Top Tips: Due Diligence on Leadership Roles
Taking on a leadership role, particularly when it’s in the upper tiers of an organisation, comes with a lot of responsibility. Before accepting a new role, it’s always important to make sure it’s going to be the right move for you, but especially so when you’ll be in a leadership seat. How do you undertake good due diligence when considering a new leadership role? Our top tips are here to help:
Due Diligence Before Applying:
Seen a vacancy listed that you like the look of? First things first, pay attention to how long the role has been advertised for and make sure the application close date hasn’t already passed. If you’re unsure, it pays to check with the organisation in question so you don’t waste your time putting together an application that might not go anywhere. If the closing date has passed but they’re still accepting applications, or if you notice the role has been listed for a long time (or multiple times) it might pay to find out why. Have they simply not found what they’re looking for yet, or is there another reason why they’re struggling to attract the right person?
Have a good read of the position description and get in touch if you have any initial questions. If no contact details have been provided on the ad, try contacting the organisation directly to find the best person to speak with.
Google Check
It seems simple, but this is a step that can be easily forgotten when you’re scrolling through job boards and looking at multiple vacancies. Do some online searches about the organisations you’re considering, paying attention to any news articles, announcements or social media posts that pertain to your potential new employer and whether it’s a place you’d like to work.
Talk to your Networks
Ask around, you never know who might have insights on what it’s like to work for the organisation or team you’re interested in.
There’re also websites like Glassdoor where people can leave reviews on jobs they’ve held and places they’ve worked. You will need to create an account if you don’t already have one, but it’s free and can be useful for seeing what previous employees have to say – particularly if you want to gauge how staff you might soon be responsible for are feeling. One thing to note though is it’s an international platform, so it doesn’t feature all local employers and organisations here in Aotearoa.
Doing Due Diligence During the Interview Process:
Being prepared for a job interview is vital, not only in terms of demonstrating your own experience and skillset, but also when it comes to having a better understanding of what you’re interviewing for!
Annual reports
Depending on the sector, many organisations will make their annual reports available either on their website or at request. This can give you a good snapshot of where things are at and where the organisation is headed. Not only will it help with your interview prep, but it may also spark some questions of your own. Speaking of asking questions…
Ask the right questions
A job interview is always a two-way street. When getting prepared, many people focus on what they’ll be asked, but don’t forget this is the perfect opportunity to cover your own questions such as:
Why is the role available?
This is a good question to ask no matter what position you’re considering. Get an understanding of why the incumbent is stepping down or why the role has been created. More often than not the reasons are completely legitimate and understandable, but if you’re hearing talk of burnout or the previous person leaving under a cloud, it’s important to dig deeper and understand if it’s an organisational issue that you might be about to inherit.
What’s the tenure of the Senior Leadership team?
Something to ask at an interview is about the make-up and stability of the senior leadership team that you’re potentially about to be a part of. High turnover can be a sign that things are not going well, but it’s worth asking about before jumping to conclusions.
It’s also a good idea to ask about the tenure and current culture of the team reporting to the role you’re interviewing for. Try to get a good understanding of where they’re at and what’s going to be required from their new manager. Some people love the challenge of taking on a team that needs a bit of a morale boost, but if that’s not your cup of tea, it’s better to know now at the interview stage than once you’ve already accepted the position.
Funding and financial health of the organisation?
Understand how they’re funded, what the operating budget is, and the overall financial health and viability of the organisation. If grants or government funding is at play, how long is left until funding contracts are due and how’s the relationship with those key stakeholders?
See what else you should be asking at your interview here.
Always be transparent about your non-negotiables
Everyone has their own non-negotiables when it comes to what they want in a new role. Whether it’s a particular salary level, flexibility with hours, working from home, the environment you work in, or opportunities for professional development. Whatever the case may be, if there’re things that are really important to you, raise them as soon as possible during the recruitment process and certainly before accepting the role and signing any documents. If the employer can’t meet your expectations, you really need to spend some time weighing up if you can make it work before things progress too far. The sooner you can have those conversations and understand what’s feasible, the better.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can accept the role and then start asking for changes that your new employer might not be able to accommodate. The time to negotiate is before you formally accept the role, not after. That’s not to say you can’t ask for things or make changes further down the track, but accepting a new role knowing you’re not happy with an aspect of the position or employment contract and expecting to negotiate after you’ve already indicated you’ll accept the role is not a good way to start.
Due Diligence After a Job Offer:
If you’ve made it through the recruitment process and come out the other side with a job offer, before you sign on the dotted line, it’s crucial that you pay close attention to the documentation provided and iron out any details that are important to you before officially accepting the offer.
Review any paperwork thoroughly and negotiate if you need to. Hopefully you’ve communicated your needs throughout the recruitment process so there shouldn’t be any surprises when it does get to the offer stage. However, don’t be afraid to seek professional advice or clarification about any aspect of the employment contract you’re unsure about.
While the law says you need to be given a ‘reasonable’ amount of time to consider an offer before responding, there’re no set time frame around how long this can be. Best practice is at least five working days and typically you will be provided with a date in your paperwork by which you need to formally accept or decline the offer.
We have tips on how to negotiate a job offer here.
Completing your due diligence before accepting a new role is crucial. Just as the employer will be doing their background checks on prospective hires, you need to ensure it’s going to be the right move for you before committing to anything. Our team is always here to act as a sounding board too!
Good luck,
Kirsty and Nikki
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