how to ask for telecommuting option in an interview

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, trust me on this: raise the issue of teleworking during the interview with the hiring manager. But also recognize that if it is at a hiring manager's discretion you could have a new boss down the line who does not approve of teleworking. A hiring manager has to consider not only whether you can telework effectively but also the potential that other employees may expect the same flexibility. So it can potentially become a morale issue.

I say raise it during the interview because you may just have that little bit "extra" that encourages a hiring manager to show some flexibility which the hiring manager would not be able to discern if it were raised with the recruiter.

Don't wait till the offer is made if it is a deal breaker - if I were the hiring manager I'd be pissed off if after working out all of the details of any offer and obtaining the necessary approvals the offer was rejected because teleworking was an imperative. You are wasting your time and everyone else involved in the hiring decision.

Some years ago, I was involved in hiring someone for a relatively senior position; we went through all the hoops and I finally extended an offer only to be then told of a condition (not teleworking) which was out of the question. He should have made me aware of it ahead of time if it was a deal breaker. So I ended up hiring someone else but subsequently he approached me a several times about potential opportunities and I was not interested because I felt that he was negotiating in bad faith.

Teleworking is not a right but like all situations involving employment, you have the right to reject a job that does not offer it and the company has the right to tell you that it is not an option.

I already had a telephonic interview and I did not raise this telecommute option, can I raise this in the face to face interview? or is it too late?

[Anonymous]

And boom my telework was just taken away today. It's so damn unreliable! We now aren't allowed to telework unless we have company laptops and most of us don't. They say there's no money for the laptops either. Sweet. I have another job offer on the table and this was the last straw with my current job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not a huge fan of telecommuting, too little opportunity for the impromptu collaboration that goes on in the office. I think it's telling that people who say they need iit talk almost entirely of the benefit to their personal life, not the quality of their work..

Op, if it is truly a deal breaker for you, ask at the interview. Be aware some employers may find the question disqualifying as it makes you liook like you are lazy.

But do you need impromptu collaboration every day?

You also must not work in an open floor plan office. I get MUCH more done on days at home, which is why when my company scaled back their physical space and got rid of offices to maximize space, they also introduced a very generous telecommuting policy.

Also, much of my team is in other parts of the country. My two main projects right now involve two different colleagues from NYC. I'm in the DC area - doesn't matter if I come in the office or not, we are collaborating by phone, email, and IM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, trust me on this: raise the issue of teleworking during the interview with the hiring manager. But also recognize that if it is at a hiring manager's discretion you could have a new boss down the line who does not approve of teleworking. A hiring manager has to consider not only whether you can telework effectively but also the potential that other employees may expect the same flexibility. So it can potentially become a morale issue.

I say raise it during the interview because you may just have that little bit "extra" that encourages a hiring manager to show some flexibility which the hiring manager would not be able to discern if it were raised with the recruiter.

Don't wait till the offer is made if it is a deal breaker - if I were the hiring manager I'd be pissed off if after working out all of the details of any offer and obtaining the necessary approvals the offer was rejected because teleworking was an imperative. You are wasting your time and everyone else involved in the hiring decision.

Some years ago, I was involved in hiring someone for a relatively senior position; we went through all the hoops and I finally extended an offer only to be then told of a condition (not teleworking) which was out of the question. He should have made me aware of it ahead of time if it was a deal breaker. So I ended up hiring someone else but subsequently he approached me a several times about potential opportunities and I was not interested because I felt that he was negotiating in bad faith.

Teleworking is not a right but like all situations involving employment, you have the right to reject a job that does not offer it and the company has the right to tell you that it is not an option.

I already had a telephonic interview and I did not raise this telecommute option, can I raise this in the face to face interview? or is it too late?

Not too late by any means: I actually meant that you should raise it when you have your face to face interview. Of course, you would do this only if it is a deal breaker so that everyone is not wasting time and the hiring manager feels that you are dealing with him/her in good faith.