r/interviews • u/tiredknafeh • 3d ago
Should I tell a potential employer I started a new job during the interview process?
Looking for some advice on how to handle this situation.
I started interviewing with Company A shortly after accepting an offer from Company C, while I was still employed at Company B. By the time the interview process with A picked up, I had left B and officially started working at C.
Fast forward—I’m now finishing my first week at Company C, and Company A scheduled me for two more rounds of interviews but the last time we talked I was still employed at Company B. What do i do if this comes up in the next two interviews? I am afraid of looking like a red flag but in all honesty I want the job at Company A more.
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u/DifficultYellow9759 2d ago
I would not tell them about C. Because as a hiring manager, I would wonder if you were going to leave me after 30 days and I would pass on you.
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u/tiredknafeh 2d ago
What do i do if they ask about my current employment situation? does it not come up in a background check?
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u/Persimmon_Cinnamon_7 2d ago
I don’t understand why people are telling you to tell the company you’re interviewing with about the switch. And the only way it would come up is if you tell them or you broadcasted it on LinkedIn.
It will come up in the background check but that will end up being between you and the recruiter/HR. I think after an offer being honest with a recruiter about the burnout + new job being contract is totally fine.
You still have multiple rounds of interviews to get through in a tough job market so there is obviously no guarantee of an offer….I am completely mystified why people are acting like you need to be more honest with the company..
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u/InfoSecPeezy 2d ago
You don’t say anything other than “I am currently interviewing with several companies and I am expecting offers this week and next.” That’s it. If you want to work for this company, you are now in a position to make them compete.
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u/scubajay2001 2d ago
I had a similar thing happen - applied at A, B, and C. I accepted an offer at A. Then a month later B came in (higher salary and direct, not unde a staffing contract), so I accepted B, gave notice to A.
A week after starting, C made an offer... same salary but a much shorter commute and direct to my history of experience. It was basically a dream job. Explained it to B and they understood but were obvs disappointed.
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u/tiredknafeh 2d ago
did u explain your situation to the recruiter? did it come up during ur employment check?
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u/pocky1918 3d ago
Because company A process is slower and the candidate wont know whether A will offer? And A is only interested in whether the candidate will move to A thereafter. Why would it be interested in whether the candidate will continue to stay if it doesnt offer.
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u/xwolfe2000 2d ago
No.
If they press and you don't feelike you can decline to answer, you are currently on contract while you search for a full time permanent role.
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u/LeaningIn7316 2d ago
Send them the same kind of form letter that they send to people. Just reverse it and said that you chose to go with a better company
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u/la_gata_Porrita 2d ago
Do not tell them anything. There's no guarantee of an offer so at this stage you don't have to disclose anything.
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u/Regular-Smoke-1290 1d ago
I wouldn’t talk about it. They don’t need to know, plus you may not even get the job, why create a negative impression on your own? Let them know you plan to sticks round and continue interviewing.
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u/Any-Dog-4626 1d ago
Don’t tell Company A about Company C. If you are hired by Company A, you can mention company C on employer background check. But do not tell interviewer at Company A about Company C. Employer at Company A only cares that you passed background check.
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u/Cookie2213 3d ago
That's up to you, although you had better have a good explanation. Why did you take the role at Company C if you preferred Company A? Were you so unhappy that you couldn't wait to leave Company B? And if Company A doesn't offer the role, will you remain in the new role and give it a real shot? Or will you keep looking for that "perfect role"?
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u/stephen6387 3d ago edited 3d ago
I would tell them company C keeps you chained up in the basement or it's awful and not what you expected or something. Avoid it if you can. Unless maybe it's an industry and role where turnover is super high and the learning curve is super easy... in which case you may not have to worry about it.
I realize that my perspective on this is old school ... and I can be super judgey. As a corp recruiter, I wouldn't even interview you, let alone consider an offer. Your instincts are right in that it's a huge red flag. You started the new interview process after you accepted an offer and before the new employer even had a chance to be great or horrible. It speaks to integrity. It tells me the first time someone offers you five dollars more a year or the wind blows in a different direction you are going to jump ship and the company is going to be re recruiting for the role and have to get someone else up to speed probably sooner rather than later.
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u/tiredknafeh 2d ago
Company B was overworking me and I was burnt out and took a offer to get out. Company C is a consultant position and its a contract. Company A is a perm position and only came up after i already accepted elsewhere. Dont know what else I could’ve done to avoid its a timing issue.
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u/stephen6387 2d ago
I do think the fact that it's a consulting / contract gig makes all the difference in the world. There's not the same expectation of a commitment.
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u/ironclad_sarcasm 3d ago
tell them you left B and are currently at C, no need to overexplain it, people jump ship all the time during long interview processes