9 questions to ask before changing jobs

Most people, before they move to a new job, will ask themselves: “How much will I get paid?” or “What’s my new title?” and “Where will I be located?” But are we asking the right questions? Money, location and title are all short-term incentives and are not the key to work satisfaction.

Here are nine questions you should ask yourself before accepting a new job.

1. Will I be challenged?

Some people believe moving to a more laid-back role will make their lifestyle easier and allow them to relax. But as time progresses you will find yourself feeling useless and those below you – where you used to be – will be energetic and hungry to reach the top. A challenge is very important, as it allows you to have ambition, goals and targets. You will have things to look forward to and a sense of achievement as you progress through the role. So in my opinion, the first factor you should look at when considering a new job is the challenge laid out in your job description.

2. Will I be fairly evaluated?

One criterion you should ask your future HR manager is what policies and procedures are in place to ensure you are evaluated properly. Will your end of year bonus, increments, title be based purely on “key performance indicators” (KPIs) or will there be other instruments or fields you must fulfil?

Sometimes you might not be able to fully achieve your KPIs, but you could be able to make up for it in other ways, such as effective teamwork and hitting overall goals. When you sit down at a mid- or end-of-year review with your manager, you must feel like you are being properly monitored and that communication at the company is transparent, and that you know where you are heading.

Some international companies have a 360-degree evaluation, which means you also get to evaluate your manager every six months. This ensures that any disruptions will be communicated upwards.

3. What incentives are there?

A salary increase can be hard to turn down, however you should look at the hidden incentives in a job offer before deciding to make a move. For example, at company X your salary is 10k, and you have just been offered 15k to join company Y. That’s a 50% increase, you think, let’s make the move. But that’s where you’re wrong.

You should ensure you read the employee manual before joining company Y. You might find some severe changes to your incentive scheme. For example, although company X is offering you a salary of 10k, it also offers benefits such as contributions to your children’s education, a mobile phone, dental coverage, etc. Company Y, meanwhile, does not include any of those benefits and therefore you are actually making less than what you were making before. This is where a lot of people fall. I encourage the heads of HR to market and communicate these hidden incentives more. I would also encourage induction workshops designed specifically for the HR manual, which outlines everything that the employee is entitled to.

4. Will you learn anything new?

This one is somewhat hard to measure. When you move from one job to another, you are expected to offer the new company a service they are lacking or require expertise in. The question you should be asking here is: what will I learn? Everyone has space to learn and no matter how senior one person is, there is always room to broaden the mind and expand your knowledge. What kind of learning and development will you be offered? Does this include gaining international experience? Does this include learning from experts? Good companies will offer an annual learning and development course, so you need to figure out how much value this gives you.

5. Who will be my new boss?

A good manager is one factor that goes into a healthy work environment. Take it from me, there is no such thing as a perfect manager, but the one you should look for is the one you can respect in and out of work, and if you ever leave you would forever maintain a stable relationship with. A good manager always wants to see their employees succeed and grow. If you grow and do well that means your manager has done an excellent job in grooming you to become who you are today. So do a bit of research, look on LinkedIn and find out as much as you can. Find out who and how many people have recommended your future boss. It’s your right to ask those in your potential new company about him as well.

6. What is the office space and surroundings like?

Some people like to be in the midst of the action and in the middle of everyone, whether it be a small shared desk space or work-table. And some like the idea of an isolated office where privacy is bestowed upon them. Either way, this question should also be asked before joining your new job. You need to ensure you are comfortable in your new environment, as this can have an influence on your ability to perform.

7. Is there flexibility?

Depending on the field you are in, work hours are always to be adhered to, no matter what. However, in some places, the work environment is flexible to the point that you can work from home as long as you are able to complete your assigned tasks. This could also be considered as an incentive, depending on how important it is to you. So make sure you ask about this during the interview process.

8. What kind of work/life balance does it offer?

Some of us choose to enter the world of crazy hours and long days, but you need to make sure that the place you head to has some sort of a work/life balance. This could include corporate days out with the families, extended vacation days, maternity and paternity leave, and so forth. These questions should be submitted to the HR manager during your interview. You have to find out not only what’s in it for you, but what’s in it for your family.

9. How does the leadership view a healthy work environment?

Promoting a healthy work environment comes from the top. Management needs to believe in the benefits of this. Take my previous employer, for example. I worked for KPMG in Saudi Arabia, and their main focus was ensuring that they were considered to be an “employer of choice”.

Throughout my time there, the executive management, led by the chairman himself, did everything possible to secure the company as one of the best in the Kingdom. For five years in a row it participated in the Best Company to Work For survey and was ranked in the top three every time. This is a triumph of leadership, transparency and having an open-door policy.

Consider these questions before you make a move. Money can buy you things, but it will not keep you smiling for eight hours of the day.

Have you read?
3 things to know about tomorrow’s business leaders
How can firms adapt to a multi-generational workforce?

Author: Khalid Alkhudair, Founder and CEO of Glowork, Young Global Leader, Global Shaper and member of the Global Agenda Council on the Middle East and North Africa.

Image: Employees work at their desks inside Tech Mahindra office building in Noida on the outskirts of New Delhi March 18, 2013. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi