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Factors to Consider When Assessing a New Job Opportunity

August 2nd, 2010

The average tenure of a technical professional within a single company is a mere 2.1 years, resulting in a constant shuffling of new job openings. Although this might come across as common sense, there are a handful of factors you should take into consideration prior to accepting an offer, namely:

1. Commute. Unless you’re one of the few road warriors out there, a commute of more than 45-60 minutes each way can start to weigh on you pretty quickly. Drive the route to/from your new potential office during “peak hours” and test it out. If it’s daunting during your trial run, chances are it’s only going to get worse.

2. Work culture. Be highly observant during your interview, and if appropriate, request a tour of the facility. Get a sense of the energy, team dynamic, and overall vibe. Do team members go out of their way to introduce themselves, or do they shy away from making eye contact with you? Is there noticeable interaction between team members?

3. Opportunity for advancement. Depending on your career ambitions as well as where you are currently in your career journey, you will want your new potential manager to paint a clear picture as to what their unique promotion path looks like. If they can’t paint a clear picture and/or give a few real life examples, this may be a red flag.

4. Job perks. Human Resources can give you all the specifics in terms of the company’s benefits, so make sure you take the time to speak with them and understand exactly what you’re getting in addition to a salary. Some of the most popular perks are:

a. Medical, dental, and vision benefits (PPO? HMO? What percentage of the premium does the company cover? Does it cover just you, or is your family eligible as well? When are you eligible – day one or after ninety days?)

b. 401(k) matching program (what ratio will they match, and what is the annual cap?)

c. Flexible work schedule including the ability to telecommute or working a 9/80 week (nine 10-hour work days over the course of two weeks; in other words, you have every other Friday off)

d. Stock options (since the majority of new tech hiring in 2010 has been with small, entrepreneurial companies, they will oftentimes offer a stock option program to attract and retain talent, although you are seldom eligible for such a program until you’ve successfully completed 6-12 months on the job)

e. Paid vacation/holiday and sick time (how many days off are you eligible for, and is it on an accrual basis?)

f. Tuition reimbursement (do they encourage you to advance your education, and if so, will they reimburse your for doing so and to what extent?)

g. Company outings (maybe they offer free lunches every Friday, or perhaps there are company-sponsored trips throughout the year when you are encouraged to include your family)

5. Financial stability. If it’s a private company, chances are they won’t share their financial statements with you. That said, you can still uncover plenty of information by doing your own due diligence. And there’s no harm in asking them to provide you with a general financial snapshot and outlook; at the end of the day, it’s in their best interest to paint a clear picture for you.

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Interview Preparation Tips

January 20th, 2010

As with anything in life, practice makes perfect. And interviewing is no exception to this rule. Here are a few pre-interview practices you should get in the habit of doing each time you’re preparing for an interview:

  • Short and Long-Term Goals. What are your specific professional and personal goals? Write down three short-term goals and three long-term goals that are SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. You want to be confident in your vision. What are you trying to achieve, how are going to achieve it, and how long is it going to take?

  • Research. The Internet is your best friend when it comes to learning about a company. Educate yourself on the company by perusing the corporate website, any relevant news articles, and even insider blogs. You want to walk into the interview having a clear picture of the company as a whole, including their specific line of business, achievements, and company culture. 

  • Common Interview Questions. You can be almost 100% certain you will be asked one, if not many, generic interview questions. Practice answering these questions with specific and relevant examples. You may want to consider involving a friend or your spouse in this exercise and asking their feedback afterwards. Some of the most common questions are:

    o What’s your greatest weakness? Strength?
    o What makes you unique?
    o What do you know about our company?
    o Why are you interviewing for this position?
    o Why are you the best fit for this position?

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Interview Tips and Advice

October 28th, 2009

Job candidates continually ask us for interview tips and advice, and we wanted to share eight interview best practices in order to assist you in distinguishing yourself.

Interview Tips:

1. Be on time. I always recommend arriving to the parking lot 20-30 minutes early just to be safe. Wait until 10 minutes before your interview until you enter their office. You don’t want to sit in the lobby too long, but you also don’t want to arrive with only a minute to spare.

2. Take notes. Bring a clean notepad or binder with a pen and take notes throughout the interview. By doing so, you demonstrate your ability to be detail-oriented and responsible. Plus, it shows that you’re genuinely interested and find value in what they’re sharing with you during the interview.

3. Firm hand shake and eye contact. One of the major pet peeves of hiring managers is when candidates do not give a firm hand shake or make eye contact during the interview. Don’t fall into this boat. If you are in a one-on-one interview, make sure to maintain eye contact with that particular individual throughout the interview. If you are in an interview with more than one individual, make eye contact with each interviewer and don’t leave anyone out. You want everyone to feel like you notice them and they’re important – eye contact does just that.

4. Smile. This tip should probably move to the #1 spot on my list. A smile is worth a thousand words, if not more. People want to hire and work with positive individuals. Let your personality shine during an interview – this starts with smiling.

5. Stay positive. Adding to the above point, people want to hear affirmative responses to their questions. Dwell on the good things from your past experiences, not your bad ones. Make sure that the glass is always half-full.

6. Research the company. Go online and read as much as you can about the company. Check news articles, visit their website, and perhaps you can even find a blog or two from individuals within the company. Knowing this information will give you confidence and separate you from other applicants who didn’t take the time to get to know the company prior to the interview.

7. Prepare questions beforehand. Write out a series of well-thought-out questions before the interview (as a general rule of thumb, 3-5 questions is perfect). By doing so, you are again showing them that you are highly interested in the opportunity with their company and have taken the time to come up with insightful and relevant questions.

8. Ask for the job. This point pertains to the final step of the interview, after you’ve asked your other questions. Consider it your final question. You want to ask the interviewer(s) if they feel confident about you in this particular role and whether or not there is anything else you can clarify for them. If possible, you want to walk out of the interview having a great understanding of whether or not you got the job. For example, one way you could ask this question is by saying: “It has been a pleasure to meet you today and learn more about this opportunity and great company. I am highly interested in working with you, and I wanted to know how you feel about me being a strong fit for this position. Is there anything else I can clarify or further elaborate for you?”

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