Choosing Wisely: Questions to Determine If a Job Is Right for You

Hey everyone!

In my last piece about nailing job interviews, we touched on something that?really?deserves a closer look: the questions you should ask your potential employer.?Posing thoughtful questions?not only?demonstrates your genuine interest in the role?but also?separates the most engaged candidates from the pack—and I?definitely?take note of who's asking!

I get that if?you haven't switched jobs often,?or?if you're fairly?new to the workforce, you might not have a laundry list of questions at the ready.?It can be hard to know what to ask, and there's always that nagging worry about annoying the recruiter or hiring manager with too many questions. Of course, it's good to know your limits. I remember one candidate who fired off so many questions at the start of their interview that it threw the hiring managers off their game. They couldn't get their?own?questions in, and it looked like the candidate was running the show! Unfortunately, that can backfire, leaving a bad taste and slim chances of a callback due to the awkwardness it created.

To?steer you clear of?such pitfalls, I've compiled some tips to help you evaluate potential employers and the job offers that come your way—maybe even helping you land that dream job.

Let's clarify something right off the bat: some questions you'll want to ask directly during your interviews, while others might require?a little?detective work online?on your part.

Here's how to categorize the questions for your recruiter early on in the hiring process:

• Organizational: Dive into the specifics of the hiring process.
• Fact-finding: Gather intel that'll inform your decision later, like details about the company culture, the team, future bosses, pay, workplace traditions, and what's encouraged or frowned upon at the company.
• Motivational: Start questions with "why" to probe the company's goals and values to see if they align with your own.

For instance, ask why the job position is open. It's crucial:

Is it due to growth, or is someone?being replaced?

While turnover is a reality in all workplaces, knowing the context is?key. If the job is open because the company is growing, that's a great sign, particularly in 2024. But if it's to fill someone else's shoes, understand the nuances. Say they're replacing someone critical to a specific function; ideally, you'd get a chance to work with this person before they leave to ensure a smooth knowledge transfer.?If?not, you might be left to piece things together, which can mean relearning systems that were already up and running.

When job vacancies linger on the market, especially in 2024, it's a red flag that something in the hiring process might not be quite right. Maybe the company is on the hunt for a "unicorn" candidate, the salary doesn't stack up against industry standards, the selection process is too biased towards a particular kind of candidate, or the working conditions just haven't kept pace with modern demands for flexibility.

Additionally, it's crucial to figure out who's behind the hiring:

Is the recruiter filling a position within their own company or for a client? Knowing this can clue you into how well the recruiter knows the ins and outs of the job. Typically, an internal recruiter should have, and indeed must have, comprehensive details about the vacancy.?On the other hand, an external recruiter's ability to answer in-depth company-related questions?can?show their service's caliber.

But here's a telling question that can reveal a lot:

"Why did you choose to work with this company as a client?"?I can tell you that every?recruitment firm and independent recruiter is selective about their clients.?They don't just work with anyone—if they do, that's worth pondering. The answer to this question can uncover some crucial insights for you.

Now, let's dive back into the types of questions you might consider asking.

Organizational Questions:

• Employment Format: Is it in-house, B2B, or PayRoll?
• Workload: Are the roles full-time or part-time?
• Work Location: Does the company allow?onsite, hybrid, or fully remote work?
• Salary Details: What's the salary range? Recruiters might hold off on discussing this until your first interview, or sometimes they may not disclose it?at all.
• Payment Frequency: How often will you be paid?
• Currency of Salary: What currency will your salary?be paid?in?
• Tax Responsibilities: Who handles the tax obligations—the company or the employee?
• Probation Period: Is there one??If so, how long does it last, and what criteria determine whether you pass it?or not?

Understanding the Company:

• Company Size: Is it a sprawling enterprise or?a nimble?startup?
• Industry: What sector does the company operate in?
• Key Players: Who are the?major?clients and competitors?
• Financial Health: Is the company profitable?
• Market Tenure: How long has it been around? Is it growing, and if so, how quickly?
• Global Presence: Where are its offices located worldwide?
• Recent Changes: Have there been any layoffs? What's on the horizon for the company?

Getting to Know the Team:

• Team Size: How big is the team?
• Roles and Growth: What roles exist within the team, and what are their plans for growth?
• Location: Where are team members based?
• Reporting Lines: Who would you report to?
• Task Allocation: How are tasks assigned and managed?
• Stakeholder Interaction: Who are the key stakeholders you'd interact with?

Project Details:

• About the Project: What's the project about, and what stage is it currently in?
• Key Milestones: What immediate goals?are lined up?
• Product Impact: What problem does the product solve, and who are the target markets?
• Client Focus: If it's a service company, who are the clients, and what are the specific needs?
• Tech Stack: What technologies are in use, who decides on these, and what are the dependencies?
• Development Approach: If using Scrum, what do the sprints look like? What ceremonies are involved?

Role-Specific Insights:

• Daily Duties: What will my day-to-day tasks look like?
• Performance Metrics: Are there defined goals, KPIs, or OKRs for the role?
• Evaluation: How is progress tracked and success measured?
• Growth Opportunities: What are the prospects for advancement within the team and the broader company?
• Career Path: What might my career trajectory look like here?
• Typical Workday: What’s a normal day like?

Culture and Processes:

• Probation Details: Is there a probation period, and if so, how long?
• Probation Goals: What’s expected during this time?
• Evaluation of Newbies: How and by whom are new hires assessed?
• Communication Style: Is it formal or casual?
• Primary Communication Channel: How does the team stay connected?
• Knowledge Management: Where is information stored, and how frequently is it updated?
• Performance Reviews: How and how often are they conducted?
• Salary Reviews: Are these tied to performance evaluations?
• Result Focus: Is the emphasis on individual or team outcomes?
• Promotion Decisions: How are decisions about promotions or internal transfers made?
• Handling of Mistakes: What’s the approach to errors?

I remember a candidate once asked me about the company’s values and then queried how we reinforce those values—a fantastic question that scored top marks!

Navigating the Hiring Process:

• Interview Stages: What does the interview process involve, who participates, and how long does each stage take?
• Feedback Timing: How quickly can you expect to hear back after interviews?
• Offer Details: Are there time constraints on accepting the job offer?

If you want to?really?impress at your interview, go beyond just asking questions—do your homework. Dig into the publicly available info about the company and ask about anything you couldn't find out on your own. For instance, you might say, "I saw that the company operates in Western Europe and the USA, but I couldn't find information on...

And here's what else you might consider looking into by doing a bit of online sleuthing:

Team and Communication Culture:

• Background and Demographics: Where did team members study, and what's the average age??This?will give you an idea of how you might mesh with the group.
• Longevity: How many folks have been there from the start??This?tells you?a lot?about the company's retention and?how?its culture and processes have evolved.
• Employee Tenure: Check out the average?length of time employees stick around?on the company's LinkedIn page.
• Internal Communication: How does management feel about private chats?
• Problem Solving: Are issues hashed out informally or in formal meetings?
• Hiring Diversity: Does the company prefer a homogeneous team,?or?do they?value diversity?
• Client Interaction: Does everyone have direct contact with clients, or do instructions filter down through team leads or project managers?
• Handling Difficult Personalities:?What's?their approach to highly effective but challenging individuals?
• Team Leadership: Is the team lead more of a necessary evil or a standout leader? How long have they been in their role,?and?how effectively are they managing?
• Management's Background: Has the business owner ever been in the trenches as an employee? How does he interact with the team, and how accessible is he?

Career Path within the Company:

• Performance Puzzle: What happens to those who aren't necessarily underperformers but aren't standout performers?either?

Culture, Processes, and Bureaucratization:

• Flex Time: If you?come back?from a business trip late at night, can you start later the next day?
• Social and Meal Times: How are lunches handled, and what's the vibe?like?at company events? Are there casual get-togethers?
• Lifestyle: Is the workplace culture geared towards health and wellness?or?is there a more laid-back approach with a bar in the kitchen?

Development:

• Technology Choices: Are they all about pioneering with new, untested technologies or do they stick to?tried and true?solutions?
• Prioritization: What takes precedence—cost efficiency, speed of execution, or user-friendliness down the line?
• Flexibility in Processes: How often do priorities shift, and when is it okay to deviate from established processes?
• Decision Making: How are?key?decisions made and justified?
• Code Reviews: What do they focus on during code reviews?

I've also got a?separate?list of must-ask questions for anyone considering a role in a startup, which I'll cover in another post. Stay tuned!