Do interviewers have a duty of privacy?

sangie595

Stu_N_ wrote: »

I thought that for the most part references would only be taken up after a job offer is accepted. That's certainly why I do not put referees on my CV.

I'm pretty sure the purpose of this is to stop your current employer from knowing that you're job hunting. If an interviewer bypassed the references process and did let my current employer know I was job hunting before they made an offer to me, I'd be royally peeved.

If you're mates with the prospective employees boss, you can do the formal referencing process after a job offer is made as well as call the boss up to ask what they really think. Not breaching the prospective employees' trust and still getting the dirt from their boss.

Well we take up references before interview and always have. So the employer would know by the time they came to interview anyway. It's not all that uncommon to do this. But what is wrong with job hunting? Every employer knows that staff are going to move on. For all sorts of reasons. It wouldn't bother me, or anyone I know, that someone was job hunting. In fact it would be rare that I didn't already know. It isn't really something that needs to be a state secret. Unless, of course, you happen to be "sick" on the day of the interview.

lincroft1710

ringo_24601 wrote: »

I've heard tales of people being asked for interviews just so the recruiters can find out about their firm - a low level of industrial espionage.

This was happening 40 years ago and I'm sure it hasn't ceased.

Strummer22

sangie595 wrote: »

Well we take up references before interview and always have. So the employer would know by the time they came to interview anyway. It's not all that uncommon to do this. But what is wrong with job hunting? Every employer knows that staff are going to move on. For all sorts of reasons. It wouldn't bother me, or anyone I know, that someone was job hunting. In fact it would be rare that I didn't already know. It isn't really something that needs to be a state secret. Unless, of course, you happen to be "sick" on the day of the interview.

What industry are you in?

I can think of many reasons why people in my line of work (broadly, energy & engineering consultancy) would not want their boss to know they're job hunting: if they don't get a new job or simply choose to stay put, their company will probably put less into training them and overlook them for promotions, viewing them as a near-term 'flight risk'.

shortcrust

Some people aren't living in the real world. Of course friends are going to discuss something like this. The idea that they wouldn't because they're bound by a 'duty of privacy' is laughable.

Polarbeary

How DARE you job hunt! Don't you know you need to show loyalty to your employer. <sarcasm>

I would be pretty annoyed if an interviewer told my current boss and then I didn't even get the job and my boss treated me badly badly after that.

Takeaway_Addict

Andrew_Ryan_89 wrote: »

^ That is, without a doubt, a !!!! head move. You have notice periods for a reason. I hope you're not in a senior position Takeaway_addict because !!!!! like you are why so many people dislike their roles.

Calm Down! I didn't say I would condone sacking them did I, all I said was I would tell my friend to be aware that an employee is looking to move...it gives them time to start training other staff up to minimise disruption.

And ultimately, would you not put your ahem 'friend' above your employer in a similar situation?

Takeaway_Addict

Andrew_Ryan_89 wrote: »

^ That is, without a doubt, a !!!! head move. You have notice periods for a reason. I hope you're not in a senior position Takeaway_addict because !!!!! like you are why so many people dislike their roles.

Oh and thanks for making a snap judgement based on so little information.

Just based on this last post I don't think I'd trust you to be a stable employee as you seem to be showing anger issues for your 'friend'

Takeaway_Addict

Andrew_Ryan_89 wrote: »

Hey guys,

A friend of mine had an interview last week. He pointed out the fact that the head of department came in, asked him who was his head and then mentioned that he knew him "very well". My friend called me concerned that this person would go back and tell his boss that he just interviewed him or ask him for feedback about his performance.

I told him it won't happen in any official context as you have not been offered the job and given permission for references and so on.

Let's say for example my friend gets questioned about his whereabouts that day and it's painfully obvious that his manager knows that he went for an interview. Does the other person have some kind of legal duty to the candidates not to notify their employers about job applications and such?

Oh, your 'friend' didn't perhaps lie to get the day off did he, pulled a sickie?

[Deleted User]

lincroft1710 wrote: »

This was happening 40 years ago and I'm sure it hasn't ceased.

And that's why you don't divulge what you're working on at the moment, or any of your current clients.

I've used this in reverse - I've got to job interviews to find out about the company and their clients (and charges), to keep my knowledge as an 'industry expert' up to date.

sangie595

Stu_N_ wrote: »

What industry are you in?

I can think of many reasons why people in my line of work (broadly, energy & engineering consultancy) would not want their boss to know they're job hunting: if they don't get a new job or simply choose to stay put, their company will probably put less into training them and overlook them for promotions, viewing them as a near-term 'flight risk'.

Public sector.

But you are making assumptions there. If the employee is good then job-hunting may very well have the opposite effect. Many employers will open up opportunities to keep someone who is good and looking at other possibilities. It isn't at all uncommon for counter-offers to emerge. In fact, some people job hunt precisely to get their employer into that position!