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Career Development
05 September 2024 - 4 min read
We all know that the job-hunting process can often feel incredibly rushed, so it’s crucial to take the time to think about whether the role and the company are the right fit for you as you move through the interview stage and eventually land a job offer.
No matter how excited you might be at the prospect of a new job, it’s important to keep in mind the questions you need to ask before and after accepting a job offer. This ensures you’re taking the time to slow down and get the answers you need to make the decision you feel is in your best interest.
Here, we review the twelve best questions to ask the hiring manager before and after accepting your next role.
It’s ideal to ask a broad range of questions before accepting a new role, however, it’s key to avoid questions that are too similar.
That said, at this stage, we recommend focusing on questions surrounding:
For example:
At this point, you’ll have a solid overview of the role you’ve applied for, the working model you’ll be meant to follow (e.g., remote or hybrid) and what your potential new employer has set out to achieve infilling this position. However, it’s unlikely that the day-to-day responsibilities have been explored in-depth thus far.
To prevent any surprises down the line, asking this question is your opportunity to find out what an average day in this role looks like. This might include, for example, discussion around what specific tools and software you’d be expected to use regularly.
Knowing what is expected from you within the first three months in the role will not only help to manage your own expectations but will also help you to create a plan of how you’re going to achieve these goals.
When you start a new role, it can be overwhelming to think of how much time it might take to get you up to speed. However, by keeping these three categories in mind when asking this question, you might have an easier time understanding what tasks and training need to prioritised, and whether you feel this will be manageable for you.
Being that some employers have the tendency to downplay their expectations of new hires, and the level of work involved, this question is especially important to ask. You may also want to consider following this question up by asking what support is in place to safeguard new employees and help them be successful.
Off the back of question two, this question is essential to ask before accepting a job offer.
Being that every role is different when it comes to evaluating employee performance, you need to know how and when your success is going to be measured.
If the company you want to work for has a training and progression plan for their employees, for instance, you’ll need to know what standards you’ll need to meet to succeed in the role.
Companies may not go into a lot of detail about this before you’ve accepted a job offer, as new employees tend to learn more about performance management during onboarding, but it’s good to cover your bases (and show them that you’re thinking ahead)
Although it’s important not to get too caught up in the past, gaining an understanding of why the last person in the role decided to leave, or the reason as to why the role has opened, will typically give you some important insight into the current company culture, how employees are treated, and whether there’s room for employee development.
Additionally, if you find out at this point that the role is a brand-new one, then this might open up a larger conversation around the level of autonomy you might have when it comes to responsibilities and scope, as opposed to filling a role that’s already been around for some time and done a certain way.
In fact, one-third of UK employees have said that the main reason they would move on from their current role would be due toa lack of career progression. So, to save yourself (and your employer) some time, its highly beneficial to ask this question and be clear about your expectations from the jump.
While it’s unlikely you’ll begin a new role and progress immediately, this question is important to ask so that you’re clear on the progression you could have with your potential new employer in the future. Asking this will also highlight that you’re someone who values career growth (which, to the right employer, should also be a business priority when it comes to their staff).
Their response will, in turn, tell you whether there’s space to grow in the role, the company, and in your career, should you choose to accept he job.
Not to be taken lightly, these questions will help determine where on the priority scale these fundamental responsibilities sit for your potential employer – especially in the modern world of work, where more emphasis is being put on them.
If a company is committed to their ESG and DEI initiatives, they’ll likely have no issue talking to you about them. In fact, they’ll likely use them as a way of promoting their brand image and employee value proposition.
However, if it turns out that the company are doing very little to reduce their carbon footprint, or if they don’t seem to provide equal opportunities to a diverse workforce, then you’ll need to consider what these initiatives mean to you before accepting any job offer.
Okay, so you’ve accepted the job offer – congratulations!
However, now is your opportunity to ask a few more questions before signing anything concrete. We recommend that these questions be more specific around the following topics:
For example:
In many cases, you don’t have full access to the full employee rewards and/or benefits package until you have either completed your probationary period or have been in the role for at least three months.
Core benefits, like your annual leave entitlement and pension contribution, may be offered from day one, however, extended benefits like private health insurance, an annual leave purchase scheme, or company wellbeing days could follow later.
That’s why it’s best to ask this question right way to avoid any confusion, and to make sure you can still take that holiday you have planned in a few months’ time.
A great opportunity to find out more about the people you’ll be working with and the company culture, this question will help you gain some insight into how important it is to your organisation to prioritise team building and social events and/or celebrating individual and team wins.
Some employers might organise corporate away days, employee events and parties, or team socials to help build and maintain an inclusive and supportive company culture.
If you’re someone to enjoys socialising with your work colleagues, building strong relationships and celebrating accomplishments as a team, it’s likely you’ll want to be a part of a company that regards these things as essential.
Knowing whether your organisation supports their employees during challenges and change is extremely important, especially in today’s inflated economy. While it’s inevitable that people and organisations will go through periods of transformation, this question is particularly important for employers so that you can avoid any unnecessary emotional distress should difficult circumstances arise.
Asking your employer for an example of a time they went through a period of change or through hardship as an organisation, how they dealt with it, and how they supported their employees, will give you an idea of how the organisation copes under pressure.
You’ll also get an idea of how you’ll be looked after, and where you can turn to if you need additional guidance.
As the years go by, the salary that you started on is likely to become outdated due to external factors like the increased cost of living, or the developments within the industry you work in.
Your organisation should benchmark salaries for roles against similar ones in the industry to make sure they are paying a fair and honest salaries.
However, with money not going as far as it did 3-5 years ago, employers need to take this into consideration if they want to retain their staff, and you need to consider asking this question, so you know what to expect.
To ensure you’re feeling best equipped to manage your new role, you’ll want to know more about the training you’ll receive and who you should set meetings up with during your onboarding period.
Often before you start a role, your manager will support you by putting a few meetings in place and providing you with the essential company training those needs completed in the early days, like review on health and safety and GDPR.
As the first few weeks of any role can be overwhelming (and jam packed with information), knowing what is ahead of you will help you plan your time accordingly and set your expectations.
Knowing how your new team prefers to communicate, and across which platforms, can help you feel good about getting started in your role from day one. Knowing this information will give you the chance to familiarise yourself with any communication tools you may not be familiar with.
If, for instance, the team you previously worked for used Outlook to schedule meetings, but your new team schedules them through Google Meet, then it’s helpful to know this beforehand.
Additionally, if you come to find that you have monthly meetings with your new line manager rather than weekly touch points, these sessions may require more time and preparation.
Similarly, team meetings might work on a rotation basis, with a different team member chairing the meeting every week. This means that when it comes to your week, more will be expected of you. If you know this information from day one, however, , you’re more likely to well organised.
Deciding if a job offer is the right one for you can be tough, especially when you haven’t yet worked a day in the role. However, if you seek out as much information as possible by asking these questions before and after the job offer, you’re sure to start off on the right foot.
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