HACKER Q&A
📣 howlgarnish

Why should I ask my predecessor in a role I'm applying for?


I'm considering applying for a senior role in a company. As luck would have it, I have a chance to speak candidly with my predecessor, who no longer works there. Aside from the obvious "what do you think I should know" and "why did you leave", what are the most important things I should ask?

  👤 codegeek Accepted Answer ✓
- Why did you leave ?

- What were some of the good things about the role that you enjoyed ?

- What were the difficult things about the role that you weren't particularly good at or didn't enjoy as much ?

- If you could redo this role, would you do anything differently ? What would those be ?

- How does the company/team measure success in this role ?

- Do you have any issues recommending me against taking role ?

👤 partisan
At one role, I was interviewed and vetted by my predecessor. I came to understand he hated the role and was looking to fill the gap he had left that no one wanted to fill. Coincidentally, he was the last person I spoke with before leaving on my last day and he apologized to me for having put me in that position.
👤 techplex
I often find the history of projects immensely helpful to understand why choices were made.