5 Things To Discuss With The HR Before Signing A New Job Offer

By Perminus Wainaina

After many months looking for a job and now just about to sign on a job offer, you might feel the need to immediately accept any offer that you receive from HR. However, before you give a final answer on your job offer, take the time to learn more about what the company has to offer.

Rose (not her real name), landed an amazing job opportunity that was offering three times the salary she was earning at her previous job. This was at an SME and the department she would be joining was a new one that had just been set up. Six months into the job, the company closed down and Rose was left without a job.

Regardless of your position or the type of company you’re joining, you should never assume that any offer is a take-it-or-leave-it proposition. Make sure you’re getting the best possible package by researching, asking questions, and discussing the following with HR before accepting any job.

1. Salary & Benefits

Depending on the employer, and the job being offered, the salary may or may not be set in stone. Most employers aren’t going to come right out and tell you that salaries are negotiable because they want to pay as little as possible. This is information you are going to need to dig for, so you are just going to have to come right out and ask. You will never know unless you do. Besides, you may be pleasantly surprised by the answer. In many cases, if the candidate has enough to offer an employer, the employer is going to be more than willing to negotiate the salary a little bit.

It is also important to know what is included as part of your benefits. If the benefits are not appealing to you, this may not be the right company for you to work. Seek to find out how much you have to pay into your medical cover and even what is covered in the medical cover.

Also, ensure that you have all that is agreed upon, in writing. This is because you may agree on a higher pay to come after your probation. However, if this is not documented, what makes you sure that the organization will keep its word?

2. The work culture

You can tell a lot about a company by listening to what current and past employees have to say about it. If it is a good company to work for, the HR person should have no problem telling you what employees are saying about the company, and even find people within the company for you to talk to.

You can also check for reviews online. If you find out that the employees are happy in their jobs, chances are you will be as well, and that this is a company that you would like to work for.

For example, at Glassdoor, one of the online review websites you can use, this is what people have to say about Safaricom.

3. How your performance will be measured

Clarify the output that is expected from you and the metrics that will be used to gauge your performance.

Big companies often have established key performance indicators (KPIs) in place, but if you’re working for a small company or startup, you may need to discuss to create these metrics with your manager.

Another thing to consider is the frequency and timing of performance reviews. Will it be done on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis?

One of the most important questions you can ask before accepting a job is how your performance will be evaluated. Do they have a formal yearly review process or is feedback given on an impromptu basis? How does the company decide who to promote and when? Understanding your career prospects and how to advance is key if you are looking to grow with a company.

4. The financial health of the company

The biggest mistake many job applicants make is to assume that big companies such as Kenya Airways or KPLC among others are stable.

If you are joining a new department, find out the support that you will be offered. Rose, did not have the full picture of what the new department she was joining entailed. For you, it could be that not all details are disclosed at the time of signing the agreement.

It is therefore important for you to do your research in advance.

5. Growth opportunities

You might’ve left your previous job because you’re not happy with the career development opportunities available.

If that’s your reason for moving, can your new employer give you the opportunities you’re looking for?

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

If there’s 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 it can broaden your skills and network within the company.

What you’ll want to listen for here are success stories that demonstrate promotability and succession planning. Companies with strong leaders will create paths and opportunities for their top performers to develop their skills and keep them engaged. Can you move around in the company, or will you be stuck at your position for years?

In Conclusion,

Although a discussion with your prospective employer’s HR department may not seem important when you receive an offer for your dream job, these are worthwhile conversations to have. Not only will you reduce the possibility of surprises down the road, but you may also be able to adjust the offer in your favour. Remember, you never have more leverage than when you’re holding an offer you haven’t accepted.

Just like a company does background checks on you, so should you.

Perminus Wainaina is the C.E.O and Managing Partner at Corporate Staffing Services, a leading HR consultancy firm based in Westlands. Through personalized career coaching he assists mid-level and senior professionals get solutions to complex and challenging career issues that they are facing. Click here for more on career coaching.