Career Resources

Career Resources

The Challenge of Interviewing with Your Company’s Competition

Posted February 3, 2014 & filed under Interviewing, Job Search

The Challenge of Interviewing with Your Company’s Competition

Most companies have a direct competitor that is the equivalent of a bitter college rival. Mentioning its name spurns the team forward and encourages everyone to pull out all the stops to get the upper hand. And now, you’ve been approached by your company’s competition about a job interview. What do you do?

Before sitting down at the negotiation table with your company’s competition, ask yourself these 6 questions.

1.) Do I Have a Non-Compete Agreement?

If so, you’re probably out of the running anyway. Non-compete agreements restrict when and where an employee can work for the company’s competition. They normally are based off this restriction criteria:

  • How much time must pass before you can work for the company’s competition (i.e. you can’t work for a competitor for 6-12 months after employment termination).
  • How close the competitor is to the company’s current areas of operation (i.e. you can’t work for a competitor within a 25 mile radius of current operations).

Employees in violation of these non-compete agreements are often subject to litigation and can be forced out of the job they’ve so recently acquired. So, avoid this headache and heartache by knowing any non-compete terms and conditions.

2.) What Practices Am I Allowed to Share?

Patented information and proprietary tools are typically trade secrets. Discussing them during an interview can get you into hot water and hurt the work your coworkers have put into projects. Make a mental list of what you’re at liberty to discuss and what is off-limits before you ever sit down with the competition’s hiring manager. And stick to it – no matter how much they may cajole you.

3.) Will I Be Burning Major Bridges?

How serious is the rivalry between your two companies? Will crossing over to the other side be seen as a betrayal or just a business decision? If your current company will see your move to the competition as a defection, you may want to rethink an interview. You’ve built a positive reputation with your current company and you don’t want all that to go up in smoke.

4.) What Attracts Me to the Company?

Burnout motivates lots of migration to the competition. Always consider why you want to leave before an interview. If you’re dissatisfied by the company culture, an interview with the company’s competition is worth a try but if you’re tired of the whole industry, your time may be better spent seeking out a new line of work.

5.) Will News of This Get Back to My Employer?

Is there communication between the two companies? If so, there’s always the chance that someone in the competitor’s office might accidently blow the whistle on you during a conversation with one of your coworkers. It’s best to know if word will get around and be ready for the consequences.

6.) Is the Offer Legitimate?

Occasionally, a competitor will arrange an interview just to wheedle trade secrets out of their rivals. That doesn’t mean you should reject every offer outright. Think of the way you were approached. Are you being rushed into an interview? If so, that can be a bad sign.

Often though, you won’t know until you arrive for the interview itself. That’s why you should be aware of the types of questions being asked. If the competitor’s questions seem suspect, keep close tabs on what you say.

And if you’re in doubt about an offer, often it’s better to get in touch with a recruiter. They can provide you with legitimate offers from companies that are seriously out to hire. It’ll take the hassle completely out of your hands.

by James Walsh

[Photo Credit]