Employees

Considering that most of us spend the vast majority of our lives at work, it's surprising that we don't put in nearly the same time and effort into finding the "right" employer as we might in selecting a significant other. All joking aside, most of us probably spend more time evaluating the pros and cons of a car or other major purchase than we do in thoroughly evaluating a potential employer. Don't rely on salary or a company's website alone, use these sample questions to make sure that you and your potential new employer are truly a match made in heaven.

Daily Work Life

• What are the most rewarding and frustrating aspects of your day-to-day job?
• What does it take to be successful here?
• Do criteria for success differ for different departments, for men and women, for different racial, cultural, religious groups or for gays and lesbians?

Assignment, Development and Mentoring

• Does someone verify that opportunities are fairly apportioned?
• Do you have a mentor? If so, how did that relationship develop and evolve?

Company Culture and Values

• How was the company described to you when you were being recruited?
• In what ways has that turned out to be accurate or inaccurate?
• What are the top three reasons you came to and stay at this company?

Gender, Racial, Ethnic, Religious, and Cultural Climate

• What are the greatest supports and or obstacles for women, people of color and gays and lesbians being successful at the company?
• Is it safe to raise issues of "diversity" here?
• Is there a person or committee that one can go to as a sounding board, with complete confidentiality/anonymity to get some advice?
• Does that person or committee have any power about what really happens here?

Inappropriate Conduct Issues

• How common are non-discriminatory forms of harassment?
• How common are the following types of behaviors: explosions of anger, rudeness, public humiliation, abusive language/demeaning comments, overcritical attitude?
• Does the company's/firm's current culture support challenging them?

Corporate Citizenship

• What is the company's reputation in the city in which it is headquartered?
• Does the company have a philanthropy program?

Other Diversity Issues

• Is it safe to be an "out" gay or lesbian here?
• Does the company/firm offer domestic partner benefits?
• Are there ways in which the organization helps or hinders balancing work and family obligations?

Overall Sentiment

• All in all, do you think that there is a level playing field here?
• Is the company a true meritocracy?
• If you were writing this employer's values statement - those that are practiced in the daily behavior of senior management - what would they be?

Lastly, employees should be encouraged by an employer who:

• Shows real sign of valuing differences
• Has a sophisticated understanding of bias
• Genuinely cares about your experience and interests, not just your diversity
• Is flexible in how they handle diversity concerns, e.g., informal mechanisms
• Is willing to walk away from a client or customer if their behavior or actions so warrant
• Diversity work, e.g., recruiting, counts as a contribution toward compensation and promotion

From Giving Notice: Why the Best and the Brightest Leave the Workplace and How You Can Help Them Stay by Freada Kapor Klein (Jossey-Bass, an Imprint of Wiley).

>> Best Practices for Employers