You need health insurance; you need paid vacation days; you need a 401(k)! In short, you need a job that provides benefits.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean you should take the first job that throws benefits your way. To ensure that you’re getting good benefits, you need to ask a few benefit questions.
Curious as to the types of questions you should be asking? Then read on. Here are 5 essential questions to ask your potential employer about job benefits.
1. How Much Do You Match for 401(k)?
A common benefit offered by employers is 401(k) matching. This is when your employer matches a percentage of the money that you put into your 401(k).
A common match is 50 cents for every dollar up to 6% of the total salary. Note, though, that matches will vary from company to company.
So, when interviewing, make sure to ask about the specifics of the match. This can affect your retirement savings substantially.
2. What Are the Specifics of Vacation and Sick Days?
Another question you’ll want to ask involves the specifics of vacation and sick days. Again, these vary greatly from employer to employer.
Common numbers include 2 weeks of paid vacation and 5 to 9 days of paid sick leave. But, these days, it’s not usual to get 3, 4, 5, and even 6 weeks of paid vacation, depending on the job.
3. Is There Any Possibility of Remote Work?
Remote work is getting more and more popular. And while many job listings don’t specify the ability to work remotely, many do eventually allow hired employees to venture out of the office and into the home.
If you’re interested in working remotely, you should ask about it during the interview. Even if you can’t switch to 100% remote work, you might still get a few remote days per week.
4. How Much Do You Cover for Health Insurance Premiums?
In the United States, the most important benefit of all is health insurance. Health benefits ensure that you can get the medical care you need without handing over an arm and a leg.
Note, though, that different employers cover different amounts of health insurance premiums. So, before accepting a job, make sure that your employer covers a good portion of your premium. Ideally, they’ll cover it all.
5. Do You Pay for Additional Education
Many companies offer benefits for continuing education. For instance, they might pay for their employees to get MBAs or other such degrees.
If you’re interested in pursuing further education while you work, this would be a great benefit to have. As such, make sure to ask about it during your interview.
You May Read This Also: How To Successfully Work From Home If You Are Self-Employed
Make Sure These Benefit Questions Get Asked
When in the midst of a stressful job interview, you can forget many of the questions you had hoped to ask. In some cases, you can get away with this. But when it comes to these benefit questions, you need to make sure they’re voiced.
On the hunt for other such info? Our website is the place to be. Check out some of our other articles right now!