Life Coach
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I disagree with bubbapest, they'll think you're lazy if you ask about workload at an informal chat IMO. I think chris nailed it. I always ask the interviewer questions. Like how long they've been there, for example. If they've been there a while, it speaks well for the business, and I tell them so.
they're asking him in. he holds all the cards. take care of megatron first. he's already got a job. as long as he knows his stuff (seems like he does), and doesn't offend anyone, he's got a supreme upper hand. if work life balance is important and they will work him 100 hours a week, why waste time?
just because its informal doesnt mean its not an interview… what is your work life balance is 100% valid question to ask at any stage.
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Yeah I wouldn't do it. And as a hiring manager I would take a dim view of such a question. But I did like everything else you suggested.
You can sort of triangulate that kind of info by asking more oblique questions about company culture.
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Resurrection…
On Friday of this week I have an "informal" interview for a senior management position in a local engineering company, and I am shitting myself.
I have been with my current employer for 17 years and never really considered leaving, but this new position is with a smaller firm, pays £10'000 a year more than I currently earn, and is literally 2 minutes walk from my front door.
So do I go for it? it has been described to me as an informal chat to see the working environment so how smartly should I dress? How do I not fuck it up?
First interview in 17 years, I'm a little rusty on such things :-\
Good luck Mega.
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This outpouring of stellar advice, well wishes, and shirts of a questionable sexual orientation has been great guys, thank you
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good luck Gav @Megatron1505
I guess he could get this one for cheaper.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NWT-Gitman-Vintage-Boy-Scout-Shirt-Size-XXL-/291349152697?pt=US_CSA_MC_Shirts&hash=item43d5c343b9
hahahaha
awesome 
haha 
thx [url=http://www.ironheart.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=3599]@urbanwoodsman such a great laugh, thank you
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Here's a great question to ask:
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Yeah I wouldn't do it. And as a hiring manager I would take a dim view of such a question. But I did like everything else you suggested.
You can sort of triangulate that kind of info by asking more oblique questions about company culture.
agree to disagree, i guess. i graduated from a big ten business school and we were taught to ask this question if you wanted to know what the expectations were. also, i used it while applying for my current position which is a financial software developer at a highly respected financial institution.
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I have to disagree with your school on that one. All risk, zero upside. They're under no obligation to give a straight answer on that and are likely to view you as a 9 to 5er. In general, asking questions that are about self interest over the interests of your potential employer doesn't make much sense to me. Ask a recruiter and they'll tell you the same. If this is an important enough concern (in a first interview, no less) then you can ask things like "take me through a typical day in the role" to derive this kind of information.
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It's not until Friday dude, and I'm still waiting for them to tell me a time. Being a small business and being based in Mansfield I can assume that organisation might not be their strong point.
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Not much more to add over what had already been said but when I conduct interviews, I look for someone who is confident, but not overly, and has vision and forward thinking. I also want a track record of meeting goals and business commitments. Real examples are important, i.e. you saved current company x amount of money by reducing steps in a process, increased production by x or decreased defects by x. If you're uncomfortable using real numbers convert them to percentages.
It sounds like you have the experience and skill set they want.
Do some homework on the company and ask questions about where the company is headed (or maybe you know from your research) and tell them how you can help them achieve those goals.Good luck Mega!
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I have to disagree with your school on that one. All risk, zero upside. They're under no obligation to give a straight answer on that and are likely to view you as a 9 to 5er. In general, asking questions that are about self interest over the interests of your potential employer doesn't make much sense to me. Ask a recruiter and they'll tell you the same. If this is an important enough concern (in a first interview, no less) then you can ask things like "take me through a typical day in the role" to derive this kind of information.
they're under no obligation to give a straight answer to it, but the cost of hiring the wrong employee is substantial
http://resources.dice.com/report/the-cost-of-bad-hiring-decisions/
they're not in it to dupe you… this is a two way street, not just a one way street. Self interests are important as well, not just interests of the company. Its like dating.i've asked recruiters before, in fact taken interview classes and given interviews. no one has ever said this was a bad question to ask. additionally, if you were to ask someone at my firm what a day in the typical life was like, you'd never get an ansewr because there is no typical day. I've shadowed interviews where this has happened, and i've been interviewed with the question, and the answer was the same.
again, agree to disagree
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nearly every candidate I've interviewed in the last 2 years (over 300!) has asked that question if they've made it to a face to face interview. I also ask if people mind on-call, and the odd shift work and other weird question as it's totally appropriate to the role.
A lot of the time the guys are after a 9-5 and the role is not that and they appreciate hearing it clearly as it helps them find their role and saves us both time.
I sit on the fence between you on this one
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I'll agree to disagree on the merits of asking that question, particularly early in the process, but to pivot , I can't think of a job that wouldn't have an answer to what a typical day is. If they can't answer that, then they don't understand the role that they're hiring for, or they're being evasive . A typical day and daily activities always being the same every day are two entirely different things. And this is a manufacturing gig.
