Some roles and employees thrive in ambiguity and then there’s others that require structure. I’ve learned the hard way that mismatch can make a job really awful. How do you assess a role’s ambiguity during interviews without sounding like you’re criticizing the employer?

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Posting as :
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I'd look for signs.

If the role is for someone who needs to be entrepreneurial, comfortable with ambiguity and operating in a changing environment, a self-starter, etc.

If the role is in a start-up vs a F100 corporation

If the interviewer says this is a new role and we want the hire to pave their own path.

Or they have no clear answer to what success looks like.

Obviously ambiguous roles can still be healthy. Roles with clear problems, sponsors, and definition of success.

If you want to ask you could say something like "I am comfortable with ambiguity but have learned there are different types. What parts of this role would you say are well-established vs figuring out as you go?"

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