What do you say when the hiring manager of your dream job asks you, “Where does your boss think you are right now?” in an interview? This is another of those psychological questions meant to delve into your mental character. How you answer these questions will shape how the interviewers see you as a person, so it’s important to take the time to answer them well.
Why They Ask This Question:
To find out: are you a liar?
This question is a roundabout way of discerning how willing you are to lie to your bosses. It’s about integrity and honesty. Are you willing to make the tough call and tell your current bosses that you’re interviewing? Do you know how to be circumspect without dishonesty? They want to know how you handle challenging situations where ethics and pragmatism may collide.
What to Tell Your Boss When You’re Interviewing for Another Job
- Don’t tell them anything, and take the whole day off to avoid tough questions.
- Tell them that you have an “appointment” but be vague about what the appointment is about.
- Say you have “something personal” to take care of.
- If you have a current employer who is friendly toward people seeking new jobs, be honest, and let them know what’s happening.
- If your current employer has been unfriendly towards those leaving the company, it’s best to answer vaguely and then be honest about that in the interview.
Related: How to answer, “Why do you want to leave your current job?”
Ways to answer “Where does your boss think you are right now?”
So the trick to answering this question well is the setup. The essential question is, “Did you lie to your boss?” The best answer is to be able to honestly tell the interviewer that you didn’t. If you were vague about it you can be honest about that as well. This can be used as a moment to show your circumspection and ability to smooth uncomfortable moments.
By using any of the options listed above, you can honestly answer the question. This takes you out of the uncomfortable position of either lying to your potential new bosses or lying to your old ones. Honesty is always the best policy, just make sure that you’ve found a way to tell the truth that works for the company culture that you’re currently in and that suits where you want to go as well.
Related: Don’t Say This in an Interview
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