When asked this question during an interview, how is it best to respond?
I am a third year strategy consultant interviewing for finance roles and have heard this a couple of times. If I answer honestly, I feel like it undermines my story a little because, for example, in an ER interview, I make it sound like I'm very focused on breaking into ER. So, to then say I'm also interviewing for mgmt consulting seems incongruous.
Any perspective on this is appreciated.
I would try and mention the other companies in the same industry you're interviewing for. That or change your story so where it doesn't focus on a particular industry, but maybe a set of skills used in that industry.
+1 for letting them know you're interviewing for a small number of firms in the same industry. Will add that it's important to then let them know they're still your first choice because of A, B, C reasons.
Interview Q: Who are you interviewing with at the moment? (My take on it) (Originally Posted: 01/03/2008)
From personal experience I believe you should be very straightforward and not tip-toe around that question. Tell them the truth, they are not idiots.
Be careful about bashing the competition. Whoever is interviewing you might have worked in that bank as well. I remember starting to bash a major BB, and then the interviewer was like: so who did you meet that you didn't like? I made sure to tell him that it was mainly the culture that sucked, and did not bash anybody in particular. It later turned out that the guy spent 10 years at that bank in the past.
I made sure to tell my interviewers who I was in contact with, and who I was interviewing with at the time. I ALWAYS made sure to tell them they were my first choice (It might have been easier for me to say that, considering I was in love with the company before even stepping in it). At the end I was offered an offer as a second year analyst, I was told it is because I will have a masters degree and this is why they are giving me such a generous offer, to this day I still wonder if they gave me this offer to make sure I did not go to their competitors... So if I had lied about who I was interviewing with, maybe I would still be a first year.
Moral of the story: Make sure you tell them you are interviewing with other firms.
Agree or Disagree?
..... but some firms do that in London, starting you as a second year. Depends on the whole package.
I personally have never heard that happening in the States.
You are refering to London, aren't you?
Umm... isn't this a no-brainer? Obviously let them know you are interviewing with other firms as well.
Sol: Yea that would be London, do they never do that in the states? How can BBs in the US steal candidates from each other if they don't offer better packages than the other bank?
mrbellaiche: It's by reading some of the posts on this forum that I decided to post about it. It would seem like a no-brainer wouldn't it?
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