Questions

Before accepting an offer, here are questions that I expect a potential employer to answer. Some of these only apply to typical "enterprise" companies.

• What do you want the company to be known for among employees?

• What is the company organization like?

  • How many individual contributors per team lead?

  • How many layers of management?

  • When conflicting priorities compete for our time, who decides which will “win”?

  • What role is responsible for completion of the whole client/customer engagement? And what will be my relation to the person with that role?

• How does management give negative feedback to employees? How are employees encouraged to give negative feedback to management?

• How do you handle employee performance reviews?

• Why do most employees leave this department?

• Do you have an “Employee Handbook” or similar documentation, to outline general procedures, benefits, etc?

  • I would like to review a full copy; if not possible, then at least the basic details of PTO/vacation days, sick leave, etc.

• What are working hours like?

  • What are the expected typical working hours? Start time, end time, flextime, etc.

  • How often is this position expected to be available outside of normal working hours?

  • How often are employees requested/expected to work overtime?

• Compensation - do you use Hay points, or a similar industry practice? Is there a signing bonus?

• Before making a final decision, I would like to speak with someone in a similar level/position, who has been there for over a year.