How do I inquire about work life balance at an interview

74dragonfly

Hi, I am interviewing for a new job. How do I tactfully inquire as to work life balance? I am willing to stay late occasionally and work from home in evenings but the majority of the time i need to be able to leave at 5 and go pick up my kids from daycare. How do i ask about that at interview? or should i not ask? 

MommyAtty

I wouldn't ask until you start negotiating terms. And what you're asking isn't about balance so much as it is about schedule. Once you're negotiating terms, they've decided they want you and are more likely to give you what you want and need.

74dragonfly

@mommyAtty as a salaried person there is not usually a set schedule and I am used to taking work home and logging in after kids are in bed. I just want to assess if this is OK because if it is not there is no way the job would work for me. My DH works late hours and one of us needs to pick kids up. 

MommyAtty

I'm in the same boat. Salaried. But where I work for example, no matter how early you get in, you shouldn't plan on leaving before 5:00. I consider that a matter of schedule. And I would wait to ask. Let them fall in love with you before you ask for stuff like that is always my philosophy. And I would couch it in terms of flexibility. "I expect that we will often work long hours. Is it generally acceptable for me to do that from home if I need to leave at 5:00 on a particular day?"

MickeyM04

I generally ask what the "office culture" is like.  When people usually arrive, when they usually depart, if people typically come in on the weekends, things like that.  I don't think it looks bad to ask those types of questions.  I would never ask, "Is it OK to leave at 5:00 to pick up my kids," or "It's OK if I work from home if I need to, right?" or, "I assume weekends aren't required?" but I don't think asking when people typically start their day, when they typically leave, how many people are usually in on the weekends doesn't necessarily indicate an unwillingness to do so.  I think it basically just shows you want to know what the hours are, which makes sense.  I mean if I was interviewing and the person I was interviewing with said, everyone is required to be here by 7:30 a.m., and no one can clock out before 6:00 p.m., well then that's not going to work.  And I don't think it makes it seem like you're unwilling to work late/come in early just if you ask when people arrive and leave.

74dragonfly

MickeyM04 said:

I generally ask what the "office culture" is like.  When people usually arrive, when they usually depart, if people typically come in on the weekends, things like that.  I don't think it looks bad to ask those types of questions.  I would never ask, "Is it OK to leave at 5:00 to pick up my kids," or "It's OK if I work from home if I need to, right?" or, "I assume weekends aren't required?" but I don't think asking when people typically start their day, when they typically leave, how many people are usually in on the weekends doesn't necessarily indicate an unwillingness to do so.  I think it basically just shows you want to know what the hours are, which makes sense.  I mean if I was interviewing and the person I was interviewing with said, everyone is required to be here by 7:30 a.m., and no one can clock out before 6:00 p.m., well then that's not going to work.  And I don't think it makes it seem like you're unwilling to work late/come in early just if you ask when people arrive and leave.

Thank you. This is excellent advice.

groovygrl

I think also some depends on how truly important it is for you in even considering a job. For example due to my husbands job I absolutely have to have flexibility of schedule and it is a make or break thing for me so I really don't want to get deep into the process and waste everyone's time to find out the hours are crazy or they are really rigid. I had an interview where in round two I specifically asked about schedule flexibility and was so glad I did bc the response was, yes it is really flexible! Some weeks you might work only 30 hours and some weeks it might be 60. Thanks I will pass in a job where 60 hr weeks are anything regular enough to to be mentioned that casually. I was very glad I asked.

aglenn

Yeah, I think asking "how flexible are the hours" is too subjective.  My job is very flexible relative to other companies in my industry, but there are still billable hours goals that have to be met (and are not easy to meet).  The flexibility comes in with them not really caring too much where/when you get things done as long as you are there when you need to be there and taking care of everything.  But I would not describe my work/life balance as good right now. 

I think the better way to go about it is to ask about a typical day-in-the-life, like a pp suggested, and also ask about what times of year are busier than others and what that looks like.