Recent Posts
You’ve made it through all the steps … you sent in your resume, passed your interview with flying colors and have just received a congratulatory phone call. You got the job!
It’s a tough job market and you want to seal the deal as fast as you can. This is your ticket into productivity, purpose and income and every fiber in your body wants to say yes immediately—but you have to resist that urge.
It’s time to ask the serious questions. Here is what every savvy woman should ask your interviewer before accepting a job offer.
Salary negotiation can be a power play but you have a right to know how you will be compensated. If you have bargaining power, which comes in the form of experience and education, than you have more room to negotiate.
Ask how your salary is being calculated. What is the median salary of people with your education and experience? Are you going to get additional compensation for good work? Remember to inquire about other benefits or perks important to you.
READ MORE: Slay Your Pay: Negotiating the Salary You Deserve
Above everything else, your health should be your number one priority. What kind of plan does this company offer and what are your options? Do you get dental and vision insurance? Make sure you know when your coverage starts and the full scope of what it covers.
Two things are for certain: Everyone gets sick and everyone needs vacation time. How many personal days do you get? What about winter/summer vacation days?
Many companies today are becoming more lenient about offering personal days for employees because of increased awareness of maintaining mental health, happiness and balance. However, don’t bank on this generosity – you should always ask before accepting a job offer.
READ MORE: The Stigma of Mental Illness in the Workplace
A job means a new beginning and sometimes it also means a new location. If your job is somewhere away from your current home, you’ll need to spend money renting a moving truck and a down payment on a new place.
It is okay to ask if you will be reimbursed for transportation and moving expenses, just make sure you know if it comes with any contingencies, such as having to pay it back if you, by come chance, duck of out of the job early.
For working mothers, or women who plan on raising a family, it is very important to inquire about how long new mothers are allowed to be absent from work. According to the Family Medical Leave Act, you’re guaranteed 12 unpaid weeks without putting your job in jeopardy. However, some companies are more generous and offer longer, mostly paid maternity leave.
This is an incredibly important question to ask for working women who desire a good work/life balance.
READ MORE: How to Plan Ahead for Maternity Leave
Your new job will be exciting and rewarding, but only if you know exactly what you’re getting into. Ask all of these questions, know the culture of the company you’re working at. Paying the bills doesn’t have to be prioritized over happiness and mental well-being; they can be of equal importance if you let your employers know that they’re equally important to you.
