From financial health, leave policy to company culture, make sure you have all the gossip about your new employer before you sign the dotted line. Taking on new job is no longer a simple matter of clearing an interview. All employers have secrets that you will want to uncover. It would be a good idea to play detective and uncover all those minute details. Remember that answers to these questions will not be available in any employee manual; you will have to fish them out.
• What’s the chain of command: Before you decide to take a job, make sure you find out all about the chain of command and whom you will be reporting to. Also get dope on all that will be required of you. And if you have to report to more than one person at a time, you probably will not get any clear direction. It gets worse if the people you report to do not see eye to eye. At the end of the day, you will have nothing to show for your efforts.
Your handy checklist: ask who your predecessors were and how long each lasted. If you hear a large figure in a small time frame, there is definitely a problem and you should reconsider accepting the post.
Target your queries to: ideally the interviewer, if that is not possible, the HR manager.
• What about travel and expenses:
Even if you are not in a job or position that requires traveling, as a woman employee, it is important for you to know what kind of arrangements your prospective employer makes for travel and lodging on work. Make sure you ask what class fare your position entitles to, what kind of accommodation would be provided and how long it takes to be reimbursed the amounts spent.
Your handy checklist: To prevent being caught on the wrong foot, it’s good idea to get information about expenses claims and how your prospective employer views business lunches, gifts to clients etc.
Target your queries: Again, your best source is the AHR manager. Or have an informal chat with current employees.
• How stable is the top management:
The key question is to ask is whether turmoil at the top would translate into a threat for employees or not. Can the division, takeover or merger of the company cause redundancy for your position. And if that is the case, will the organization be in the position to compensate you adequately.
Your handy checklist: If major change is coming, be astute enough to consider how potentially disruptive it could be.
Target your queries to: your own intuition. Follow company and industry news.
• What is my actual salary?
A classic mistake most people are not working out what the actual amount they will get in hand will be. Make sure you ask for a breakdown of your salary before you sign the dotted line.
Your handy checklist: This is also a good time to find out about exit policies, bonus and variable pay components, and certain clauses like those not permitting you to work with a rival company for a period of time after resigning.
Target your queries to: the HR manager, but also speak with employees to get the real inside dope.