What To Ask About Benefits In An Interview

How To Talk About Benefits In A Job Interview

Top 6 Common Interview Questions and Answers | Indeed Career Tips

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An important aspect of a job interview for most job seekers is the benefits offered with the position. Everyones in a different situation and have different needs and priorities as it relates to their benefits package. To some, more vacation days and work flexibility are important, while to others, having a solid health care benefits package for their family is more important. Take your time to research the benefits package youll be offered and make sure to ask questions about it at the appropriate time during the hiring process. It is important to bring up and make sure all your questions are answered. Its better to be informed and have a discussion with the employer before accepting a position than to have an unpleasant surprise later on. Regardless of your priorities, there are some things to keep in mind when discussing benefits with a potential employer.

Health

Time off

Most companies will provide some form of paid time off and sick leave. Ask how many days you have when you start and when and how they are accrued. Youll also want to find out about short and long-term disability.

Schedule flexibility

Holidays

Education

Other benefits

Tell Me About The Benefits Programs You Managed In Your Previous Roles

Hiring managers may ask this question to ensure you understand the health, dental, vision and life plans available to employees, along with various policies and their benefits. In your answer, express your knowledge of various employee benefits programs and highlight your ability to provide information about them to company employees.

Example:”In the past, I’ve arranged employee benefits programs with my employers and explained the benefits they provided to employees. Some policies I reviewed included disability, vision, health, dental and life coverage.”

K And Retirement Plans

While it may not be as eye-catching as some other benefits, assistance in saving for your retirement can go an extremely long way.

Many employers offer 401k plans along with an offer to match your contributions at least up to a certain level. You should be aware of what your prospective employer usually offers to contribute before your interview. If necessary, you can try to negotiate for a higher employer contribution at the point of receiving an offer.

Its also worth checking whether your employer offers a pension plan instead of a 401k. While theyre less common than they used to be, pensions present a significantly lower investment risk than 401k plans, and may be a better option in the long term.

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Questions About The Job

Can you elaborate on the daily responsibilities of this position? This interview question allows you to clarify the different aspects of the job, especially if it’s a cross-functional job or is part of a team. You may also gain a better understanding of the responsibilities of the job and the skills required to help you decide if it’s the right job for you.

What are the qualities of someone who would succeed in this role? Asking this question can show the hiring manager you’re thinking about offering success in the position. Their answer can give you an idea about the soft skills necessary to succeed in the role.

How would I collaborate with my manager? Learning how managers interact with team members can help you decide whether they’re the type of manager who allows you to use your strengths to contribute to the success of the company.

What is the most challenging aspect of this job? Asking this question can show that you’re thinking about growing and succeeding in the role. Knowing the most challenging aspect of the position allows you to highlight your ability to address issues inherent in the position.

Is this a new position? If not, why did the employee before me leave this position? It’s natural to want to know why an employee may have been unsatisfied in this job. If they left the job because of a promotion, that’s useful information, but if the last person quit, it’s important to know the reason so you can decide whether to continue the pursuit of this position.

What Opportunities Are There Available For Professional Growth

You mightve left your previous job because youre not happy with the career development opportunities available.

If thats your reason for moving, can your new employer give you the opportunities youre looking for?

Look for the companys organization chart. Where does your position fit in that chart? Does it have room to grow or is it a dead-end job?

If theres room to grow, does someone have to resign before you get promoted? Or are there jobs that allow for lateral movement, like transferring to a different department or team? Lateral promotions may not always come with a salary increase, but they can broaden your skills and network within the company.

Have You Ever Held A Benefits Orientation For A Company’s Employees

When hiring managers ask this question, they’re trying to evaluate your experience with explaining benefits packages to a large group of employees. As a benefits coordinator, it’s important to know how to do this so employees know how coverage works and which plans might best fit their circumstances. When you answer, highlight your communication skills, your understanding of policy types and your experience with businesses of various sizes.

Example:”I recently arranged a benefits orientation where I discussed various enrollment opportunities, including self-enrollment, for all employees. I also explained the help these benefits packages would provide and answered employee questions.”

Is The Company Reputable And Stable

A year ago, I accepted a job at a company that shut down six months after I started. They left almost a hundred employees with no severance pay and half a months salary unpaid.

I didnt know the people who owned it had a history of ripping off their customers. They also had questionable sales practices that led to many consumer complaints. I didnt know about these when I signed the job offer. If they treated their customers horribly, I should’ve realized they would do the same to us.

This experience taught me the importance of researching the companys reputation and leadership background before agreeing to be part of their team. Google them, check reviews on Better Business Bureaus, and read feedback from their previous employees at salary review websites like Glassdoor.

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What Relocation Expenses Do You Offer

An important question to ask HR before accepting a job is about the relocation expenses. Information about this is essential if your new job requires you to relocate.

Find out what the company will pay for. They may not pay for moving everything. But they could offer a percentage of moving expenses. If youre expected to move for your new job, they should help you in some way.

Who Is Your Competition

How to Prepare for An Interview – The Best Pre-Interview Strategy | Indeed Career Tips

This is a great example of a question that could either make you sound thoughtfulor totally backfire and reveal that you did zero research about the company prior to the interview, says Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter of CareerTrend.net. Before asking any question, determine whether its something you could have figured out yourself through a Google search. If it is, a) dont ask it and b) !

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Interview Questions To Ask About A Company

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Related: Informational Interview Tips: Scheduling, Example Questions to Ask & More

Learn what an informational interview is and how informational interviews can benefit you in your current job search.

Meeting with your potential employer gives you the opportunity to showcase your skills and experience as well as the chance to ask questions you have about the position or company. Asking questions during an interview can help distinguish you from other candidates and shows the interviewer that you’re genuinely interested in the role you’re interviewing for. In this article, we explain why it’s important to ask employers questions during an interview and list some interview questions about a company that you can consider for your next interview.

Questions About The Company

You can ask a few questions about the organisation to determine what it’s like to be a member where you’re interviewing. These questions can show the hiring manager that you’ve done your research but want to learn more to make sure the organisation is the best fit for you. Here are a few questions to ask interviewers regarding the company:

What do you enjoy most about working for this organisation? Asking this question can show the hiring manager you’re interested in the company’s culture and that the right team fit is important. The response you get can give you an insight into the culture and benefits of the organisation, including the style of management and teamwork.

How long have you been with the organisation? Asking the hiring manager how long they’ve been with the organisation can give you an insight into the company’s employee turnover and retention.

What changes or innovations in the industry are you most excited about? This question allows you to see how passionate the hiring manager is about this company and industry. It can also give you the opportunity to follow up with what excited you the most about the industry during your research or through your past experience.

What attributes and qualities make for a successful employee in this company? This question shows the hiring manager you’re determined to succeed in the role and that you want to be sure you’re a good fit for the organisation.

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Questions About Performance Review

Reviewing employees’ performance is standard practice in most industries and companies. It helps the company test your qualifications for the role and shows you which skills you can improve to advance in your career. To better prepare for your new role, you can ask the interviewer about the company’s standard employee assessment practices. Their response can also give you an idea of the most important duties and responsibilities to focus on during your first few weeks at the company. Here are some performance review questions you can ask in an interview:

How is success measured in this role?
How often is employee performance reviewed?
Which metrics might my supervisors use to measure my performance?
What are the most important tasks you’d like to see someone accomplish in the first month, quarter, and year in this role?

Problem Solving Interview Questions

What benefits should we highlight in our job ads to attract interns?
How would you identify which benefits to keep vs. cut?
How would you approach an employee whoâs overworked due to a team memberâs long sick leave?
What are the top benefits for remote workers?
What benefits should we offer to support diversity?

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Ask Around The Subject

If you arent sure whether its appropriate to lead with a forthright question about benefits, try asking different questions. The following conversation-starters might give you an idea of the culture in your prospective workplace, which could indicate the types of benefits that may be available to you.

What can you tell me about the culture in this organization?
If I were offered this job, what would my schedule be like?
What are your favorite things about working for this company?

Once you have more of a rapport with your interviewer, you could try these questions, too. These are more specific, but if your interviewer is interested in you as a candidate, they shouldnt come across as rude.

What is the companys approach to work-life balance?
How has the organization responded to the COVID-19 pandemic?
What sort of healthcare does the company offer employees?

What Does Growth Look Like For This Role

Work or employment is more than just about money or a fixed salary. Although money is an important factor that impacts work, personal and professional development is equally important. Candidates thrive in a work environment where they can learn and progress.

Promotions and raises allow employees to do just that. If you are joining a new job, you will likely spend the next few years here. However, if there is no room for development, you may develop feelings of resentment and stagnancy.

While assessing your future at the company, if you expect to stay on for longer, it is essential to determine if they encourage growth and progress. You should also confirm that there are monetary benefits that go hand in hand with your advancement.

If a potential promotion is not accompanied by an equivalent salary increase, it is something to consider.

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Do You Offer Paid Parental Leave Or Childcare Benefits

If you and your family will need either paid parental leave or childcare benefits at some point, inquire about whether your potential employer offers them. Many employers are not required to provide these types of benefits, so you might find that some organizations don’t have policies set in place.

As stated above, paid parental leave and childcare benefits are typically supplemental benefits used to attract top talent and support employees throughout different life stages. If your potential employer offers these benefits, it may be a good sign that shows they try to take care of their employees.

Ask About The Salary And Benefits During The First Real Interview

Employment | Understanding Digital Interviewing | State FarmÂ®

There is a big difference between asking about salary and benefits and negotiating regarding salary and benefits.

In the first real interview, I would ask about the salary and benefits for the position. If the interviewer wanted to know if the range would be acceptable, I would respond that the job market is highly competitive for talented individuals and that I would be making a decision based on weighing the pros and cons of the different options.

In other words, I would plant the ideas that I wanted more but not negotiate until I had an offer.

Until you have a job offer, the employer has the leverage. Once they made a job offer, they have both indicated they want you and provided a floor for potential compensation. Regardless of the offer, I would always ask, Is there room to go higher as I am considering several options?

Give them the opportunity to go higher. Then, you ask for time to consider the revised offer and come back with a counteroffer. However, I would only do this if you wanted the job.

I would phrase it in the following, If you can go up to $150,000, I will be glad to accept this offer immediately. This gives you the opportunity to accept the offer if you want the position, and they cannot meet your desired amount.

Ralph Chapman

CEO, HR Search Pros, Inc.

Lars Herrem

Group Executive Director, Nigel Wright Group

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Questions About The Industry

Questions about the industry in which the company operates are especially useful if you’re changing careers or entering the workforce for the first time. They enable you to better understand what distinguishes the company from its competitors. Consider asking your interviewer some of these questions if you’d like to know more about the company’s place in the industry:

Who are the company’s biggest competitors?
What sets this company apart in the industry?
How do market and industry changes influence this company?
What are some industry conferences that employees regularly attend?
How does the company plan to revolutionize the industry?

The 25 Best Questions To Ask At The End Of An Interview

May 10, 2022 | By Michelle Nystrom

If youve got a job interview coming up, odds are youre preparing for the questions that youre expecting the interviewer to ask. However, the purpose of a job interview isnt just for the employer to determine if the candidate is a good fit. The purpose is also for the candidate to determine if the company will be a good fit.

As such, youll want to ask a few questions of your own.

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A Good Rule Of Thumb Is To Wait Until The Latter Stages

Never ask during the beginning phases of the interview process. If you really shine, sometimes you may even be able to leverage your interview to mandate higher pay during negotiations. Again, a good rule of thumb is to wait until the latter stages.

If you ask upfront, you may demonstrate that you are more concerned about the benefits/pay over the work that will be performed.

Trust me, the time will come to discuss the nuts and bolts of the perks and pay, but save it for after you spill your guts about how great you are, and how easy you can transition into the new role!

Robert Moses

Founder of The Corporate Con/noisseur

While it may feel tempting to discuss prospective salary and benefits, candidates should refrain from doing so until the final round of interviews.

There are, in fact, two situations when salary and benefits should be discussed. The first, and most common, is when the conversation is brought up by the hiring manager or the recruiter. In that case, they will open the door to the conversation and allow it to take place.

The second situation is towards the final interview rounds. This will typically occur after an initial phone and in-person interview. If you meet or discuss once more with either the hiring manager or the recruiter, you should feel comfortable enough to broach the topic.

Morgan Taylor

CMO for LetMeBank

When it comes to the salary and benefits on offer, theres always a lot of pretenses.

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