#general

Good question, I think it depends on the person who asked. I usually say I am talking to 1 other company.

My snarky side wants to respond by saying "How many other candidates are you interviewing?" but probably not something you can say in real life.

I would be vague and also think of it as a timeline question. And of course a chance to reiterate your interest. Like "I'm talking to a few other companies, but at the early stages. Based on our conversation, I'm looking forward to talking more with you about how I can help you with xyz. If I'm nearing the end of the process with anyone else, I'll let you know. I don't want to miss out on a great fit because of timing." or "I've been talking to a few other companies and am in late stages with one. I expect that process to wrap up in the next week, but I'm really excited to be talking with you because this role offers xyz. I've enjoyed our conversation so much today and want to make sure that neither of us misses out on a great fit because of timing."

@Lauren Stefano, first of all, I love your snarky side 😂 I definitely think the same thing. These are great answers!

just checking is this the hiring manager that asked you this or a recruiter?

I just say that I’m in conversation with other companies and varying stages.

If I’m excited by the opportunity and actually am far along with a process, then I’ll call out that I’m excited about the role and whatnot and would appreciate a swift process to make an informed decision.

I usually take this to mean 2 things:

1. Do you know what you're looking for? If you're interviewing for a ton of different things, how do I know you actually want the job you're interviewing for vs. whatever offer you get?
2. How quickly do I need to move? If I like our conversation, do I need to get my internal teams to move faster to extend an offer?

@Shannon Howard’s points are spot on. It is a tough market, and hiring managers are getting a lot of interest in their positions. Granted, this is totally just my opinion, but I think showing how thoughtful you are in your job search goes a long way. Having a few bullet points on why the position/company made you apply goes further than I'm currently interviewing for three other roles. That being said, if you are currently interviewing for other roles, be honest about the timeline. If a company really does want you, they are going to move things around to accommodate or at least do their best.

Maybe I'm snarky, lol, but I have totally asked how many people they are interviewing throughout the hiring process. As a candidate, I think it is super important to know. For example, if they take 5 people to the final round and also have them do an assignment, it probably shows red flags on their side and is important information to know.

Thank you all for the replies! These are all super helpful. @Cara Peterson, I get this question mostly from recruiters, but sometimes from the hiring manager. Recruiters/HR managers tend to be quicker to reject and move on (or maybe their write-ups of our initial screening interview aren't interesting enough to the hiring manager to proceed) but by the time I get to the hiring manager they take me more seriously and I get this question less - at least so I think? Everything changes all the time it seems and that's why I appreciate you all's input!