The eight questions you should ask an employer before accepting a job-offer

Posted on by usfcareersuccess

This is the start of great things

If you’re strapped for cash, then you may have no choice but to take a job simply for the paycheck. In the long run, however, it’s important that you find a job that’s the right fit for you and will give you long-term satisfaction.

To make sure the job that you’ve been offered is the right one for you, make sure to ask these ten questions:

  1. What are the company hours?: We all have responsibilities outside of work. If your job requires that you put in more hours than the typical 9-5 but you’re unable to fulfill that requirement because of external factors—e.g. family commitments, medical reasons etc.—then, you may need to consider other job opportunities.

2. What is the company policy on time off?: Occasionally, life happens and you may need to take time off to accommodate a doctor’s appointment or a sick family member.

According to Liz Ryan of Human Workplace, a publishing and consulting firm, if an employer is not willing to accommodate days off for situations like family emergencies or doctor’s appointments, then, they may not have your best interest in mind.

However, employers should still use their discretion when approving employee days off.

3. Does the job require any travel? This may only apply if you’re working a sales job. Nevertheless, it may be important to know if you’ll be required to travel; even if it’s a short distance.

If you are required to travel, Ashley Deibert, Vice President of Marketing at iQ Media, suggests that you ask whether or not the company will reimburse your mileage or provide you with a pre-tax commuter card.

4. Are there opportunities for advancement? Are you looking for a long-term job? If so, will this company provide you the opportunity to advance your career?

5. What are your health/dental/ and vision plans? According to Deibert, some employers will wait to add new hires to company insurance plans. This allows them to make sure their employees are sticking around for the long haul.

At the very least, still familiarize yourself with the company plans insurance plans to ensure there are no conflicts with your own doctors, dentist and optometrist coverage.

6. How did this position become available? According to Jillian Kramer, a contributor to Business Insider, the answer to this question will speak volumes about the previous job holder’s relationship with the company.

Were they fired, did they leave the company or were they given a promotion? These are important questions to ask because the answers may reveal something about the company culture.

7. What departments will I be working closely with? Although you may be working alone at a cubicle chances are that you’ll have to report to someone.

According to Ryan, the answer to this question may reveal something about how connected the other employees/departments within the company are.

8. Where is the company headed? According to Kramer, if you are aware of the path the company has taken in the past, you’ll want to know what path they’re headed on. Like the rest of these questions, this will ensure you’re on the same one.

USF Career Success Center

Tower Hall N204

MWF 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

References:

Deibert, A. (28 May 2014). Twenty questions: Ask before you accept the job offer. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140528183101-8724727-twenty-questions-ask-before-you-accept-the-job-offer

Kramer, J. (30 May 2017). 6 questions you should ask before accepting a job offer. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/6-questions-you-should-ask-before-accepting-a-job-offer-2017-5

Ryan, L. (5 January 2016). Five questions to ask before you accept A job offer. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2016/01/05/five-questions-to-ask-before-you-accept-a-job-offer/#33a1911b4702

 

4 open-ended interview questions and what employers really want to know

Posted on by usfcareersuccess

Applicant and recruitment procedure

A job interview is your first and only opportunity to make a positive face-to-face impression. So, it’s important that you’re prepared to answer whatever questions come your way.

However, not all questions are going to have simple yes or no answers or require you to rattle off your work experience and skills. Employers may simply want to gauge your ability to think critically or assess how you’ll fit into the company culture.

You might be wondering: Where do I begin to answer the question? How much detail is too much detail and what are employers looking for in my answers?

So, here are 4 commonly-asked, interview questions and what employers really want to know:

  1. What can you tell me about yourself? Employers typically ask this question so they can learn about your previous work experience and gauge your skills. Kathryn Minshew, a writer for The Muse.com, a website that offers career advice to job seekers, suggests that to answer this question, job candidates should use the Present-Past-Future Formula.

This formula prompts job candidates to guide their answer by talking about present and past job positions they’ve held, the skills they acquired through their past positions and how their experiences and skills pertain to the position they’re applying for.

2. What is your greatest weakness? It may seem counterintuitive to go into a job interview and explain in detail your greatest weakness to a potential employer. However, it’s important to realize that they’ll simply want to ensure you’re aware of your weaknesses and have taken steps to improve.

So to answer this question, you might want to share an anecdote about a time one of your weaknesses e.g. an inability to delegate tasks, threatened your work efficiency and explain how you overcame that challenge e.g. by learning to delegate tasks.

Monster.com says that when choosing a weakness to discuss, make sure it’s not directly related to the job you’re applying for e.g. if the job required you to keep track of and file documents, it would be unwise to mention that you have a problem with organization.

Instead, mention that you tend to take on more work than you can handle. So essentially, don’t place doubt in your employers mind that you are unable to handle critical components of the job.

3. What is your greatest strength? When asking this question, employers typically want to confirm that you have the credentials listed on your resumé. So, don’t be vague when giving your answer.

Detail concrete examples of situations where you exhibited a strength in order to complete a task e.g. being detail-oriented helped you to identify a mistake in a client logo that no one else had noticed and was due to be printed on 100+ shirts.

4. Where do you see yourself in five years? According to Dayvon Goddard from LinkedIn, employers want to know that their potential investment in you is going to be a valuable one. Do not place doubt in their minds by suggesting that your potential investment in them is not a long-term one.

Instead, suggest that you are interested in growing with the company and that the position is pertinent to your long-term career goals.

Begin preparing answers to these questions now so you’re not thrown off guard during a job interview. Make sure that you’re confident in your answers so that a potential employer is confident in your abilities.

Need some practice?

The USF Career Success Center conducts mock interviews.

Visit Tower Hall N204

8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

References:

Adams, S. (6 February, 2014). 4 ways to use facebook to find a job. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2014/02/06/4-ways-to-use-facebook-to-find-a-job/#16480f0f1fab

Doyle, A. (18 January 2017). Best way to answer interview questions about your weaknesses. Retrieved from https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-your-greatest-weakness-2061288

Goddard, D. (15 July 2014). Where do you see YOURSELF in 5 years? (how to answer). Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140715181346-135125319-where-do-you-see-yourself-in-5-years-how-to-answer

Martin, C. (2017). List of strength & weaknesses: What to say in your interview. Retrieved from https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/greatest-strengths-and-weaknesses

Minshew, K. (2017). A simple formula for answering “tell me about yourself”.. Retrieved from https://www.themuse.com/advice/a-simple-formula-for-answering-tell-me-about-yourself

 

Two roads diverge….which one are you going to take?

Posted on by usfcareersuccess

Taking decisions for the future

One question you’ll be asked over and over again as you begin applying to colleges is, “So, what’s your major?”

Over time, this question can become annoying, especially if you’re like the other 20-50% of incoming freshman that are undecided, according to author Virginia Gordon in her 1995 book, The Undecided College Student an Academic and Career Advising Challenge. If you’re feeling this way, the truth is, there is no magic formula that will help you decide what you want to do for the rest of your life.

In fact, according to a study conducted by CareerBuilder.com, over 20% of college graduates were employed in a job that had nothing to do with their major. See? Even people that thought they had it all figured out through college changed their minds once they’d graduated.

Despite this, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take steps to forge a path towards your future. As Robert Frost once said, “the only way forward is through”.

According to Bradford Holmes, of the U.S. News & World Report, declaring a major may make you eligible for greater financial benefit going into college such as, “department-specific scholarships, special freshman housing [etc.]”.

If you have some interest in a specific major but are still undecided this is another situation where it may be beneficial to declare because, depending on the program, some classes may only be offered once per year.

There are a couple of different options you could consider to help you decide your career trajectory:

  • Attend a community college for the first two years: Along with the requirements for your major, you’ll also have to complete general education courses. If your major is undecided then it may benefit you to attend community college until those credits are completed.

 

  • See what interests you and audit classes: The only way to see what majors are out there is to explore. SUNY Plattsburgh advises undecided freshman to narrow down the field by considering their interests and how those interests correspond to a college major before enrolling in an introductory course.

Or consider these questions:

  • What is your favorite subject? Why?
  • What do you like to do in your spare time?
  • What do you see as your greatest strengths? Weaknesses?
  • What environment do you see yourself working in?
  • What resources are available at school to help you consider your options?

 

The USF Career Success Center can provide you with resources that will aid your decision.

 USF Career Success Center Tower N204
8:00a.m. – 4:30p.m.

References:

CareerBuilder study as qtd. in O’Shaughnessy. (15 November 2013). New study shows careers and college majors often don’t match. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-study-shows-careers-and-college-majors-often-dont-match/

Gordon qtd. in Freedman, Liz. (28 June 2013). The developmental disconnect in choosing a major: Why institutions should prohibit choice until second year. Retrieved from https://dus.psu.edu/mentor/2013/06/disconnect-choosing-major/

Holmes, B. (7 March 2016). Pros, cons of applying to college as an undecided major. Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-admissions-playbook/articles/2016-03-07/pros-cons-of-applying-to-college-as-an-undecided-major

SUNY Plattsburgh. (12 July 2017). Common misconceptions and advice for undeclared students. Retrieved from http://web.plattsburgh.edu/academics/advising/undeclaredadvice.php