Questions about benefits & package – when should they be asked?
When you have applied for a job and you are at your interview stage you will most likely at some stage be thinking about the package benefits such as holiday, sick pay, commission, discounts and so on. However, think carefully before asking to ensure you give the right impression.
At the end of an interview, an interviewer will likely ask if you have any questions, and this is a fantastic opportunity to really demonstrate your enthusiasm for the role. Although it is a fair question, as soon as you ask about sick pay it can give off the wrong impression at this vital stage, leading to the employer potentially questioning your commitment to the role.
At the end of an interview, an interviewer will likely ask if you have any questions, and this is a fantastic opportunity to really demonstrate your enthusiasm for the role. Although it is a fair question, as soon as you ask about sick pay it can give off the wrong impression at this vital stage, leading to the employer potentially questioning your commitment to the role.
Let’s say someone is due to be interviewed immediately before you and they ask questions which demonstrate their enthusiasm for the role such as; ‘what is the best thing about working for this company?’ or ‘where do you see the company in 5 years’ time?’. They will likely stand out in comparison to someone asking questions about sick/holiday pay. Before preparing questions for the interview, or even asking them, consider how important it is for you to know this information and will it affect your decision on accepting the position? If it will then wording these questions carefully will be extremely important to you and the interviewer.
If you are wanting to ask these questions, focus on using the right wording when preparing. Some suggestions may be ‘what benefits are involved in working for this company?’ or ‘what can I expect the package to look like if an offer is made?’
From our experience, we would suggest it is important to get the timing right, for example, if you would like to know about holiday allowance or sick pay then you could consider mentioning this at the second interview stage or once an offer has been made to you. An employer will likely ask about pre-booked holiday commitments during the interview process. If they don’t you could follow it up with it after your interview, or await an offer.
If you are wanting to ask these questions, focus on using the right wording when preparing. Some suggestions may be ‘what benefits are involved in working for this company?’ or ‘what can I expect the package to look like if an offer is made?’
From our experience, we would suggest it is important to get the timing right, for example, if you would like to know about holiday allowance or sick pay then you could consider mentioning this at the second interview stage or once an offer has been made to you. An employer will likely ask about pre-booked holiday commitments during the interview process. If they don’t you could follow it up with it after your interview, or await an offer.
Once an offer is made, an offer letter or contract of employment should be emailed to you (which should state about holiday entitlement and sick pay), you can then respond with any relevant questions you have, if you are unsure on any of the information included in this document.
All the best for your interview from the team at Lighthouse Personnel Ltd!
All the best for your interview from the team at Lighthouse Personnel Ltd!