Dear SafetyXChange Members:

Groucho Marx once quipped that he'd never join a country club that would accept him as a member. You might feel the same way after you receive a job offer from a company. "What's wrong with these folks," you might think. Maybe nothing; but maybe something. So, before accepting a job offer, you owe it to yourself to do some due diligence.

Some Questions to Ask

The point of conducting pre-acceptance due diligence isn't simply to reveal hidden skeletons in the offering company's closet. It's just as much about determining whether you're going to fit the job. Here are some questions that you should ask the hiring manager:

• Why is this position open?
• If it's an existing position, what happened to the former incumbent?
• If it's a new position, why was it created?
• What about you and your background make you the ideal person for the job?
• What does the hiring manager want and expect to see accomplished in the first 30, 60 and 90 days?
• Who is on your team?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of each team member?
• Was there an internal person who was a serious candidate for the position - or at least thought he/she was?
• If so, will the hiring manager clarify why that person was not selected and how he/she reacted to the news?

Conclusion

The misgivings you feel about a company that offers you a job might just be the Groucho side of your personality. On the other hand, a Groucho mentality isn't such a bad thing for somebody who's mulling a job offer. Maybe there really is something wrong - either with the company or your fit within it. So respect those last-minute doubts and don't say "yes" until you lay them to rest.

Wishing you career success,

Lauryn Franzoni
ExecuNet, www.execunet.com

TOP 10 LIST

Riverside, CA, before it became a job market juggernaut

Hottest Job Markets in the U.S.

By Glenn Demby

Good jobs are plentiful right now. Here's a countdown of the markets with the most managerial and executive opportunities:

10. Atlanta, GA
9. Austin, TX
8. Riverside, CA
7. Tampa, FL
6. West Palm Beach, FL
5. Phoenix, AZ
4. Charlotte, NC
3. Raleigh, NC
2. Las Vegas, NV

And the number one job market for managers in the U.S. at the current time is... drum roll, please:

1. Orlando, FL

In case you're interested, numbers 11 through 15 on the list were, in order: Salt Lake City, UT; Jacksonville, FL: Dallas, TX; San Antonio, TX; and Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

Source: CNN Money.com

TOP 10 LIST

Oil: Just one reason Canada is one of the world's hottest job markets

Hottest Job Markets in the World

By Glenn Demby

I had originally set out to list the 10 hottest job markets in Canada. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the information. So I guess I'll just have to settle for the 10 hottest job markets in the world. I have to admit, there were a few surprises - both in terms of who did and didn't make the list. Here's the countdown:

10. U.S.
9. Hong Kong
8. New Zealand
7. Australia
6. Norway
5. Canada
4. Argentina
3. India
2. Peru

And the number one job market in the world right now is... drum roll, please:

1. Singapore

Source: Forbes

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