Every interview starts with questions like “Tell us about yourself” or “Walk me through your resume“. They open up the interview candidates. Then, conversations go towards exploratory questions like “What are your hobbies?” or “What are your strengths and weaknesses“. How you respond to them determines how your interview will flow. If your interview keeps moving smoothly through this phase, you may come across a rather tricky interview question, “Are you applying for other jobs?” If you come across this question, take it as a positive sign for your progress in the interview!
Generally, when interviewers are interested in any candidate they will ask this question.
This is a common interview question that especially trips most freshers or those early in their careers. They are trying to get the best company and the most attractive offer from various job opportunities they have applied for. There is a natural fear in their minds with the worrisome feeling, “What if my answer costs me this job opportunity?”.
However, anyone can confidently answer this question and impress the interviewer with a bit of preparation. You want to get to the depth of why interviewers ask this question, how to plan your answer and the do’s / don’ts of answering this question.
When asked about other job applications while in an interview, it can be off-putting, and – depending on how you handle it – you might come across as someone desperate for a job or an overconfident candidate!
Hiring managers are interested in what other companies you’re applying to for a few reasons. For example, they might desire to assess the competition, determine how serious you are about the company, or even estimate their chances of landing a good applicant.
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Here’s what you need to know about how to answer the “are you applying for other jobs” interview question as a fresher.
1. 10 Similar Questions by interviewers about other offers
2. 6 Reasons why interviewers ask this tough interview question
3. Is it OK to tell interviewers about other job offers?
4. 4 Tips to answer this effectively
5. 6 Examples of an effective sample answer
7. 4 Critical Mistakes to Avoid
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Similar Questions to “Are you applying for other jobs?”
There are several ways in which the interviewers will ask you this question to understand your position.
1. Are you interviewing with other companies?
2. What other companies are you interviewing with?
3. Have you had any other interviews?
4. Have you applied for any other jobs?
5. Have you attended an interview before?
6. Have you attended any interview before?
7. Why do recruiters ask if you have other offers?
8. What other opportunities are you considering at this moment?
9. Why are you looking for another offer when you already have one?
10. Are you placed in any other company?
Let us learn what to say if an interviewer asks about other offers!
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Related Article: Why do you want to work for this organization? or Why do you want this job?
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6 Reasons why interviewers ask “Are you Applying for other Jobs”?
Before we get into the possible reasons behind this interview question, remember this. Interviewers ask this question mainly to the most deserving candidates for a job opportunity! So, if you face this question, you have done fairly well in the interview process.
There are a few reasons why an interviewer might ask if you’re applying for other jobs.
1. They may be trying to gauge your level of interest in the position
Freshers or those who are in first few years of their career, tend to apply for various job opportunities which are sometimes in different industries as well. So, the interviewer wants to know how much interest you really have in their job offer or their company. Check out the following related article to get a deeper grasp of this topic:
Related Question: What do you know about our company?
2. They may want to know how quickly they need to release an offer letter.
Good interview candidates are generally in demand in the market. They apply for multiple companies and their hiring process tends to be accelerated. This means, it is quite possible that many companies tend to give them an attractive offer, in order to hire them quickly.
This is why, the interviewers want to ensure that if they find a good candidate, their probability of getting him or her onboard is highest. This involves providing the offer letter in quikest time before the competition does the same.
3. They want to know that you are genuinely interested in the position, and not just applying for any job that comes your way.
Many good candidates can be casual or clueless while applying for jobs. The hiring process can be expensive for companies. So, the interviewers want to ensure that they hire the candidates who are specifically interested in them.
Clarity of your thinking while applying for any job position is appreciated in general by the interviewers.
4. They may also be trying to gauge their competition.
Interviewers are looking for the details you provide them, which can enable them to understand the competition they have.
Based on the quality of candidates and the kind of companies they are interviewing for, interviewers can customize winning offers. This way, they have an upperhand in scooping up the candidate before their competition does.
5. The interviewer also asks this question to get a sense of what type of jobs you’re looking for.
The type of jobs you apply for shows your inclination. It is important for them that their job opportunity is in line with your natural interest and inclination.
6. They want to have an objective view of your quality and confidence
A good candidate will be desired by multiple companies and will generally be interviewed by many. Such candidates tend to get multiple offers.
So knowledge of such things gives the interviewers a confidence in their choice of any applicant, before they toll out the final offer.
It can be helpful to be transparent with the interviewers and let them know that you’re actually applying for other jobs. This shows that you’re proactive and are interested in finding the best possible opportunity.
However, it’s also essential to maintain a positive attitude and express your interest in this specific job. After all, the interviewer wants to hire someone enthusiastic about the position and isn’t just looking for any job.
Mentioning jobs you’ve applied for and been rejected from isn’t a good idea because your response should make the employer want to hire you, not question why you haven’t been offered a position elsewhere – as a candidate, you must make yourself as appealing as possible.
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Is it OK to tell the interviewer about other job interviews?
It is generally not a good idea to tell the interviewer about other interviews and how they went. However, there are quite a few exceptions to this rule.
Suppose you have already been offered the job and are just waiting for the final offer letter. In that case, it is usually ok to tell the interviewer that you have received an offer from another company and are waiting for their decision. This shows that you are in high demand and are a good choice for the job offered.
If you have interviewed with multiple companies and have not yet accepted any offers, you can tell the interviewer that you have interviewed with other companies. This shows that you are serious about finding a job and that you are interested in their company.
However, if you have already accepted another job offer, telling the employer about this is not a good idea.
Also, don’t give out the names of the companies you’ve been interviewed for.
It is best to keep your answers somewhat open-ended and state that you’ve applied for a small number of other jobs without naming any specific firms.
Ensure that you clarify that this is your chosen career path and it truly stood out to you as something you could see yourself doing long term.
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4 Tips to Answer “Are you applying for other jobs?” Effectively
There are a few things to keep in mind when answering this question:
1. Be honest
Interviewers know that all the good candidates interview for multiple jobs and tend to get good offers.
Don’t say you’re not applying for other jobs if you are. It’s important to be honest when you’re job searching.
If you say you’re not applying for other jobs, but you are, it will reflect poorly on your character and could damage your credibility. Be truthful about your job search status, but keep your response a big vague.
2. Keep your answer short and crisp
Hiring managers don’t want to hear long-winded explanations. The key here is to be confident and brief in your response. Hiring managers are looking for candidates who are sure of their career choices and can communicate them succinctly.
By being too wordy, you risk coming across as unsure or insincere. So, if you’re asked this question in an interview, take a deep breath and give a confident, straightforward answer.
3. Make sure to emphasize why you’re interested in the job you’re interviewing for
47% of the candidates are rejected because they didn’t research the job role properly. Employers want to know why you’re interested in the job you’re interviewing for. They want to know that you’ve done your research and that this job is a good fit for you.
So be sure to emphasize why you’re interested in the job and what makes you a good fit for the role after saying that you have been interviewing for other opportunities.
If you can show that you understand what the company is looking for and have the skills and experience they need, you’ll make a great impression.
Ples this shows your thoroughness and confidence.
4. Express gratitude
A person who shows gratitude is always seen positively. It is a sign of humbleness.
If a good candidate is talking about his other offers or interviews, there is a chance of him or her compnig across as overconfident or arrogant. But, when you express gratitude you ensure that such misinterpretation of your nature does not happen.
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6 Effective Samples for Are you applying for other jobs Best Answer
Here, we will consider various scenarios while answering this tough interview question.
1. When You’re Interviewing for other Competitors
If you are interviewing for competitors, consider yourself to be in a position of strength while answering this question. It shows that you are in demand for similar roles in other companies, which the interviewer has a certain amount of respect for.
If you are comfortable, mentioning a couple of them may just pack more punch to your answer.
“Yes, I am applying for other jobs. I have a couple of interviews coming up soon with Microsoft and Google. However, I feel that, based on what I know, this role has all of the challenges I’m searching for in my next position.”
2. When You’re Interviewing in Other Industries
As a fresher or someone in first 5 years of career, it is totally understandable that you may have applied for roles in different industries with different roles. You are figuring out the right career path and the most rewarding job opportunity for yourself.
However, to an interviewer, it can come across a s a sign of lack of clarity in your thinking. You will appear less serious and more in exploration mode. This can dramatically reduce your chances of getting selected.
So it is best to talk about the other positions which are similar in nature and responsibilities. That way, the interviewer can see your focus.
Here is how you can answer …
“So far I have applied and giving interviews for 3 other positions software sales. I like the ability of selling ideas or concepts which may not be completely tangible. It requires good storytelling and analyzing the prospects pains! There are so many areas in software sales to grow in! It excites me ..”
3. When You’re Not Interviewing Anywhere Else
In this situation you want to ensure that the interviewer does not get an impression that you are not getting any interview calls.
Also, you want to show your specific area of interest while choosing to apply for their job opportunity.
“I’m still pretty early in my job search, so I haven’t applied for too any other jobs yet. However, I’ve been doing a lot of research, and I’m keeping my options open. I plan to apply for those jobs that would allow me to apply my abilities in customer success to help educate clients, which is why I applied here as well. I feel this position is a good fit for what I’m looking for. It naturally motivates me.”
4. Marketing or social media sample answer
“I have 2 other interviews scheduled with other companies in the industry. I appreciate the opportunity to interview with your company, and I thank you for giving me the time to come in. Your job role has interested me the most, and I’m particularly looking forward to the challenges in the company’s social media department.“
5. Accounting sample answer
“I’m not currently looking for work with any other firms since I want to focus on getting a position with yours. However, I’ve always had a knack for numbers, and I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of my internship. Also, as someone who banks with you, I know that the level of service you provide is excellent.”
6. Work as soon as possible answer
“To be honest, I have applied for many positions. I’d like to work as soon as possible. But it does not mean that I will attend every interview scheduled for me. Typically, I do my research thoroughly about the firm and the position before deciding. However, being here today, I’m interested in learning more about this job role.”
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[ Must Read before Next Interview – 20 Strong Examples of – Tell me about yourself for Fresher Sample Answer ]
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4 Critical Mistakes to Avoid
Here are a few tips to avoid mistakes when answering the question:
1. Don’t lie
If you’re applying for other jobs, be honest and say so. Lying about it will only make things worse in the long run. You want to seem desirable, and your job search appears to be progressing well. That’s probably the essential thing you can do in your response, right after proving to them that their role is a good fit for what you’re searching for in general.
2. Don’t be defensive
If the interviewer asks if you’re applying for other jobs, it’s because they want to know if they need to start looking for a replacement. So avoid getting defensive and try to stay calm and professional.
3. Don’t give a long answer
When asked this question, there’s no need to go into long-winded explanations about why you’re looking or why you’re interested in other positions. Instead, just give a concise and clear answer.
4. Don’t reveal the names of other companies
It’s always best to be discreet when job hunting and not let current employers know that you’re looking for a new job.
There are a few reasons why it’s important not to reveal the names of other companies. First, your current interviewer may see it as a sign of disloyalty and may terminate your candidacy.
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Conclusion
If you’re in the midst of your job search, it’s important to be prepared for questions that will be asked future job interviews.
While you should always be truthful, there are ways to answer this question that will make you look good. We have given 6 such examples to answer this question effectively.
Whether you choose to reveal the specifics of your job search or not is your choice. It is essential to avoid lying to a possible future employer.
Whatever information you decide to offer, present it in such manner so that it does not impact a recruiter’s first impression of you.
We hope our tips have helped, and we welcome you to contact us if you have any additional questions. Good luck with your job hunt!
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