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[the_honey_badger]

Funny that they care how he is doing with other interviews. Don't they trust their own judgement?

Where I used to work they loved to ask this---their thinking was that if "everyone" was after Candidate X, then he/she must "really be something!"  It was just one of their many peculiarities.  I've seen individuals who think this way in my current place but nothing like the mania for the "hot prospect" at the first place.

[daniel_von_flanagan]

Funny that they care how he is doing with other interviews. Don't they trust their own judgement?

Where I used to work they loved to ask this---their thinking was that if "everyone" was after Candidate X, then he/she must "really be something!" 

Why jump to the conclusion that the reason for questions like this are not motivated by legitimate considerations?  We occasionally ask about other interviews to get some idea of how to time the rest of our search.  Based on the answer, we might try to get the other candidates out sooner, or drop them altogether, or drop the current candidate altogether, or expedite our discussion with our Dean, or call a special departmental meeting, etc. 

Sometimes I get the feeling that candidates (and some younger faculty) believe that the minute a faculty member amasses some seniority and gets onto a SC, they lose all objectivity and get a little bit stupid. - DvF

[navelgazer]

Sometimes I get the feeling that candidates (and some younger faculty) believe that the minute a faculty member amasses some seniority and gets onto a SC, they lose all objectivity and get a little bit stupid. - DvF

I'm not sure what the second half of this means... but... I've had this asked of me in the past in the context you mention. Not a biggie. I also had faculty say, casually, "well I'm sure this is familiar from your other interviews." Not a biggie.

The above was in the context of more than one, "we're trying to recruit people who would have gone elsewhere five years ago" conversation. I'm the one with Imposter Syndrome, not my hubby!

The SC told him he does beautiful science.