More than money: 5 crucial things to look for at interview Mar 16th
The days when it was common
to take a job and then stick with one company for life are far behind us. In
fact, even staying in one job for more than a few years at a time is becoming
rarer, the more years that pass. However, although accepting a new position
might not mean making a long-term commitment, you’ll undoubtedly be in the role
for at last a few months.
So, if you’re not enjoying
where you are and what you’re doing, the days, weeks, months or longer will
soon start to drag. That can easily happen if you accept a job that’s not quite
right for you, but why would you do that in the first place? Of course – the
money. Here are several other crucial things to look for when you attend an
interview.
Have your expectations been met so far?
From the moment you saw the
job advertised, to the day you arrived for interview, what has the experience
been like? Sorry, other than quite nerve-wracking, that is. Has communication
been consistent? Have you felt wanted, welcomed and already valued, despite not
yet being an actual employee? Forbes
highlights the importance of the interview process itself as one of the biggest indicators of whether an employer
is worth your time or otherwise.
Does everyone look as happy as you hope to be?
From being greeted at
reception, to taking a quick tour, to meeting your interviewer, how do the
people you may soon be working with seem right now? Busy, probably. Stressed,
possibly. However, what about happy, enthusiastic and welcoming? While it can
be tough to distinguish between paranoia and genuine perspective, if your
overall sense of the potential new office is negative, then money might not be compensation
enough for working in such an environment.
Is it well-designed and fully equipped?
Do you get a sense of
organised chaos or properly-managed productivity as you wait and walk through
the building? Is it clean and well-maintained, and do the current employees
look comfortable as they work?
A question you could ask at
interview could be whether the office is owned by the company or leased. For
instance, a serviced office space from BE Offices would be cleaned, equipped and maintained by the owners
of the building, rather than the company, so this could be worth a polite
enquiry come the day of the interview.
How do staff interact with each other?
While the way you are greeted
at reception is likely to be ‘service with a smile’, there are subtle
indications of workplace culture you can look out for at your interview. For
instance, how the receptionist interacts with the other employees who greet you
or how you hear people speaking to one another when you walk through an office
could clarify whether it’s a workplace of collaboration – or quiet, solitary
work.
Is everyone busy?
Finally, how much work is
getting done right now? Do employees appear to be genuinely engaged with what
they’re doing, or do they appear unmotivated? There are plenty of known benefits to being busy,
and you certainly don’t want to take on a role that doesn’t present you with a
challenge. Otherwise, how can you expect to keep progressing in the future?
That’s unless you are simply
focused on one thing – the extra money in your bank account every month. If so,
be warned that that extra money will soon become the norm. We spend an awful
lot of our time at work, and planning for work even when we’re not at work. So,
when you next attend an interview, keep your eyes peeled for signs that it’s
worth something far more important than hard cash – your precious time.
Image recommendations:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/businesswomen-businesswoman-interview-meeting-70292/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-being-interviewed-by-a-woman-3874035/
Mar 16th
The days when it was common to take a job and then stick with one company for life are far behind us. In fact, even staying in one job for more than a few years at a time is becoming rarer, the more years that pass. However, although accepting a new position might not mean making a long-term commitment, you’ll undoubtedly be in the role for at last a few months.
So, if you’re not enjoying where you are and what you’re doing, the days, weeks, months or longer will soon start to drag. That can easily happen if you accept a job that’s not quite right for you, but why would you do that in the first place? Of course – the money. Here are several other crucial things to look for when you attend an interview.
Have your expectations been met so far?
From the moment you saw the job advertised, to the day you arrived for interview, what has the experience been like? Sorry, other than quite nerve-wracking, that is. Has communication been consistent? Have you felt wanted, welcomed and already valued, despite not yet being an actual employee? Forbes highlights the importance of the interview process itself as one of the biggest indicators of whether an employer is worth your time or otherwise.
Does everyone look as happy as you hope to be?
From being greeted at reception, to taking a quick tour, to meeting your interviewer, how do the people you may soon be working with seem right now? Busy, probably. Stressed, possibly. However, what about happy, enthusiastic and welcoming? While it can be tough to distinguish between paranoia and genuine perspective, if your overall sense of the potential new office is negative, then money might not be compensation enough for working in such an environment.
Is it well-designed and fully equipped?
Do you get a sense of organised chaos or properly-managed productivity as you wait and walk through the building? Is it clean and well-maintained, and do the current employees look comfortable as they work?
A question you could ask at interview could be whether the office is owned by the company or leased. For instance, a serviced office space from BE Offices would be cleaned, equipped and maintained by the owners of the building, rather than the company, so this could be worth a polite enquiry come the day of the interview.
How do staff interact with each other?
While the way you are greeted at reception is likely to be ‘service with a smile’, there are subtle indications of workplace culture you can look out for at your interview. For instance, how the receptionist interacts with the other employees who greet you or how you hear people speaking to one another when you walk through an office could clarify whether it’s a workplace of collaboration – or quiet, solitary work.
Is everyone busy?
Finally, how much work is getting done right now? Do employees appear to be genuinely engaged with what they’re doing, or do they appear unmotivated? There are plenty of known benefits to being busy, and you certainly don’t want to take on a role that doesn’t present you with a challenge. Otherwise, how can you expect to keep progressing in the future?
That’s unless you are simply focused on one thing – the extra money in your bank account every month. If so, be warned that that extra money will soon become the norm. We spend an awful lot of our time at work, and planning for work even when we’re not at work. So, when you next attend an interview, keep your eyes peeled for signs that it’s worth something far more important than hard cash – your precious time.
Image recommendations:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/businesswomen-businesswoman-interview-meeting-70292/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-being-interviewed-by-a-woman-3874035/
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