Questions to ask after starting a new job 2

[Creeker]

I've been working on a list of questions to help people get quickly and easily settled into a new job (and hopefully avoid embarassment). They're all procedure/corporate related, rather than technical.

By way of an explanation, I'm soon going to be starting a new job soon, and started writing this to record the lessons I learned from my current one (by the way, I'm still a young engineer with < 2 years experience, so some of these probably sound really obvious to the more experienced out there). Also, they're written from the point of view of someone working in product development for a battery manufacturing company, so the questions might be different for people in other disciplines / industries.

Suppliers
- Does the company have a preferred suppliers list?
- Will they only use these, or can you use others (eg. A machine shop that you have a good relation ship with)?
- What are the account setup / payment procedures for new / existing suppliers?

Purchasing
- How do you charge for purchases? Charge codes?
- Who has the authority to sign for purchases? For how much?
- What is the paperwork routing?
- What is the re-imbursement policy / procedure for purchases you make?

Materials Receiving
- What are the inspection procedures for receiving materials?
- Where does the paperwork go when you receive something?

Shipping
- Who does the company use for shipping?
- What is the billing information?
- Do you charge the shipping to a specific project?
- Who can authorize shipping?

Work Billing
- How do you record / bill your work (timesheets, etc.)?
- What are the charge codes for accounting?

Office Supplies
- Where are they located?
- How do you order them if you need something specific?

Document Style
- Where / what are the document (memos, specifications, etc.) templates, if any? If not, what are the usual page layouts, font styles, etc.?
- Where can you find drawing borders and titleblock templates for CAD files?
- What are the styles for CAD drawings:
o Colours
o Plot styles
o Line styles
o Text & dimension styles

Document Control
- Who is in charge of document control (if anyone)?
- What is the part number / revision format?
- Who assigns part numbers (if different from document control)?
- How does the company control document revision (ECN’s etc.)?

Computers
- Who is the IT person / department?
- What do you need for account setup / access?
- Where do you store your electronic documents? Working copies? Controlled documents?

Quality
- Where can you find the quality manual? What are the sections relevant to your job?
- If your company is ISO (or other) qualified, how does this apply to your job? What do you need to know if you’re audited?
- What are the standard operating procedures for your job?

Safety
- Is any training required?
- Where can you get locks for lock-out (if required)?
- Do you need a respirator, and if so, where can you get it?
- Where are the appropriate MSDS’s for materials / products used at the company?
- Do you require steel-toe boots?
- Is there any other safety equipment required?

Security
- Where / how / when can you access the building?
- Are there alarmed areas / doors? What do you do in the event of an alarm (especially if you accidentally set it off)?
- Do you have / need access to the building after normal working hours? Who controls keys, access codes, etc.?

I'm curious to know what else people can think of to add to this list.

 

[keano]

I hope your not going to ask all those questions on your first day.

Take your time to settle in,some time being over eager can have the reverse effect with new colleauges.

On the whole your list is fairly inclusive.

 

[DonPE]

Where is a good place for lunch around here?

No, just joking on that. Very good list. Maybe add some questions about travel:
1) How much notice can I expect to get before I have to leave?
2) How much can I spend on food each day?
3) How & when will I get reimbursed?

I'm assuming you already know when your review will be, who will be reviewing you, what typical raises are, and what is going to be expected of you until then.

 

[EngJW]

Why do they have to keep putting these silly links on words like engineer ?

 

[EngJW]

Oops

It didn't work that time.

HeHe Sorry about the humor. It's time to start the weekend.

 

[IRstuff]

Good list... You might think about putting it into a FAQ

TTFN

 

[Beggar]

A couple more regarding computers (though it'll likely be spelled out in your orientation):

1) What's the policy regarding personal e-mail & 'net usage?
2) What's the policy regarding installation of software?
3) What's the procedure for upgrading hardware or software?
4) What's the max size of a file that can get in/out through the firewall?
5) Are there any file formats that the firewall will bounce if found as attachments?


--------------------
Bring back the HP-15

http://www.hp15c.org

--------------------

 

[svanels]

DonPe I liked the lunch, at the canteen you hear the company gossips and get to know the formal and "informal" company culture.

Steven van Els
SAvanEls@cq-link.sr

 

[mshimko]

Keep the questions, but DON'T ASK THEM AT FIRST!

You'll probably get a load of material the review the first couple of days; and you'll probably be told lots of info also.

Posing questions that are already answered in what you've been given is NOT a way to make a good first impression.

 

[MikeHalloran]

One more item for the Security list:

If they expect you to stay late and set the alarm, have someone go around the place with you and point out specific oddities like interior doors that must remain open.

[ A good candidate is the facility manager who otherwise gets called by the police when you arm the alarm that is known to you, simultaneously set off the silent alarm they didn't mention, and leave. At two a.m. There are better ways to become known to management. ]



Mike Halloran
NOT speaking for
DeAngelo Marine Exhaust Inc.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA

 

[Sparweb]

A company heirarchy diagram might be useful. Knowing who is above whom, and who is responsible for what, helps you settle in.

There is often a library of technical information that you'll need access to. Get acquainted with it, even if most of it is in a pile behind the chief engineer's desk.

Steven Fahey, CET

 

[PSE]

You could also add phone rules to the listing. Personal calls, long distance usage etc. The same could apply if the company provides you with a cell phone. Throw in break time(s) and bathroom locations and you have enough questions to keep you occupied for weeks.

Regards,

 

[jsummerfield]

What are the hours?
What is my charge number?
How often do we update and when to we turn in our time sheet?
When do we get paid?
Do you have direct deposit?
Where is the men's room?
Does IT permit us to use USB flash memory?

John

 

[HgTX]

How do I get remote access to the network (both dialup and broadband)?
How do I whitelist a sender from the spamblocker?
Which admin person/department gets which piece of paperwork?
Do you have battery or soda can recycling?]
Who do I talk to if I want to order reference books? Software?

Who do I need to keep in the loop for various types of decisions I might make?

5 years at my job and I'm still trying to figure out this one:
Exactly what attachments do you and don't you want on my expense reports?

If you feel you must, ask this next one very carefully:
What's the policy (and prevailing view) on dating within the workplace?

Hg

Eng-Tips guidelines: faq731-376

 

[Jabberwocky]

I think this is an excellent thread. I too have just begun my career and am still being surprised by things that don't remotely resemble anything I learned in school.

I don't know that these should be literal questions to be asked per se, just issues that you should look into when getting settled. However, I'd save a few of them for the initial interview for when you're asked if you have any questions about the position - asking none is bad form, so it would help to have a general pile of issues that you know to be relevant.

 

[Creeker]

I started thinking about these things because of a bad experience I had in my first couple of months here.

I got some work done at a local machine shop which was recommended by a friend of mine (not at the company). I didn't think to ask if my company had regular ones they used.

The machine shop did the work, but when I went to pick it up, I found myself in a Catch-22. Our company's policy is to purchase on account, and purchasing won't normally issue cheques. The machine shop on the other hand, wouldn't open an account until our second purchase. Credit card was out since we use AmEx and the shop didn't take it. The shop was upset at me cause it was taking so long to get paid and purchasing was mad at me cause they had to issue a cheque.

I've also done some dumb stuff with chemicals, where, if I had thought about it before, I would have worn a respirator.

I don't think I'd ask these types of questions during an interview, since they're more procedural, and probably not even on the first day. I think they're just important to think about as you do something for the first time, so you're not pissing people off, wasting your own time or creating safety hazards.