In an interview, how honest should you be about how your other applications have gone/are going? I have an interview with a big 3 firm next week. On the one hand, I think I have learned something from my previous interviews which I might want to refer to, on the other hand, I wonder how much the information would prejudice the outcome of the interview. Any thoughts would be much appreciated :)

Clara - we sometimes ask candidates about their process and they are often (perhaps understandably) very cautious about answering. That's actually a shame as, given the reasons why we are asking, it can't harm a candidate, and it might help. We ask for three main reasons: (1) in the milkround, we would typically have a 'soft' target of numbers of people to hire, so we assess the probabilities of acceptance based on likely other offers (the aggregate set of answers could help a marginal candidate, if we thought we were a bit low on expected numbers, but a candidate can't affect her own position); (2) in general, it helps us know whether there's any time pressure to the process, which isn't always helpful to either side but can be necessary if 'exploding' offers are in the picture; and (3) to know what to concentrate on in discussions - someone weighing up very similar firms has a different set of issues to consider than someone, say, comparing a consultancy and i-banking. Basic advice: so long as you treat all sides with integrity, you should probably feel free being as open as you feel comfortable being. (I can't speak for other firms, but that's how it would play with us.) Good luck.

What is a Big 3 firm ?

It is good to make reference. This will give the interviewer the impression that you are observant and discerning.There's no secrects disclosed during interviews, and at least you are honest that you could not meet the requirements with the others, but still giving it a shot to succeed.

Strat, thank you for your response. What if another application did not end in a job offer? From the feedback, I understand the reasons why and I think it would be useful to address this upfront...but then wonder whether that is a good idea!

Ah, ok. That's a bit trickier. I'd say that if you think/expect that your current interviewer(s) are likely to think along the same lines or have the same concerns, then it makes sense to raise it and address it - that could also be quite powerful, as, if done well, it would suggest that you had a well-developed sense of their expectations and how you can meet them. On the other hand, if you did/said something wrong, or that was misinterpreted, you should just make sure you don't go down that path again; make full use of the experience, but no need to mention it. HTH

Thanks very much for your advice. I think there was a misunderstanding about what my current position involves and how much exposure to real business issues there is so I imagine it will be the same problem this time around which is why I want to address it upfront. Fingers crossed!!