You might want to show your interviewer that you’re a hard worker by saying yes to this week’s KIQ, but is that what they really want to hear?
You obviously want to put your best foot forward at a job interview and show that you’re a dedicated worker. But organisations are becoming increasingly cautious about overworking staff and are pushing the concept of work-life balance; they don’t want their employees to burn out.
If you’re checking work emails when you’re on holidays, it may raise questions about whether you’ll push yourself too hard and overwork yourself.
So how should you answer when an interviewer asks you “Are you the type of person who checks their email when they are on holidays?”
Entrepreneur writer John Rampton has a suggestion on how to answer this tricky question:
“Let the employer know that you are 100 percent committed to your work. However, let them know that you also need time away from the office. Make it clear that you will have all of your responsibilities completed before you leave for vacation and that you may be contacted if there is an emergency.
“Keep in mind, if you’re like Elon Musk or myself… the answer I’m really wanting may be a little different as I’m running a startup and really want my team working 24/7. If we’re not working harder, faster and longer than everyone else, we will lose the race.”
How would you answer this question? Let us know in the comments.
Comments
4 responses to “Killer Interview Question: Do You Check Your Email When You’re On Holidays?”
Counter question: do you have a problem with me checking personal email at work?
If so, then any email I check in my time off will be personal – not business.
How about you answer honestly, instead of trying to pick the answer the interviewer wants to hear? If you and the interviewer don’t see eye to eye on the subject, when you’re speaking honestly, then perhaps the job isn’t right for you to begin with.
FWIW, the answer I would give to this question would be, “I receive emails over the weekend, I get them on my phone normally, it would depend on the sender and subject if I read or action any emails over the weekend, however”.
Agreed. I’d rather answer interview questions honestly and not get the job because I am not right for it, than answer with the “right” answers and end up in a job that I hate because I don’t fit in.
For me the answer is similar to yours. I’ll look at all of them, but I probably wont open many, and I’ll action even less. And by action, I mean “forward to the appropriate person and ask them to do XYZ”.
Agreed. I’d rather answer interview questions honestly and not get the job because I am not right for it, than answer with the “right” answers and end up in a job that I hate because I don’t fit in.
For me the answer is similar to yours. I’ll look at all of them, but I probably wont open many, and I’ll action even less. And by action, I mean “forward to the appropriate person and ask them to do XYZ”.