Before You Say Yes to a Job Offer, Ask These Questions

The relief of getting a job offer can make you say yes to things you swore you’d never put up with again

You’ve spent weeks applying and waiting for somebody to call you back so when an interview goes well you start wanting the job before you’ve even found out what it’s like

Then they mention the long hours or the changing priorities and you hear yourself saying ‘That’s fine’ even though that’s exactly what sucked the life out of you in the last role

I understand the pressure to get an offer but please keep asking questions while you’ve still got a choice

You’ve spent years learning what helps you do good work and what makes your working week suck so take that knowledge into the interview

Before you go write down one thing you don’t want to live with again and ask how they handle it

If you’re tired of everything becoming urgent you could ask;

‘When two senior people need something at the same time and the team can’t do both how do you decide what waits?’

If you’ve had enough of managers who promise support and then vanish you could ask;

‘Can you give me an example of how the manager helped the team through a difficult week recently?’

And if the job sounds suspiciously perfect you could ask;

‘What has the person doing this job found hardest to manage?’

Then let them answer without jumping in to make it easier for them

You don’t need to say ‘Of course everyone gets busy’ before they’ve explained why the team works late every Thursday

Listen for what actually happened and who did something about it because ‘we really look after our people’ tells you very little on its own

One vague answer deserves another question and a clearer example before you jump

In our coaching we’ll practise asking about the things that matter to you without apologising for asking or giving the interviewer the answer you hope they’ll give you

You’ll get practice having a useful conversation about the job instead of spending the whole interview trying to make them like you

Your dog can inspect the most expensive bed in the shop and then stretch out on the rug because she knows where she’s comfortable

She’s happy for you to admire the fancy stitching while she gets a decent sleep somewhere else

That’s The Dog Code in an interview

Ask enough to understand what you’re agreeing to because you’ll be doing the job long after the excitement of getting the offer wears off

Your life is not a dress rehearsal so live like someone left the gate open

Know what you’re saying yes to


The Dog Code gives you practical ways to listen carefully, ask stronger questions and hold your ground when a job offer is close


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