Ask
questions that will leave
you with a sense of whether
your boss is a reasonable,
rational individual and
whether you will find the
work environment pleasant:
- What are
the physical conditions
of the work environment?
(It's best to visit!)
- Are there
any hazards associated
with the work environment?
(High noise levels, toxic
chemicals, etc.)
- What is
the dress code, and are
you willing to comply
with it?
- What is
the breakdown, in terms
of race and gender, among
employees? Will you be
working with a diverse
group?
- Have there
been any past problems
with discrimination or
sexual harassment? How
did the company and your
prospective employer
deal with them? (Current
and past employees will
give you a realistic
feel for these issues.
Also check out Rating
America's Corporate Conscience.)
- What are
most of the people in
your potential workspace
like? (Ages? Are they
artsy and offbeat? Quiet?
Hard-working? Able to
work well under pressure?)
- How well
does the organization
deal with complaints
or constructive criticism?
- What is
it like to work for your
boss? (Trust your intuition
about your supervisor
and the impression past
and current employees
impart upon you.)
- Has there
been a high turn-over
rate associated with
people who work for your
potential boss? (If the
turn-over has either
been excessively high
or extremely low, find
out why.)
Doing
research may seem time-consuming
and annoying, but you'll
be grateful you did it.
A fulfilling job can
be not just a meaningful
way to spend Monday through
Friday, but also a short-cut
to great future opportunities!
Selecting
well will not only reduce
your chances
of having to embark
upon another job search
in
the near future, but
will also open doors
for potential advancement
and skill building. |
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