Have you ever been sold a position by a recruiter only to be disappointed with the reality? It happens too often and is a trap that you should be well aware of.
The cold hard truth is most jobs have a dark side. Often it’s the dark side that will differentiate the better roles from the poorer ones and this is information that you should be presented with.
Most employers ask prospective candidates about areas where they may be able to improve. I suggest you ask the recruiter (and even the employer) about the ‘not so appealing’ aspects of the role in question. Is it repetitive and mundane, do the team get along, are the targets achievable, is there high turnover in the team, can I see the working environment, what is your management style, and so on.
Save your questions for the end of the interview. Often you will be asked if you have any questions, but if not, make sure you fire a few their way. Be prepared with your questions and don’t be embarrassed – more often than not the questions will be met with a favourable response and it will reiterate your interest in knowing as much as possible pre the decision.
Before entering into any long term relationship, you should be presented will all the relevant information about the job, culture, team, targets, expectations and it’s only when you are armed with this can you make a truly education decision.