Taking new secretarial jobs is a risk, especially if the company is new or you know very little about them. Before you take that leap, it is always good to check up on their financial status first. Many people are made unemployed by companies that struggle financially, so it is good to know how to check them out before you sign a secretarial employment contract.

1. You should be interested in the financials of your target Company.

2. How have they performed in the last 3 years?

3. If they do not have published accounts ask them for evidence of how they have performed financially.

4. If they have published accounts use as many information resources as you can to search for information about their performance. (like companies house etc)

5. Check out their current and historical share price, if there are any dips or irregularities, ask them why that might be.

6. If the Company is too small to be on the stock market, enquire about their funding, how are they funded, this is especially important if the Company is small or in a launch phase.

7. If it is a small company, what is their exit strategy if there is one?

8. What is their expansion strategy?

Always remember that taking a new secretarial admin job is a risk in a new company, it is important to ask the right questions to protect your secretarial career.

9. Ask colleagues in the industry about their performance in the market:

10. How are their services/products rated?

11. If they sell a product, is the product ready? Is it tested? Is it compatible? Who is the target Customer? When will the product be ready?

12. If the company sell a service are the SLAs in place?

13. Are their target KPIs realistic?

14. Who are their main competitors?

15. What is their target market share?

16. Do not rely on the Company to tell you the truth at all times. Dig your own dirt, joining a new Company for a secretarial job is a very risky time. Especially a smaller or startup company. You want to know that your risk is worth it.

17. If a Company are unhappy to answer your questions directly or understand your interest, you should think carefully about whether to join them. Very often secretarial recruiters have seen people join Companies that cannot afford to pay them and it ends in disaster. Any Company should understand that you are taking as big a risk as them by taking a new secretarial job and want to invest time putting your mind at ease.