People share 10 tactful responses to tricky job interview question that tests employee loyalty

Tackling complex interview questions

With the job market becoming increasingly competitive, the interview process has also started to get more intensive. Recruiters focus on asking candidates difficult and direct questions that test their ability to think on their feet. In such scenarios, it can be easy for interviewees to panic and get their answers wrong. A common question that interviewers ask candidates is: "If you get a better job opportunity, will you leave this job?” u/Solopeerless asked the r/antiwork community for their insights into answering this question and they delivered. Here are 10 of the best answers that the community had to share.

1. Being honest

"I'm always looking for ways to grow and address challenges. The best places I've worked have kept me engaged and growing in their organizations." u/TWAndrewz. "I would love to change jobs within the company if they give me the opportunity to grow and improve my circumstances.' Give them a reason. u/awalktojericho. "I'm always looking for a cushy job. The best places I've been employed don't give me much work to do, and mostly leave me alone. I rarely entertain other opportunities under these conditions." u/quackamole4

2. Put their "taproot down"

Told an employer that I was looking to "put my taproot down." Two years later, when I started looking for a new job they challenged my statement from my interview, "I thought you said you were looking to put your taproot down. Why are you looking to leave?" I challenged them right back. "Well, why does anyone start looking to leave? And if it's happening on the regular and after only a couple of years, you, as an employer, should ask yourself why you think that is. Kind of hard to put a taproot down and grow when the soil is actively being poisoned." u/Magnahelix

3. Give them a guarantee 

I told my current boss “Look, pending any unforeseen disasters or major changes in course, you’ve got me for at least five years. I have no intention of even entertaining the idea of a new job while I’m in that window. I’m applying to this job because this is the job I want, and if in five years things are still going strong, and I feel as though I am growing professionally on this team, you’ll have me for five more. Maybe I’ll stay here until I can retire.” But I’m in sales, so it’s easy to give them a sales pitch like that. u/BeMancini

4. Lie to them 

I would absolutely lie my arse off. I remember going for a nursing interview and they asked me: "Where do you see yourself in five years?" and the first thing out of my mouth was: "Oh, still in nursing." As they looked at me, I realized I had given away the fact that I was planning to leave nursing because no-one who was planning to remain in nursing (or any profession) would instantly re-assure the interview panel that they would still be remaining in that profession in five years time. u/CynicalRecidivist

5. Provide a realistic answer 

There is no right answer. But the phrasing here is telling. They are trying to get you to define “better” for them. So the right way to answer this is basically by pointing out how vague their question was and giving an equally vague answer. I’d answer it like this: "Well, you said 'better job opportunity.' You didn’t really specify what made it better, or how much better, and so on. So there’s a spectrum of opportunities possible. A little 'better?' Probably not making a move based on promises that may or may not pan out. But once in a lifetime dream job 'better?' I’m almost certainly taking my shot and I would hope folks would be supportive in that case." That’s probably the end of it, but they might come back with a definition of better, or an example. Then they are probably trying to determine if it’s about the money. Which you should be prepared for in any interview. u/Zahrad70

6. "I'm looking for the job I'm going to retire from"

I always say, "I'm looking for the job I'm going to retire from." At my current job, the president of the company asked me what that looked like. I said: "Obviously, I want to be compensated fairly for my work, but plenty of employers offer that. The qualities that would keep me here for the long haul are a job that challenges me and allows me to grow and develop professionally. At 43 years old, with over two decades of experience, I enjoy the opportunity to mentor younger coworkers, but I also want a mentor of my own. I want to learn as much as possible. Something that is very important to me is a supervisor who provides me with clear expectations and tangible goals. If you can provide me with those things, I think we both can achieve our goals." u/SteelTownHero

7. Ask them a question

"That's an interesting question. I guess in order to answer, I'd have first to ask you, what would make me want to leave this job, why would I need to seek better opportunities, and what would those be?" Frankly, I'm surprised a lot of people in the comments are telling you to lie your a** off. Unless you are absolutely desperate for a job, a question like this from a potential employer seems like a red flag that is on fire. My guess is if it even occurred to them to add this to their interview repertoire, they've probably experienced a lot of turnover, and for good reason. I'd be inclined to simply walk out of this interview. u/usernameforthemasses

8. Looking for growth within the company 

When I was interviewing for my current position, I told them that I wanted them to be my last employer and that I wanted to grow within the company over time. I meant it. I've been looking for a new position for over a year, but there's been a hiring freeze in place for most of that time. I've applied for a few jobs outside the company, but I still prefer to find something from within. One of the positives with this place is that they do prefer to hire from within, and strongly encourage employees to apply. u/Bitter-Assistant070

9. Being brutally honest

My response would be "Has that been a problem for you? Losing newly hired employees for more money?" Not only does it mean they aren't coming through when the money hits your bank, it means they aren't delivering in other areas. I mean, who really looks for a new job over a small amount of pay? I think most people leave over dips**t bosses, idiotic rules, lack of flexibility and disrespect. The fact they asked this question is a huge, huge red flag. u/dgillz

10. The question is a red flag

Like many interview questions, this one says more about the interviewer and company than the interviewee could possibly respond. It sounds like the company is losing their employees to "better opportunities" enough for it to be a problem that they ask about in interviews. The company should ask themselves, "Why are we losing all of our crucial, experienced people to 'better opportunities'?" I think the answers would be pretty clear to anyone who reflected - maybe the pay isn't as good as it should be, or maybe talent isn't being rewarded. Maybe the management needs work. Who knows. But honestly, that question is a red flag for me - sounds like a frustrated manager asking an inappropriate question. u/persondude27