When considering jobs, how to predict the **real** length of a workweek?

Question

So you've landed that interview, seem to be doing well (or already did well), and think this could be a possibility.

Now starts the dual poker game: how much we'll underpay you, and how much we'll overwork you. There are enough questions on the former, but I'd like to hear tips and tells about the latter:

How do you figure out how many hours you REALLY are expected to work.

Let's assume that you don't have a trustworthy friend or contact in the prospective company. How can you squeeze a real answer?

Answer 1

Somebody had an interesting answer here about timesheets and withdrew it, I'll list it though because it is probably useful for government/contract jobs.

However, unless you're going for a major corporation, there are often no timesheets, or the timesheets are fake (e.g., everyone just retroactively signs every day).

It's a way for the company to avoid paying overtime, IMHO, by never officially recording how long you're there.

Answer 2

In my work, it's actually written into the employment contract the amount of hours you're expected to work per week.

But at a certain level of pay/professionalism, it's taken for granted that you'll put in extra if it's needed. Also that you can get time off in lieu if you need it.

Annual reviews regarding your pay rises and bonuses take into account (or should) how much extra you've put in above what's required. Bonuses are often a sizable chunk of your take-home pay.

Answer 3

I doubt if there is a real answer that can be got even from contacts inside the company. Most companies that I've worked with are like collections of "groups". Each group develops it's own work momentum. Some of them stay late no matter what and some strike the right balance.

I'd say it mostly flows from the top. The boss generally decides the pace and the work hours. If he's a workoholic , there is a good chance that all the people reporting to him/her , would fall in line.

Finally , it also depends on individual. There are legal contractual obligations to work timings but beyond that it's you and me who decide how long is long enough.

Answer 4

Usually during interviews for programming positions it's customary to have one or more technical interviews with current employees. This is a great time to ask questions about the working environment, particularly if you've bonded with the interviewer(s) and gotten them talking a little etc. I find it's usually pretty easy to build on some chit-chat and when they give you an opportunity to ask them questions. This works well because these are likely to be people you'll be working with and therefore have similar expectations placed on you.

For instance, ask about commutes, and ask if people come in early and/or leave late. Ask them if time is flexible if you need to change your schedule occasionally, or what it's like near deadlines if weekend work hours occur. Stuff like that, without being obnoxious, can get you a pretty good idea how much the whip will crack once you're on board as a full-time employee.

Answer 5

I think the best thing you can do is to ask them directly: How long am I expected to work? If you are afraid that this would make a bad impression (I believe you shouldn't be), then when negotiating the pay rate, explicitly say that you need that much for 40 hours per week.

Another trick is to try to have an appointment with them in their offices at late hours (19:00). If they are willing to accept that, then they obviously work late. If you could also stop by at around 17:00, you could see for yourself how many people are leaving staying.

Answer 6

I am not sure there is any good answer to this.

You could ask staight up at the interview, but, it will certainly reduce your chances of getting hired somewhere where thay expect 60 hour weeks -- but thats the point!

It is very common for badly run departments to mistake attendance for productivity, and, a lack of social life for commitment.

This seems to have started with consultancies who bill by the hour encouraging thier drones to spend 12 hours at the office than convincing the gullable client that they were pulling out all the stops for the project rather than just padding the bill. Some managers swallowed this hook line and sinker and started expecting the same level of "commitment" form all thier employees.

Would you prefer a dentist who spent 12 hours over your root canal to one who could do it in 3 hours?

Answer 7

When you ask, or are asked, a question on either side of the interview table there will often be context or ambiguity that can lead you down a particular route.

If an interviewer asks "would you be willing to work from home?" that could be a warning flag to mean "you'll probably need to log in late/early/holidays/weekends" - but then that's not so different from "you'll get a BlackBerry", i.e. you'll be expected to monitor emails when not in the office.

In many countries there are rules (most of Europe) although any sort of senior/well-paid role and you'll just sign a waiver to override that.

This should be a question you can ask outright - while greater rewards should require greater flexibility from you, there is a limit. 12 hour days, every day, are not efficient and will grind you down, irrespective of how much you're getting compensated.

Answer 8

Although this doesn't apply to all industries, in the Game industry its whatever is required anywhere from 60 to 120 hour weeks, depending on the crunch factor. It might be sad, but its mostly true, with a few rare exceptions. However it has been getting better and better, one day it might even be reasonable :)

Anyways haven't seen a position in the industry with a contract that doesn't require wavering overtime.

Now answering your question directly, I have always asked how long is a "normal" day is supposed to be, and if we are expected to work on weekends, at every interview I've been.

Answer 9

I simply ask for the timetable in the interview. That way I have an indicator of how flexible it is (in the good sense), and I get red signs if they say something like "you never know how many hours you'll be working".

If for some uncommon reason I have no specific information, then I assume that the legal limit in my country (40 hours a week) applies. And trust me, I will apply it.