Ex-Google Recruiter Warns Job Seekers To Avoid This Question In Interviews

Church advised that questions about work-life balance should be asked only after receiving a job offer. He suggested that the best time to raise such concerns is when job seekers have some leverage

Just days after former Google CEO Eric Schmidt attributed the tech giant's lag in the artificial intelligence (AI) race to remote work and work-life balance, a former Google recruiter has recommended that job seekers should avoid asking about work-life balance during job interviews. Nolan Church, who spent three years at Google and now serves as CEO of salary data company FairComp, acknowledged that while work-life balance is essential for job seekers while deciding on joining a new workplace, it is best not to ask the same during the interview process.

Church told CNBC Make It that work-life balance questions often suggest that a candidate may not be committed to working hard. He noted that recruiters can view inquiries about the length of the workday or other questions focused on internal benefits rather than the company's mission as red flags.

Church advised that questions about work-life balance should be asked only after receiving a job offer. He suggested that the best time to raise such concerns is when job seekers have some leverage and have demonstrated their capability for the role. Otherwise, he said, “I don’t think you’ve earned the right to ask.”

Meanwhile, Google CEO Sundar Pichai shared a formula for balancing office and remote work in 2021. He recommended a schedule of three days in the office and two days working remotely to achieve a good balance between home life and time with colleagues.

Pichai explained to The Wall Street Journal that even in major cities like New York and San Francisco, employees faced significant challenges with long commutes, which became a notable issue. He believes that adopting a three days in the office and two-day remote work model provides a better balance for employees. This flexible work arrangement, which the Alphabet-owned company introduced in December 2020, was designed to address the difficulties associated with commuting while offering a more manageable work schedule.