Best Way to Deal with the Competition When Interviewing a Potential Employee

Most of the candidates you recruit will have offers from other excellent companies. Focus on selling your company, not on tearing down others. Bad-mouthing other companies is always counterproductive in the long run, even if you regard them as a distinctly inferior choice to yours. For one thing, by disparaging another company, you are disparaging the interviewee who has told you he is seriously considering accepting an offer with that company. Indeed, you should use the interview to learn what candidates find attractive about your competitors. It may be that you have something similar (or better) to offer, or that you should develop some­thing comparable.

Of course, there is no reason not to point out factual differences between your company and competitors. In many cases, these differences will be neutral—some inter­viewees may prefer one and others another. Naturally, you will try to highlight factual differences you believe will appeal to the interviewee. Just make sure your facts are right. Mak­ing a false statement about a competitor will call into ques­tion the veracity of everything you’ve said to the interviewee.