Job interviews are supposed to be about qualifications, but sometimes they expose much bigger problems. Many people say interviews have become a preview of workplace dysfunction, and Quora user Thea is proving this to be true after sharing their recent experience: “I told HR I was interviewing elsewhere, and he ended the call. Why?”
Thea went on to share that this was the second round of Zoom interviews for a marketing position. “Everything was going super well until the very end, when he asked, ‘Are you interviewing elsewhere?’ I said yes and mentioned that I was also in later rounds with other companies. And boom! His face instantly changed, and he said, ‘Oh, we prefer to focus on candidates who are genuinely interested in our company.'”
“…Then he adds, ‘In that case, we’ll let you pursue those other opportunities.’ Call ended. Just like that! He didn’t even give me a chance to explain that I was genuinely interested!!! Like, isn’t it normal to talk to multiple companies when job hunting? It’s not like dating one person at a time guarantees commitment, lol. IDK,” Thea concluded on Quora.
Right away, people in the comments pointed out why this kind of behavior is a red flag about a company:
“It just means that they can’t squeeze you to accept their lowball salary offer. So, it was a waste of their time. They’re off to hunt other poor souls. Lucky you!”
“You dodged a bullet there by finding their true colors before it was too late. Maybe the right way to answer is something like, ‘While you’re certainly my first choice because of XYZ, I do believe in managing risk in any project/endeavor and therefore have been interviewing elsewhere as well.’ But, really, anyone who acted as you describe isn’t someone I’d work for anyway.”
“This company is under the probable delusion that there is no competitive market for your skills. The moment they found out that you have possible choices of where to work they know they can’t compete, and so they ended the call (rudely, it seems). It might not feel like it, but you came out ahead in that call. Companies that can’t compete for labor will find themselves struggling to fill their open jobs, and their existing workforce suffers as a result. (If asked, I’d advise any job seeker to honestly respond that they’re interested in this company…and some others. Any employer who thinks they’re the end-all and be-all doesn’t deserve your candidacy.)”
“Some companies know that their offers are not competitive and don’t want the competition. It is best to keep that information close to the vest. If you are asked about applying to other companies or interviewing elsewhere, turn it around on them and ask if they are ready to make an offer. It’s not their business what you are doing in your job search, and it would be foolish for them to think that you are only waiting on them. The fact that they are asking such an ignorant question should be a flag worth noting regarding the company.”
“This has always been very interesting to me. On one hand, I can see that it would be more ‘insulting’ that you are interviewing at multiple places, especially if/when you make it past the first round of interviews. Maybe it could also be seen as ‘we don’t offer enough, so you are looking to get the best deal wherever’ (which is probably true in most cases, but besides the point). Another part of me wants to believe that they might also think they have to offer you more to get you on board, so others in those second-round interviews might be better options financially. However, I really wonder why they don’t try to jump at this. If you can make it past the first round of interviews, you obviously stood out to them in some way. So, why don’t they see this as a positive and try to ‘snatch you’ from the other jobs?”
So, that being said, we want to hear what YOU think are red flags to look out for during a job interview process. Let us know in the anonymous comments form below, and your response may be featured in a follow-up post!