With this question you unmask dishonest bosses – according to Bosch HR

Applicants like to be grilled in the interview: It’s about family planning or previous salaries. Personnel managers and managers often convey the feeling that they have the upper hand. In addition, they also enjoy their position of power by even asking inadmissible questions to which they expect an answer.

A little tip: companies that resort to such means often do not have a fair corporate culture! But it’s not always so obvious, as Jan Helwerth, HR Manager at Bosch Power Tools, knows. He pleads for urgently checking out potential employers with queries. There is one question he advises all job seekers to ask: “What are you working on on the company side to improve yourself?”

According to Jan Helwerth, this question should reveal how openly and honestly an employer deals with his own weaknesses. It also forms a good basis for further questions. “Basically, it is always important that applicants obtain information so that they have the best possible picture of the position, the company and the relevant team,” explains the HR expert.

“Recruiting can only be considered a success if it suits both sides,” he continues. In the worst case, however, a company sells itself too positively and applicants are blinded by it. If that happens, it is not unlikely that there will be a rude awakening for the job seeker after they have been hired.

“Candidates want to identify with the employer.”

Jan Helwerth has observed in recent years that factors such as the future team, how people interact with one another and the values ​​of the company have become significantly more important. “Today, it is more important for candidates to be able to identify with an employer and to stand behind their actions than to change solely because of material motivators,” says the HR manager at Bosch Power Tools.

Of course, the general conditions, such as the salary, must also be right, says Helwerth, as they have a strong influence on the decision, but culture is increasingly a hygiene factor.

At Bosch Power Tools, those responsible for HR have noticed that there is now a significant increase in queries from applicants about content, the company and also about strategic issues during the application process. Incidentally, this also corresponds to a study by Stepstone, which, in addition to an attractive salary and a secure job, also identified the opportunity for further development as an important point for job seekers.

Flexible working conditions, modern technical equipment, overtime regulations and team-oriented work are also important. Health programs are also relevant. Company mobile phones and cars, on the other hand, are less so.