Nine questions to ask before accepting a
job

By Daniel M. Rover, CEO

As a candidate being considered for a job, you’ll be asked a lot of questions.
That’s normal.
Just as important are the questions you ask of a prospective employer when being
asked to accept a job offer. It’s important that you know what type of work
environment you’ll be entering and what the job requirements are.
Here are nine key questions to ask:

1. What will my daily job responsibilities be? Drill down to get specifics.
   Job descriptions can be overly general and vague, and you do not want to be
   surprised to find the actual job is much different than you may have assumed in the
   interview process.
2. What is the employer’s expectation for a commitment of time each week?
   Say for example, you are on a salary but then expected to work 50-55 hours a
   week. That may or may not be a problem, but know going into a job so that there
   are no surprises.
3. How will your performance be evaluated? Get specifics on how the
   performance review process works, how often it is addressed and what your role in
   the process will be. Ask, “What type of people have been successful in my role
   what specifically made them succeed?”
4. How does the training and onboarding process work? You deserve a
   thorough training a process to help you succeed and to make sure your employer
   succeeds at the same time.
5. Who is my direct report? Unless you were interviewed by the person who
   will supervise you, you deserve to get to know that person to avoid surprises.
6. What are the benefits? Ask about health insurance, paid time off, 401(k)
   programs and other benefits to have a full understanding.
7. What level of comfort do you have with the compensation package? Do
   not be hesitant to negotiate on pay; most employers have some wiggle room. If
   you accept a job with insufficient pay you are not likely to stay for long, which
   hurts both you and your employer.
8. Is the employer stable with a good reputation? Check the prospective
   employer with a Google search or a visit to www.glassdoor.com. You want an
   employer whose values align with yours.
9. What is the company culture like? Every company has a unique culture
   and you will want to join one that helps you fit in with co-workers you interact
   with daily.
   Good luck. Taking the time to ask the proper questions of a prospective employer
   can help make the job a “win-win” for both you and the company you are joining.