I needs some advice. I am getting back into the interview world, but I wanted to know is it okay to ask them the following questions:

What does the workload for the desk I would be taken over looks like? I was blindsided with my last Job and it was a disaster and took forever to get caught up, because the last person stop working months before they quit.

Also, I truly want to know how the ratio of everyone’s job is, because I don’t want to do others jobs, been there done that.

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Yeah, if you worded it anywhere near that or complained about your prior job, I’m marking that as a negative in my interview sheet. I’ve passed on previous interviewees because of the way they look at challenges.

If you want to ask the question, it’s better off to phrase it something like

“Are there any urgent matters or projects you anticipate me needing to take over for this position?”

“I understand I will be replacing a paralegal - can you help me understand the onboarding timeline and any support offered while I become acquainted with the docket my first week or two?”

“I understand the billable requirement for this job are X; what are the expected overtime hours needed to achieve this goal?”

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I wish I would’ve seen this a wk ago. I might’ve asked these questions

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You're giving major red flags

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If you want a new job the answer is a resounding no.

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Appreciate your feedback

You can ask it just frame it as if you’re trying to assess the full scope of the work. Never complain about a former role or employer. Remain diplomatic and be tactful on how you ask. But yeah, just rephrase it.

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Thank you, I don’t complain nor say anything negative about any jobs I have had. I always do the job and go above and beyond, but they just expect more of me.

If you asked your initial concern, I wouldn’t take it as a red flag, for what it’s worth. It’s our job to ensure that we’re not total pieces of shit and onboard you appropriately rather than slam you all at once. SP1’s verbiage is just as good too!

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I really appreciate your feedback and for saying it’s not a red flag. I am use to coming into a new position catching up and cleaning up things, but sometimes some attorneys expect a miracle but not willing to give grace, considering you are new to their environment.

While litigation is not typical, ask what a typical day looks like, even though it might not be a full description....what is the case load.... what are the expectations of your current paralegals, such as who does drafting/research/etc to understand what the responsibilities would be... is there a legal assistant who assists with admin tasks... question along those lines to ascertain what they work load might be, but remember they aren't always forthcoming even if asked properly.

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Thank you for your feedback

I think that’s a completely appropriate question to ask. Asking about the ratio of everyone’s responsibilities is fine too, but you may not get a perfectly accurate answer. Either way, asking questions to make sure this is a good role for you is important.

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I appreciate your feedback more than you know. I was asking because my boss expects a lot from me, but expects little from everyone else. I know they may not tell me, but I was just curious about asking.

This sounds like something you would ask post-offer. Before you accept, it's perfectly acceptable to ask to talk team members or peers who were not on your interview panel.

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Thank you for your feedback very helpful.

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