Seven questions you should ask before accepting a job offer
ELBONOMICS: Asking dumb questions is easier than correcting dumb answers.
Iwas interviewed by an HR manager for a vacant managerial post in a mediumsized corporation. She was amiable and appeared to be very professional. After the interview, she asked me if I had any questions before endorsing my application to the requisitioning department. I was taken aback as this was my first time to be given such opportunity. I simply said — ‘there are none,’ and thanked her. Looking back, I wish I could have asked her some questions. Am I correct? — Still Doubtful.
Most of the time, questions are more important than answers. Why? Let me give you two reasons: One, one who asks questions is a fool for the moment, while one who does not ask questions is a fool forever. And two, your potential employer seems to know all the questions, but their employees seems to know the answers.
If you don’t know the answers, chances are, you’ll be on the losing end. So, why not ask questions to clear any doubt? Remember that job hunting is about luck, at least to a certain degree. With a bit of luck, hard work, perseverance, determination, and a lot of questions, you can go a long way, not necessarily to secure that job offer, but to avoid a problem in the long term.
Imagine a situation where you’re happy with your job. It may not be your dream job, but you’re happy with the way you’re being treated by your boss and your colleagues respect you a lot. You may not be exactly earning what you could, but still you’re happy for many reasons, like your residence is only about five kilometers away from the office and you don’t want to lose your seniority rights in your current position by starting all over again with a new employer. You’re very careful as you don’t want to jump from a frying pan, and into the fire.
So, before you walk into that interview, be prepared to meet your potential employer. Do your homework. Check the company’s Web site. Google all articles about your prospective employer and use that information to check for a good fit. Now, take stock of the following “killer” questions to help evaluate your potential employer:
One, how many years have you been in this company? What makes you stay that long? Praise your interviewer to high heavens for logging in a good number of years. And look for many positive and good things about the interviewers and the organization. Ask these questions as soon as the interviewers give you the chance. That should put your interviewers at ease so that they can give you some valid answers.
Two, what’s the reason for this vacancy? One acceptable and reasonable answer is the retirement, death, or physical incapacity of the previous job holder. Resignation, whether voluntary or involuntary could be a red flag that should put you on guard. With that kind of answer, you should probe further because you don’t want to be in the same boat as your predecessor within the next couple of months or years.
why can’t you promote anyone from within? This alone is a good test to determine if there’s something missing in their management system. Many dynamic companies are always ready for any eventuality, which includes the putting up of a succession plan, career development, and other related programs to help the workers happy, productive, and motivated at the same time.
what is the management style of my future boss? Is he a toxic boss? Or a command-and control manager who doesn’t believe in employee empowerment? Of course, you should not ask those questions directly. Anyway, expect evasive answers. If so, read between the lines and body language as well. After all, who would want to admit their mistakes to an outsider, much more to a job applicant? what are the weaknesses of the organization, if any? If they’re bold enough to ask you that same question in a job interview, then it’s your chance to get even. Be sure to emphasize the phrase “if any” as you would want to have an open mind, and of course, to soften the impact of such a question. Depending on the answer, you can make a follow-up question like – how do you intend to capture the number position in the industry?
Six, what’s the turnover rate of the company? If your dream job is in the business processing outsourcing industry, then prepare to hear at least a 50%, which is terribly bad, by any standard. Otherwise, a single-digit rate is healthy. But look, you should be able to dig deeper into the turnover rate of managers, and not for the overall worker population. If they don’t know the answer, then that’s another red flag.
Seven, what’s the meaning of certain values stated in the company mission statement? How is that being accomplished here? Ask for some concrete examples. Chances are, you may meet some officials who may not even know that such statements exist in their corporate mission, vision, and value. If that happens, then treat it as another red flag.
After each level of the interview process, you should ask the same questions all over again to check the accuracy and consistency of the answers of various personalities you’ll meet in that organization. There are instances where your potential employer or hiring manager might be playing games. Their motive is to fill the position right away, and are too pressed for time to give you the answers you would like to hear.
Your challenge, therefore is to understand what’s not being said. Remember, it’s about your life and career.