Why would an interviewer say this/company do this?

[Nikia]

I went to a job interview this week. The interviewer mentioned that they were interviewing me and one other candidate early in the next week, but that they were looking for other candidates.
Was the interviewer suggesting that myself and the other candidate were not very good candidates for the job?
Personally, I met every one of their qualifications on paper. I had to endure a phone interview as well. The same is probably true of the other candidate. I suppose that there is a possibility that they would really hate both of us, but why not make that decision after the interviews?
The job was first advertised over a month ago. It isn't like interested candidates didn't have plenty of time to apply.
I suppose that they have an ideal number of candidates that they want to interview, but if you have a couple of qualified applicants, one or both of them of them might be a good fit for the job.

[hippywife]

1. If you meet everyone of their qualifications

and they're still interviewing after a month, they could be saying this to make it seem like they are a really good company to work for when they might not be. You know, putting a little window dressing on the place.

:shrug:

[Redneck Socialist]

2. They are not going to hire you (probably)

Neither you, nor the other candidate tripped their trigger so to speak, and they are looking for other applicants.

In my last job I did a lot of interviewing/hiring and my line was pretty similar. "We're still reviewing/collecting applications. We'll give you call." Meaning: We are looking for someone else.

Give them a week, call them back and say you are following up on your interview and want to know where things stand. If they give you the same line, chances are they are not interested in you.

Sorry. :-(

[Nikia]

3. Why did they even interview me then?

This was said early in the interview, even before the interviewer asked me the interview questions. They already had done a phone interview. Why waste their time and mine?

[huskerlaw]

6. Could be company policy

The last place I worked for had nasty HR rules, where if you posted a job opening and got applications, you had to either interview at least some of the people or go through a lengthy process indicating why you didn't. Interviewing you may actually have been easiest for them.

And, unfortunately, I agree with the above post. That comment indicates that for some reason they weren't happy with the batch of applications they got. Could be for a number of reasons. The most likely are: 1) they actually want someone who EXCEEDS rather than simply meets the qualifications or 2) they didn't feel anyone was a good personality match for the company.

Sorry...

[Redneck Socialist]

7. Ah, OK I misunderstood

I thought that comment was post-interview.

Well, they interviewed you because your resume matched the profile they were looking for. The interviewer may have just been being honest. They are looking for a large pool of applicants in order to find the best candidate and he/she was letting you know the hiring decision will not be made anytime soon. Sucks, I know, but even if you where amazing in the interview, they may be waiting a bit in hopes of finding someone super amazing, especially if the position doesn't necessarily need to be filled ASAP.

I would still call them back in a week or so to find out where you stand and how far along the process has progressed.

I went through something similar during my last job search, phone interview, face to face interview (that I thought I totally nailed) then nothing. I called the company, "no decision yet, still interviewing/reviewing applicants, blah, blah, blah." I eventually took another job and a couple of months later the first company called me back and said Mr. Redneck Socialist we'd like to offer you the position!! Well, sorry folks, if you'd moved a little quicker maybe, but I've already accepted another position. Their loss IMNSHO, but that's the way the game is played sometimes.

So, my first comments where a little hasty, I'm sorry. Keep your fingers crossed and good luck with the job search.

[Gormy Cuss]

9. Because you're the warmest body so far.

I've done hiring and I agree with other posters. The message is that they haven't found the WOW candidate yet. There may be some pressure to fill this position soon and if they don't discover a better candidate in the next batch they may want to hire you rather than leave the position unfilled.

[In_The_Wind]

4. Perhaps they have already picked the next employee ...

but they have to make it look fair ...

I know of one county office that interviews and then gives the jobs to friends and family. AND That's A Fact!

[Deja Q]

5. I met all the conditions (and more) for one company as well...

Got turned down saying I lacked the conditions they specified.

They were government too, go figure. (so they probably didn't even know how to READ.)

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

8. This game goes both ways... if you are interviewing in a field where

your qualifications are in high demand, and the employers are looking hard (jobseeker's market), it's fair game for you to let the job know at your interview that you are interviewing with their competitors in town as well, etc. Especially if you are negotiating salary etc. and reasonably confident of getting the job.