Questions To Ask About A Job Besides “What Does It Pay?”
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When considering an employment opportunity, naturally, you need to know what it pays. Do be wary of any company or employer who tries to withhold this information until the very end of the interview, or until even later. And certainly look out for any company who takes offense to you asking what the job pays or accuses you of “being in it for the wrong reasons” if you ask about pay. That place is about to give you an offensively low-ball offer, potentially not even pay you a living wage, and even perhaps ask you to work for free. And they’ll manipulate you into believing that it’s a “great opportunity.” Great opportunity aside, you are allowed to care about money and you need to make enough to not only live comfortably but also reach savings goals. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad for wondering what a job pays.
That being said, once you have heard at least a ballpark figure of the pay and are happy with it, the questions shouldn’t stop there. Money can really only alleviate certain stressors, like the need to pay for food, shelter, and Netflix. But there is almost not enough money in the world to compensate for a terrible work environment, or unfair working conditions. You know this to be true because you probably know several insanely wealthy people who don’t like their job and are always unhappy. They have five-bedroom homes with swimming pools but no smiles on their faces. They didn’t ask themselves—or those they’d be working with—the right questions about their job before taking it. And then they were so seduced by the money, that they went further and further into the industry. But you need to think of the big picture. Here are important questions to ask about a job besides, “What does it pay?”
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What’s the company’s trajectory been like?
This is another sneaky way of asking without asking, “How is the company doing, really?” If it’s been skyrocketing, it’ll be an easy question for your interviewer to answer. She’ll have accolades and rewards and numbers to present you. If it’s been struggling, her answer will reveal that, too.
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Is there room for upward mobility?
If you have a plan to only stay in this role for which you’re interviewing for a couple of years but would then want to petition for a better job, that’s something to ask about. Some companies don’t promote from within and only hire from without for higher-up positions. Some really just want things to stay the way they are for a long time.
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What is the office culture like?
Workplace culture is something that millennials have come to understand is rather important when it comes to keeping employees happy. So ask how it is around here. Does your interviewer say something like, “People are pretty quiet and keep to themselves, and just get their work done?” Or does she say, “It’s very social. We have open door policies. People bring in their dogs. We order lunch together.” Neither is right or wrong, it’s just about which office culture is right for you.
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Why did the last person leave?
It can feel rude to ask this question, but it’s more normal than you may expect. The only reason your interviewer may respond poorly to the question is if the answer is embarrassing, or would in some way make the company look bad. So if your interviewer seems bumped by the question and/or won’t answer it, that’s a red flag.
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Does the staff work nights and weekends?
Asking the question this way doesn’t make you sound lazy or like you’re trying to get out of anything. You’re just wondering what the general expectation is. It’s important to know if people are often stuck working over the weekend, or late into the weeknights. It’s okay if that happens sometimes, but if you get the sense that’s the norm around here, that’s something to think about.
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Do many employees have families?
This is a clever way of figuring out how the work-life balance is around here. If you aren’t comfortable asking about the nights and weekends work, you can ask this question. If people have to work late every night, travel often for work, or work weekends, this company wouldn’t keep anyone with a family around for long.
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Are there bonuses?
Hey, this is perfectly fair to ask. The salary they’ve quoted you might work well enough for your regular life, but you know that every year, things come up. You need to fix the roof on your home, travel far for a family member’s wedding, or get your kid braces. These bonuses come in handy, and companies that care for their employees and appreciate their hard work give them out.
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How often are raises given out?
We live in a society today where it feels greedy to ask for a raise, but that’s not right. Just a couple of decades ago, it was the norm for many companies to automatically give out small raises every year or few years just to keep up with the increasing cost of living. And that will continue to increase, so it’s important to know that this company tries to keep up with that, so their employees don’t suffer.
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How do you like working here?
This one may throw your interviewer for a loop but is a very valuable question. It also makes you look good because it’s rare that the interviewee asks the interviewer a question about herself. If this person hates working here, she’ll struggle to hide it. If she loves working here, it will be obvious.
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What will my day-to-day look like?
This is a good way to find out whether or not this company is organized and has put real thought into how responsibilities are split up. They may give you a clear and concise answer that depicts expected and manageable responsibilities. Or they may say, “Well it’s hectic and you’ll kind of have to do whatever has to be done.”
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Does the company do any philanthropy?
If it matters to you to work for a company that shares your values, then ask this question. If this company for which you’re interviewing is particularly profitable, you probably want to hear that they do some charity work and pay it forward. In general, it’s a good way to get a sense of the company’s ethics.
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Are there any major changes planned?
This is a way of asking without asking, “Will the company be merging with another? Or…downsizing?” If a merger is planned, that can be a good thing that means more money, or it can mean an organizational mess. If they are downsizing, that doesn’t bode well for their finances. It’s just an important question to ask for many reasons.
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How’s the healthcare plan?
You can’t do a very good job at any job if you can’t take care of your health, so you are in the right to ask this question. Don’t forget that buying an individual plan can cost anywhere from $300 to $500 a month these days so, if they don’t pay for your health care, there needs to be a new negotiation surrounding salary.
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What about maternity leave or childcare?
How’s the maternity leave? Do people tend to take their full maternity leave (Hint: if they don’t, that’s probably because the company secretly frowns on it and everyone senses it). Is there childcare on site? Or any financial help with childcare like stipends or credits? If you have kids or want to have kids, this is important to know.
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Who will I be working with?
You’ll want to know with whom you’ll be spending most of your time. Ask if you can meet that person or team. You may get great vibes from them off the bat, or you may find that they’re a grumpy, rude, stressed out bunch. It’s better to find out sooner rather than later.
