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Is it reasonable to ask the Hiring Mgr. if you can see your future work environment (office, desk, area) that you will be working in before accepting an offer?

pucciot's picture
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Hi,

 

The M-T guys recommend that if the Hiring manger doesn't discuss it, that you should wait until you are made an offer first; then you can ask that question.

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My personal feeling is that it is an entirely reasonable and fair question, especially if they are giving you a tour of the location, to ask, as matter of factly, "Where will the person who gets this position be sitting ?"

If you are not in the middle of a tour of the facility, you may wish to refrain until you get an offer.

Another way to ask this would be 
"Could you please tell me what a regular day for a person in this position would be like?  Where do they go, what do they do ?"

The hiring manger may be helpful in describing the workspace.

 

I knew I was a lead candidate once and then I had the experience of getting a tour and being shown a little closet with a jammed desk.  I saved them the trouble the next morning and flat out withdrew my application.

In short,  just be careful about how and when you ask this question.

 

Good Luck

 

TJPuccio

 

anglirich's picture

Thank-you kindly TJ!

vwelch's picture
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I agree with TJPuccio this is a question best asked after you get an offer. However, you may not have the opportunity to visit between receiving an offer and having to decide, which makes that challenging.

If you are given a tour I think that's a perfectly reasonable time to ask. Another option would be at the end of the interview, when you are usually asked if you have any questions. And I like TJPuccio's suggestion to couch it broadly.

Best of luck.

Von

 

anglirich's picture

Too funny. Just like TJ mentioned on one of his interviews, the same exact ting happened to me last week: "I had the experience of getting a tour and being shown a little closet with a jammed desk."
I almost broke out laughing seeing this area in front of the hiring Mgr. as as I was shown workplace.
Although it was more like one of those old street corner telephone booths.