This 1 job interview question can help you uncover a big red flag, says ex-Goldman Sachs recruiter who's helped hire hundreds
When you're interviewing for a new job, you're not just assessing whether you'd want to do the task at hand — you're also feeling out a potential new team and how everyone works together.
That's why it's crucial to ask about team dynamics and goals during a job interview, says Chanelle Howell, a New York City-based recruiter who's interviewed hundreds while working for Goldman Sachs, Bridgewater Associates and through her own consulting company.
She says one of her favorite questions to ask in job interviews is all about what the team looks like. Bonus, it can help uncover a major red flag.
Ask your interviewer: "What's the expected growth of this team?" Howell tells CNBC Make It. For example, "Are you hiring just one position? Or are you planning to hire X amount of people in a certain time frame?"
If the team is planning to grow, that can be a good sign that the department's goals are a priority worthy of investment from the company.
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On the other hand, it's important to dig a little deeper if you're the only one being hired at the time. Is the team backfilling a role? How long has it been vacant, and did the person leave the company or move internally? And maybe most importantly, how is the hiring manager talking about the vacancy?
"Some managers will be like, 'Yeah, we really just need someone. We're all drowning,'" Howell explains. "That's a bit of a red flag, because then I question, what will work-life balance look like? What are you prioritizing? Are you just looking for someone to step in immediately to provide alleviation?"
It might be stressful joining a team desperate for a backfill, Howell says, so it's important to know what your own boundaries are. A desperate hiring manager might not be as invested in your long-term career growth, at least not at first.
Speaking of, another of Howell's favorite job-interview questions for candidates is to ask: "What are the opportunities for growth, and what does that look like here?"
A hiring manager should be able to discuss what that looks like, whether there's access to mentoring opportunities, internal courses, tuition reimbursement or other ways to nurture talent.
Lastly, Howell says she keeps a pulse on her rapport with the hiring manager. "I can always tell when I interview with someone by the tone of their questions, are they super stern or serious or a nightmare to work for? Or do they seem to have a genuinely pleasant demeanor?" she says.
"There have been some interviewers with top companies that I've declined, because I didn't think I'd work well with that specific person," she adds. "You have to have a great vibe check; if you ignore it, you'll readily pay for it."
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