Questions for recruiters, headhunters and HR

What does training look like for new graduates, and do they start together as a class?

The range runs from weeks in a classroom with everyone who started that month to a laptop and a buddy on day one. Neither is wrong, but they suit different people. Ask what a new graduate is usually trusted with by the third month.

From: Questions to Ask Campus Recruiters

How do I come off your books, and what am I owed when I do?

Unused holiday pay, a final timesheet and tax paperwork are easy to lose track of once you stop taking the calls. What you are owed at the end is set by local rules and the contract, so find out which items arrive without being requested and which you must chase.

From: Questions to Ask a Staffing Agency as a Job Seeker

What travel reimbursement do I get, and is it paid up front or on a later check?

Money that arrives in week three means you are floating airfare and a deposit on a credit card. Timing matters here more than the size of the amount.

From: Questions to Ask a Travel Nurse Recruiter

Do you have any concerns about taking part in this, or about how you are being treated while it is open?

Respondents are sometimes sidelined, gossiped about, or quietly stripped of duties during an investigation, which creates a second problem on top of the first. Asking gives you the chance to correct it before it becomes a claim.

From: Questions to Ask the Accused in a Workplace Investigation

Is this a company driver job or a lease-purchase, and can I start as a company driver?

A caller who asks about driving jobs can find the conversation drifting toward a lease program. Under a lease you are paying for a truck and usually working as a contractor, with the costs that come with that. If you are new, ask to drive as an employee first and decide later, and notice how the recruiter takes the request.

From: Questions to Ask a Trucking Recruiter

Who do I report to day to day, and who evaluates my performance?

In contract work you often answer to a client manager while being employed and reviewed by the agency, which means problems can go unaddressed by both. Get the two names and find out who handles a complaint.

From: Questions to Ask a Staffing Agency Recruiter