If you have been looking for a new job you can end up going through a long interview process. By the time you get to offer stage you can often find yourself dazed. Before you accept the offer, make sure you think about what’s on offer and whether you have any doubts about the role or company. Remember, just because you’re right for the job doesn’t mean it’s right for you.
Keep an eye out for the warning signs below during the interview process that can help you decide whether the offer is a good move for you or not:
Interview behaviour
A good way to see what a company is like and whether you could see yourself there is by the way an interview is conducted. If you are attending interview it is common courtesy to make sure you are prepared, dressed smart, polite and attentive, so why shouldn’t you expect this from your interviewers too? If you get a good impression from your interviewers it will help you to think about whether you can see yourself working with them on a day-to-day basis, which is an important factor to consider if you take up a new role. Similarly, if the interviewers make a bad impression, such as not being prepared for the interview or needing to reschedule at short notice, it can lead to frustration and a bad initial impression. This factor may not be as obvious initially, but can play an important element in making your decision to accept an offer down the line.
Warnings before interview
This is something that may be more noticeable if you are in an interview process through an agency or you know someone who works with the company already. Both a recruiter or your source within the company will be able to tell you valuable information about the company that you may not be able to learn yourself otherwise, so listen carefully if they give you detail regarding the culture, interviewers or site. If your source mentions that the interviewer may be “quirky” or “unpredictable” for instance, or the site has “character”, it is important to pay close attention to these comments. Make sure when you attend interview that these factors are not an issue for you. Bear in mind that these warnings may in fact be positives and end up being factors that make you like the company more, however if there is a need for a warning then make sure it is something you are comfortable with before you accept an offer with the company.
Avoiding the question
If you are interviewing, either with a company interviewer or recruiter, make sure you get the basics from them. If they are asking you questions all about you and your experience, it is important for you to also be able to get the details regarding the job you are going for, for example regarding working hours or shift pattern. If they dance around simple questions then ask yourself why, are they trying to hide something? If you are provided with the details in a clear manner you will feel more at ease and have more trust in a company, and it will help you feel more confident in accepting an offer. However, if they can’t give you a straight answer regarding the facts even at offer stage, then you need to ask yourself if this is really the right role for you.
Prying and unnecessary questions
During the interview process make sure you keep note of the questions you are asked and whether they are normal or more unusual questions. For example, salary is a topic that the majority of us don’t like speaking about during an interview, however it can be an important question. A common question a company may ask you is what your salary expectation would be going into a new role, however it would be odd for a company to ask you what your current salary is now and ignore what your actual expectation would be. The type of questions asked can once again leave an impression with you and make you question whether a company is right for you or not, so if you’re on the fence about an offer or company make sure to consider the questions asked.
Remember that at the end of the day you need to make the right decision for you. Make sure to reflect on the interview process again before you accept or decline an offer, it may shed some light and help with making that important decision!
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If you have been looking for a new job you can end up going through a long interview process. By the time you get to offer stage you can often find yourself dazed. Before you accept the offer, make sure you think about what’s on offer and whether you have any doubts about the role or company. Remember, just because you’re right for the job doesn’t mean it’s right for you.
Keep an eye out for the warning signs below during the interview process that can help you decide whether the offer is a good move for you or not:
Interview behaviour
A good way to see what a company is like and whether you could see yourself there is by the way an interview is conducted. If you are attending interview it is common courtesy to make sure you are prepared, dressed smart, polite and attentive, so why shouldn’t you expect this from your interviewers too? If you get a good impression from your interviewers it will help you to think about whether you can see yourself working with them on a day-to-day basis, which is an important factor to consider if you take up a new role. Similarly, if the interviewers make a bad impression, such as not being prepared for the interview or needing to reschedule at short notice, it can lead to frustration and a bad initial impression. This factor may not be as obvious initially, but can play an important element in making your decision to accept an offer down the line.
Warnings before interview
This is something that may be more noticeable if you are in an interview process through an agency or you know someone who works with the company already. Both a recruiter or your source within the company will be able to tell you valuable information about the company that you may not be able to learn yourself otherwise, so listen carefully if they give you detail regarding the culture, interviewers or site. If your source mentions that the interviewer may be “quirky” or “unpredictable” for instance, or the site has “character”, it is important to pay close attention to these comments. Make sure when you attend interview that these factors are not an issue for you. Bear in mind that these warnings may in fact be positives and end up being factors that make you like the company more, however if there is a need for a warning then make sure it is something you are comfortable with before you accept an offer with the company.
Avoiding the question
If you are interviewing, either with a company interviewer or recruiter, make sure you get the basics from them. If they are asking you questions all about you and your experience, it is important for you to also be able to get the details regarding the job you are going for, for example regarding working hours or shift pattern. If they dance around simple questions then ask yourself why, are they trying to hide something? If you are provided with the details in a clear manner you will feel more at ease and have more trust in a company, and it will help you feel more confident in accepting an offer. However, if they can’t give you a straight answer regarding the facts even at offer stage, then you need to ask yourself if this is really the right role for you.
Prying and unnecessary questions
During the interview process make sure you keep note of the questions you are asked and whether they are normal or more unusual questions. For example, salary is a topic that the majority of us don’t like speaking about during an interview, however it can be an important question. A common question a company may ask you is what your salary expectation would be going into a new role, however it would be odd for a company to ask you what your current salary is now and ignore what your actual expectation would be. The type of questions asked can once again leave an impression with you and make you question whether a company is right for you or not, so if you’re on the fence about an offer or company make sure to consider the questions asked.
Remember that at the end of the day you need to make the right decision for you. Make sure to reflect on the interview process again before you accept or decline an offer, it may shed some light and help with making that important decision!