As the year draws to a close, a number of recruitment firms have indicated that they expect hiring activity to remain strong or increase in the beginning of 2011. ALB asked a number of the larger recruitment firms to identify the most common questions which they expect candidates will ask before they agree to an interview with a client.

The clear winner in terms of question subject matter was naturally salary and bonus. Rob Green, director, CML, Hong Kong said the number one question was ‘will the new firm buy out my bonus?’. Interestingly, the next most popular questions were centred around work culture. Travel was also a concern for candidates at Robert Walters, but number one question there was also on remuneration. Otherwise the questions related to how much travel was involved, whom the role would be replacing and to whom the role reports. 

The most common questions asked by candidates at JLegal were all focused on work culture, hours and flexibility and support in the new role. Consultant Julia Lee listed the seven most common questions as follows:

1. What is the work/corporate culture?
2. How much travel is involved?
3. Is there flexibility to work from home?
4. Who does the role report to and what is that person like to work for/ what is their management style?
5. What is the make up of the current legal team?
6. Is this a replacement role or a newly created one? If a replacement role, why did the last person leave?
7. What sort of admin support can I expect?

And the prize for the most unusual question also goes to JLegal, where one candidate asked how many toilet breaks they would be allowed at the new office. They were moving from a firm where employees were allowed no more than two toilet breaks per day!