What Should I Ask Before Accepting a Job Offer?

If a job search is like dating, then getting a job offer is the moment when you decide whether it’s time to get married. And just like that other major commitment, the more questions you ask, the less anxiety you’ll feel and the more certain you’ll be that it’s the right decision.

1 point to keep in mind: if it’s a great company, they will have answers to every single one of the questions listed below. If they don’t, then you need to decide whether it’s a deal-breaker to joining them or not. Either way, the power is in your hands!

On to the list:

1. What is included under your “benefits” package? Ex: health insurance coverage (provider options, how much employee pays in, do they cover prescriptions/speciality services, etc.)

2. When does health coverage begin for new employees?

3. Do you offer dental insurance? What is the plan?

4. Do you offer vision insurance?

5. Do you offer a discount on a gym membership?

6. What is the 401K offering (vesting, matching, can I roll over my current 401k into yours?)

7. Do you offer Life or Disability Insurance?

8. How much paid vacation do you offer per year? Is it accrued? Does it carry over if I don’t use it?

9. How many Sick and/or Personal days do I get?

10. What are the official company paid holidays? I have other religious holidays that fall outside of these, will you grant them?

11. Does the company provide a company-issued cell phone or reimburse for cell phone plans?

12. Does the company reimburse for mileage driven for work? or Do you offer pre-tax commuter cards?

13. What are the typical office hours? Is there flexibility to work from home on certain days?

14. Do I get overtime for going over 40 hours (applies to exempt vs non exempt status)?

15. Do you offer a stock/equity package? What are the details and the vesting period?

16. What is the pay period? Every week, every two weeks, etc.?

17. What is the bonus structure? Is it fixed based on personal goals or variable based on company performance?

18. What is your desired start date for me?

19. Will I be issued a corporate card or a petty cash fund?

And finally, one last question that you need to ask yourself: will this position advance my career in a meaningful way? If you know in your heart that the answer to this last question is “no”, then it’s going to be very hard to move forward. On the flip-side, if the answer is a resounding “Yes!” then it’s fine to go into the questions above in a spirit of compromise.

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