7 Questions to Ask Your Future Employer And Yourself Before Accepting Your First Job Offer.
Written by Shinyi Chin
Landing your first ‘real’ job is awfully exciting. That job you’ve been working so hard for, the one where you can apply all that knowledge and information you’ve studied so hard for during your uni years. The one where you get to wear proper ‘work clothes’, shuffle on public transport with the working adults during peak hour and go into a real office. It’s a real adulting level-up moment.
Amidst all this excitement, don’t get overwhelmed by the need to please or impress your prospective employer and neglect your own needs. Don’t forget that you will be working in this role and it’s about your career advancement, training, and upskilling. So here are a few questions to ask your prospective employer, and yourself, before accepting that first job.
What is the scope of this role’s daily responsibilities?
Position descriptions outlined in job ads can be vague. Employers sometimes do this so as to not scare off potential employees. Therefore, it would be wise to ask this in your interview and try to get a detailed response. This will not only help you get clarification on the role, but also demonstrate your motivation to excel in the position.
2. How is success in this role measured?
A good follow up question - ask them about the frequency and timing of performance reviews, clarify the type of outputs and deliverables that are expected of you, understand the metrics or analytics that will be used to measure your performance.
3. Does the position offer room for advancement?
Just because you’ve just started in the industry doesn’t mean you can’t start thinking about your future. Every job, every experience is an opportunity for you to learn and grow. Demonstrating to your potential employer that you have career goals shows initiative and motivation. So don’t be afraid to ask them if the role offered to you has advancement potential.
You could phrase the question indirectly, such as: Is there an example of someone who was successful in this role? What made them successful and how/where did they advance to?
4. What is the company culture like?
I don’t know about you but a big part of what makes me want to work at a company depends on their culture and the people I work with. You want to make sure your work ethic, personality and values mesh well with the colleagues you have to work with on a daily basis. So, suss out the company’s culture by researching their website or social accounts. Or better yet, ask the hiring manager during your interview.
5. Who will I be reporting to and what is their leadership style?
Don’t underestimate the impact your future manager has on your career. Find someone you can trust, respect and learn from. Ideally, you’d want to have a manager whose leadership style aligns with your working style. The best case scenario would be to have a conversation with your direct manager as part of the interview, however that may not be the case for some. Nevertheless, you can still ask the hiring manager of their impressions of your future manager and their leadership style.
6. Am I comfortable with the pay offered?
Let’s be real. Unless you have a money tree growing in your backyard, or lucky enough to have a trust fund of some sort, money is important. We still need to pay rent, bills, and afford the occasional social activity (for our mental wellbeing). Most often (and quite tragically), internships are unpaid, though these circumstances may be short term. In these cases, you may need to flex your budgeting skills or have another part-time job on the side. If you’re lucky enough to score a paid internship or job, it is worth asking yourself - am I happy with the pay? Will it be enough for my daily expenses after taxes and other deductions? Do I have to change my lifestyle drastically with this amount of pay and how do I feel about that?
7. Am I excited about the position?
Excitement about being offered a job is not enough. Dig deeper and consider: does this role excite you? Will your daily duties and responsibilities, and skills learned be an asset to your resume? Does this particular role and opportunity make you want to jump out of bed in the morning? Can you see yourself working at the company for a long time?
Sure, sometimes a job may seem like a great opportunity at the start but turns out to be a dead-end. But It’s never a good idea to take a job if you have doubts from the beginning, don’t waste your time, or the company’s time training you.
Don’t get lured astray by the excitement of landing your first ‘real adult job’. Don’t worry about coming off as ‘picky’ by asking questions. Asking the right questions demonstrates your confidence and self-awareness when it comes to understanding your needs and wants in a job role. It’s okay to put yourself first, this is your future.
