Towards the end of the interview, interviewer 1 asked "Why didn't you apply to the other department (in Company A) that's offering a job that's a closer fit to your experience?'. I said I would have applied to the other vacancy in addition to the one I was interviewing for if I knew of it. "Why didn't you go back to Company I?". "Global hiring freeze", I replied. Then he popped the impossible question, that is, a question one cannot answer impartially. This question is in the league of the movie cliche where the wife/girlfriend asks the husband/boyfriend, "Am I fat?" or "Do you find that girl over there attractive?".
He asked, "If we offer you a job, and so does the other department and Company I, which will you prioritize?". Without batting an eyelid, I answered truthfully of course (I'm not revealing what I said here!) , but say you, the reader, were asked this question and this department/company were not your first choice, would you risk telling the truth?
I wonder if they really expected an honest answer. Any sane person who wants to maximize his/her chances of getting a job offer will give the golden answer, i.e. "Your department first, then the other department, finally Company I". Is this just formality?
1 comment:
There's never any reason to lie on this question. One reason is because recruiters have been in your shoes before but mostly because they've probably interviewed a lot people before you.
If you've put some thought into this question and answered honestly and rationally there is no reason your chances will be lowered. FYI when I interviewed at Altera I had interviews for both the PE group and IP. Was offered both jobs even when I said I'd rather work in IP because of the job fit.
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