Re: Illegitimate Questions?????

[Tom Johnson <johnsont -at- STARCUTTER -dot- COM>]

Ivan asked if a company should ask about other interviews.

They probably aren't the questions I would want to hear, but I can see
where they might help an interviewer get some good background information.
(I'm assuming you meant interviewer and not interviewee.) It could help
them get a better understanding of the kind of company you would like to
work for, although I can't see a reason why they wouldn't phrase it the way
I did. My guess is that they would like to use that information to be
competitive if they make an offer. If you answer with names of companies
with lots of prestige, then they might figure they have to make a really
good offer or figure they can't compete with the big boys. If you can only
give names of unknowns then you won't have a lot of bargaining power.

What you could say is that you will give them the information as long as
they don't mind you sharing the name of their company with other potential
employers. That would probably bring an end to that topic of discussion
without creating hard feelings.

Tom Johnson
Elk Rapids, Michigan - On the freshwater coast

johnsont -at- starcutter -dot- com     work
thomasj -at- freeway -dot- net          personal


-----Original Message-----

Hi All:

I just had a telephone interview and the interviewee asked me: Are you
interviewing with other companies currently? Who are those companies?

I found these questions completely inappropriate, but rather than lose my
cool I answered politely that I would like to keep that information
confidential so as to protect the other companies.

Am I wrong are those questions legit?

Thoughts anyone.


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