Whether you are looking for an internship or your first job, it is very rare that you only apply for a single job offer. If the idea is to maximize your chances of a job interview going well, it is important to prepare for the question "do you have any other leads" so as not to be taken aback on D-Day .
This is one of the most frequently asked questions during interviews. Recruiters are aware of the fact that candidates are engaged in several recruitment processes simultaneously. It would therefore be a shame not to prepare for it in advance or to put forward a penalizing response.
What the recruiter wants to know behind this question
If the recruiter asks you this question, there is a good chance that your profile is of great interest to him and that he wants to have an idea of your value on the job market. It's not just candidates who are in competition, companies are also in competition to find their rare pearl and the profile that best suits their needs. The recruiter seeks to assess your repartee and your logic. If your answer is poorly structured or worded badly, it can be indicative of several aspects of your personality and your sincerity in this case.
Having applied to several offers without any connection between them can also give a bad image of you. It is indeed recommended to have a well-defined field of activity and to apply for similar offers, in order to give the impression of not “applying at random”. This is indicative of your determination to integrate a specific sector. “This question, which I systematically ask at the start of the interview, simply allows me to see what type of advertisements the candidate is applying for and to know if these are close to the position I intend to offer him. “says Gaëlle Marre, associate director of Office Team, to Keljob.
Why shouldn't you say too much in an interview?
If the recruiter asks you this question, the ideal is to answer sincerely, without going into details (name of the competing company, feelings about the interview, preferences, etc.). Just put forward an answer of the type: “I am currently in exchange with a company involved in the banking sector, for a post of credit analyst to be filled in alternation from the month of September”. Giving more details than that could harm you.
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Paradoxically, recruiters appreciate being in competition with other companies. This demonstrates the attractiveness of your profile. "A candidate is necessarily more attractive if he is already courted", confirms Yves Gautier, recruitment coach, specializing in job interviews, at Keljob. Having other job leads can even create recruitment urgency and speed up your onboarding process within the company.
Read also: Learn to express your disagreement in a job interview
Elements to absolutely avoid
If you have not yet had a job interview, you will of course not have any other job offers. It is therefore preferable to privilege sincerity and simply answer that you are at the beginning of your research and that your other leads will soon start. “It's not shameful not to have other leads. Especially since there can be plenty of reasons that can explain it: a candidate who is just beginning his steps and who has not yet put his CV on a job board, another who wants to target his research on a only sector of activity or a last one which evolves in a very competitive sector…” explains the associate director of Office Team.
If the recruiter asks you how long ago you started your search, don't lie. It is always better to answer the questions sincerely than to be tricked and see your chances of integrating the company fly away.
Read also: 10 mistakes to avoid on your CV
Example of answers to give during the interview
To answer this question brilliantly, we recommend that you bounce back on your motivations for joining the company and thus turn the question to your advantage.
It is important to be optimistic and to avoid responses such as: “if I am not taken within your company, I would not know what to do with my life, especially in such a complicated economic context”. On the contrary, it is recommended to provide hard-hitting answers that highlight the company in question:
It is by supporting your remarks with arguments and an in-depth knowledge of the corporate culture and its values that you will succeed in gaining ground against other candidates. A key element differentiating the company and mentioned during the interview can work in your favor.
Also read: The best sites to find a job
