse reference).
if you try to tell them to go this way, they may decry that it's too much work to ask you on an individual basis, but you have to (or at least should) keep updating them anyways, so it really shouldn't be a fuss.
Staffing agencies are mostly crooks these days that are just mining for information. I'm usually vague, or just list some big, believable employers in the area. The head-hunter won't know any different, and if they start pressing me on it, they clearly are more interested in that than actually trying to find me a job. And in all my years of being in the workforce, I can only only think of 1 staffing company that ever actually made good on their word and at least got me an interview - that's it. The rest have all been totally worthless or nothing but information miners or would-be identity thieves.
A couple of things come to mind if an actual company recruiter/HR asks:
They want to know how fast they would have to move with you. If they like you, they may have to offer you something quick.
They want to gauge the level of offer they have to give candidates. If candidates may/will have several offers, the company has to make sure it gives it's "best offer."
Obviously, you are correct about external recruiters/head hunters. The issue is that many of them are not that good, as such they won't tell you much about the client until they got you in a headlock.
The better external recruiters/head hunters will usually tell you up front, usually in the first exchange. And they will usually have a good relationship with the hiring company - a lot of placements there and possibly a exclusivity agreement. I can't tell you how many times I have been burned by - "we hired someone internally" or the recruiter just passes you off to HR at the end client. Also, if a crappy recruiter/HH is representing you, and you're not much better than other top candidates, you will be screwed because you have the finders fee attached to your head. In other words, if I had 2 equal candidates in skill and salary expectations, one came directly to me and the other was via a HH, I would take the former.
With staffing agencies, I am either vague or tell them "I am not interviewing with anybody" because they are just trying to find other job leads to solicit their services. If HR/HM asks me this question, I will definitely tell them the names of the companies I am interviewing with (if I am) or that I am talking to a couple of firms in their field (if I am not). They want to know how fast they need to move forward with you. Also, if other firms are talking to you, this makes you a more valuable candidate in their view. Pure psychology.
1. Always ask what company they're working with. If they don't divulge, it's fruitless. They are messing with you. Some will tell you that they're not at liberty to tell you (proprietary reasons).
That is crap. If companies are going the route of using temp services, it's highly likely that ALL or MOST get their foot in the door in this manner. The temp service IS at liberty to tell you.
2. Get it in writing. No verbal commitments of $xx.00 per hour. Read before you sign. A two year contract position? Better make sure it's in your best interest. Many are 90 days temp to hire. Anything more than that deserves severe scrutiny.
3. Make damn sure that they're NOT AT THE LIBERTY of transferring you to another company in the middle of an assignment. If they do, it should be at your request.
Staffing agencies are mostly crooks these days that are just mining for information. I'm usually vague, or just list some big, believable employers in the area. The head-hunter won't know any different, and if they start pressing me on it, they clearly are more interested in that than actually trying to find me a job. And in all my years of being in the workforce, I can only only think of 1 staffing company that ever actually made good on their word and at least got me an interview - that's it. The rest have all been totally worthless or nothing but information miners or would-be identity thieves.
^ ^ ^ TRUE. They are just hoping to slip that question in casually - and expecting you to possibly drop the names of companies with which they do not have contracts - so they can figure out who has openings they can try to fill (on a straight commission basis).
Just don't answer. Or say - "that's confidential."
If they have a legitimate reason to know, they’ll tell. If they don’t, they’ll either hem and haw or they use the “I’m not at liberty to say.” If either’s the case, then simply state that you are more interested in discussing the job which they are offering than you are in discussing your work search.
They’ll either hang up or the “job” that they are offering will suddenly not be available.
I always tell them I am interviewing with other companies, even when I am not. Makes me look more desirable.
+ 1. So if company X asked which specific companies, I reply that I am not comfortable revealing that information. And if pushed I go to telling them that it's about confidentiality, that if other organizations asked if I were interviewing with company X, I would not reveal that either. That helps them to "get it" and helps them appreciate my position, so they stop pushing.
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