When Should You Ask About Telecommuting During Interview Process?

[Anonymous]

I am interviewing right now - moving from a highly demanding position to potentially an employer that I know is very family friendly and
most employees have been there happily for years - I.e. 10-20 years. IF I am offered the position, I would be taking about a 20% pay cut but would have lots of autonomy and the work is really interesting. I am fine with the pay cut but really really want the ability to telecommute 1 to 2 days per week. How can I find out if the employer is open to this and most importantly when should I ask the question??

[Anonymous]

Unless they bring it up unprompted, I would not bring it up.

[Anonymous]

I just had an interview yesterday, am considering leaving my flexible hours, telecommuting, family-friendly government agency for a more demanding private company (opposite of OP it sounds). One of my main concerns is the work-life balance, and if the company doesn't have certain features in place for employes (including telecommuting) it would be a non-starter, and I wouldnt want to waste anyone's time continuing the interview process.

So we got through the interview and they ended wiht the standard "do you have any other questions?" I explained that I was excited by the position, bs bs bs, but one of my concerns was that my current position has great work-life balance, and could they talk about the enviornment at the company. They let the woman on the panel take that (probably why she was there), but she didnt mention telecommuting. So i asked explicitly about it.

I think you ask it early in the process. If you're not willing to take the job without it, then you need to know.

[Anonymous]

I would ask after receiving an offer and before I accepted the position.

[Anonymous]

If it doesn't come up in the interview otherwise, I would ask if they have a policy on telecommuting. Depending on what they say, you could then follow-up with a more specific question about your situation, but you definitely need to be attuned to what they say initially. For instance, folks can telecommute some in my family-friendly company, but new people aren't usually doing it right away. Maybe if they are senior enough, but that would be a special case.

[Anonymous]

7:44, not a bad idea. They're already invested in you at that point, and it'd be a bigger PITA for them to start the job search all over again than to field a reasonable request about telecommuting.

On the other hand, how does one get perks such as extra vacation time, telecommuting, etc., guaranteed? (i.e. the boss/HR won't develop amnesia or try to weasel out of what they told you early on.) Do you just ask for an amended offer letter in which salary, work location, reporting manager, and non-standard benefits are all listed?

[Anonymous]

If it's a reason why you are willing to take a pay cut and you wouldn't take the job without it, then I would ask during the early interviews. Otherwise I'd ask after you get the offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If it's a reason why you are willing to take a pay cut and you wouldn't take the job without it, then I would ask during the early interviews. Otherwise I'd ask after you get the offer.

Agreed. If not allowing you to telecommute is a deal breaker, ask early on and let your stance be known. If not, I would say wait for the offer. At that point, you will have more bargaining power. I would also say it depends on how much they want you vs. how much you want the job.

[Anonymous]

I would ask after receiving an offer and before I accepted the position.

This. Use it as part of negotiating your entire compensation package. And honestly ask yourself before you get to the offer stage, what's the bare minimum of work flex I need to take this job? sometimes the extra money is not worth it, obviously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would ask after receiving an offer and before I accepted the position.

This.

[Anonymous]

I conduct 2-3 interviews/month and can't stand it when people ask about this during the interview process -- it really puts me off. We do offer some flexibility, but it's just presumptuous and puts potential employers on the defensive. I agree with the advice about asking after you receive the offer. You can always turn down the position if they can't accommodate you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would ask after receiving an offer and before I accepted the position.

This. Use it as part of negotiating your entire compensation package. And honestly ask yourself before you get to the offer stage, what's the bare minimum of work flex I need to take this job? sometimes the extra money is not worth it, obviously.

I agree with this advice. I would not ask about it during interviews if they don't bring it up. I work in a family-friendly environment with tons of flexibility so I understand how important it is. However, if someone focused on that in interviews for the job, I would be put off. In the interview process, they need to see what kind of worker you are. Of course you are interviewing them as well, but when it comes to issues like this (essentially what I consider a benefit), don't raise it until the offer stage.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks everyone for your responses. Given the answers, I think I will wait and see if I receive an offer and then ask the question.

To the 9:57 poster, why are you annoyed when someone asks about this early in the process - is it that they are asking about a benefit during the interview process (a known no no) or that they are specifically asking about telecommuting? If this is a deal breaker for a candidate, would you not prefer to know it right then and there?
Also, what is your response when someone asks about this at the offer stage? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I think there's a way of bringing up work-life balance in interviews that would not be seen as negative -- I did it and got the job -- but there's something about asking about telecommuting in general that just seems questionable. I expect most jobs would like to have you work in the office full-time for a bit before beginning to telecommute. At any rate, I agree with those who would wait to bring it up until you get an offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I conduct 2-3 interviews/month and can't stand it when people ask about this during the interview process -- it really puts me off. We do offer some flexibility, but it's just presumptuous and puts potential employers on the defensive. I agree with the advice about asking after you receive the offer. You can always turn down the position if they can't accommodate you.

But how do you feel when they go through a long and time intensive interview process only to turn down the job because the company doesn't have a feature they deem necessary?