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how do you ask about cell phone policies in advance without it seeming like you're one of those who will be playing games on your phone all day, when you simply are wanting it to be ok if you answer an occasional call from your spouse or child's school etc?
Short answer: there is no way you can ask about a cell phone policy without your future employer wondering why you are so concerned about it.
Short version: how do you ask about cell phone policies in advance without it seeming like you're one of those who will be playing games on your phone all day, when you simply are wanting it to be ok if you answer an occasional call from your spouse or child's school etc?
I don't think you can ask without it sounding bad.
You are currently out of work, correct? So if you are to the point of asking them about phones, you've determined that this is a good job for you, correct? Are you seriously going to turn down a job, just because of their phone policy?
If the answer is "yes", I am glad you were wise enough to have enough savings to tide you over until the perfect job comes along.
Sigh. Put your phone on vibrate. When you feel a call come through from someone important, let it go to voice mail, then head off to the rest room to check it and call back if needed.
(aliss2) and (manderly6) It's okay (aliss2) that you asked, but the thing is, my reply is "who cares what we did before cell phones." What did we do before cars? What did we do before fax machines? Should we still be typing 15 page reports on typewriters instead of in Microsoft Word or Google Docs? What's the big deal anyway that someone wants to use their own phone for their school calling them vs the company phone? This whole thing of acting like it's akin to showing someone your private body parts is just a bunch of stupid nonsense if you ask me. Heck they ought to APPRECIATE that someone is using their phone vs tying up the company phone line.
If that is your logic, then what's the big deal about having an Ipod, Ipad, Iwhatever, at your desk too? Because they are personal devices which distract people on the job, and it is easier to say "no xyz", as monitoring personal usage of personal devices is very time-consuming. Fax machines and Microsoft Word assist people in performing their job better - how does having a personal cell phone at your desk enhance your career? Are you a real estate agent? An on-call physician? If so, then by all means.
I'm sure most employers know that a person is much more likely to waste company time with their own personal cell phone than if they had a line available for outside emergency calls.
Someone who is fine with occasional emergency phone calls probably doesn't mind the policy. Why would it be an issue if you only use it for urgent reasons, anyways? Do you NEED a cell phone for the twice a month your kid gets sick at school? I don't. I worked in a 911 dispatch centre for 10 years and we had a public line for outgoing/incoming family emergencies. No cell phones allowed. We used phones all day long, but not personal cells. It was never a big deal, unless you were the kind of person who was doing non-urgent things on it. And yes, that was in the 2010's and beyond
Wow. To preface, I think it's absurd that you would even slightly consider backing out of a job for strict cell phone policies. I think you should rely more on your WORK number as your reachable number for your kid or spouse, for EMERGENCIES. This will cut down on b.s. calls regarding dinner, homework, pick up some milk on the way home.
Most work places don't care. Even call centers. Not sure where you worked. I've worked for 2 (reputable, household name companies) and they weren't strict at all. As long as you did your work, you could check for texts/calls/time/games/internet on your phone. At the first one, I actually worked next to a mom who was on her phone regarding her grade-school aged child at least once or twice a day. And usually the most trivial of calls - regarding homework, where he's going later, how was school...like seriously! Although she was a hard worker and it never really bothered me.
And at the other one I worked, I've heard a cell phone go off a couple times a week minimum.
Also, this isn't 1997, so most work places / managers know that people are attached at the umbilical cord to their phones. Actually those in charge are attached just as much.
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I use the "memos/notes" a lot because I lose papers very quickly & I MUST enter such information into "memos/notes" to avoid it being lost. My child's social numbers, insurance account numbers, info about a local handyman plumber who does work on the cheap, recipes (I cook quite a bit), number of a person who is always needing kids' clothes & they will take our old clothes off of our hands, the license plate & VIN numbers for our 2 cars, the car's insurance policy number, it's all in there as "memos/notes." I don't do papers.
You seriously don't need this bullcr-p while you're at work.
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Anything else was ignored or delayed in whatever way. Her brother, my brother-in-law, loved chatting with me via text a lot, but if I was at work and ESPECIALLY in scenarios as this one, if I did reply it was something like "busy at work try me in 2 hours" and that was it. That was NO time for doing anything but your work, period, no one had to tell me, I got it done, and quickly.
Why even reply at all ??
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Just last week I found out by reading a Facebook feed from the local news that the school was letting out early due to the water being off. I otherwise probably would've found out from a phone call.
Problem solved. Phone call. to WORK.
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My main question. In light of all of this, my thing is that I would really like to be able to ask up-front what a job's position or "climate" or "culture" is like regarding such things before agreeing to work there, but yet I don't want it appearing that by asking "how much do you people care if I have to use my phone once in a while" that I'm one of "those" people who's going to be playing Words With Friends or chit-chatting about my weekend etc instead of actually working.
As long as you mention it from an emergency standpoint instead of just asking to use your phone
WRONG: "What's the cell phone policy?"
WRONG: "Can I take personal calls?"
As a hiring manager, my thought process is "he's going to be on his phone a lot"
As for the RIGHT way to ask, it's going to have to be how YOU word it. Make sure it's all business and regarding taking calls from your kid's school and mention this and this only.
MY way would be "Hey, my kid is in xth grade, can I give my work number to the school for emergencies or is it okay to just take those calls on my cell phone? I understand you may have a strict policy on cell phones, but it'd just be from the school"
Also, there's a good chance you'll tour the workplace during your interview or walk through it, which will give you a chance to see how other workers are. Do any of them have their phones sitting in plain site at their desk? Or near the monitor? Anyone taking cell phone calls? Texting? Looking down at seemingly what would be a cell phone?
Personally, if I worked at a very strict place, I'd give my kid's school my work number and not worry about any other calls from friends, family. My wife can take care of herself. I live 8 hours from my mom and rest of the family. Honestly, even if I only lived/worked 30 minutes away, or 15 minutes away, there's absolutely no emergency I can handle at all that I'd be taking a call for. If someone is DYING and they can call me from their phone, they can just as easily dial 911. I'd just be a middle man.
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I think is going to generate a lot of snarly replies "don't like it, don't work there"
You're right, because anyone who takes their work seriously doesn't bother with a company's cell phone policy. How 1984ish or nazi-like the company is gets handled on the tail end when one compares the salary vs. working conditions vs. happiness
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my reply is "who cares what we did before cell phones." What did we do before cars? What did we do before fax machines? Should we still be typing 15 page reports on typewriters instead of in Microsoft Word or Google Docs? What's the big deal anyway that someone wants to use their own phone for their school calling them vs the company phone?
Apples to oranges comparison. Sitting in an office, you need type writers, fax machines, etc. You don't need cell phones.
A strict company's standpoint is two-fold. Distractions. Security. As far as distractions, if they opened up being able to use cell phones for emergency calls, then where is the line drawn to non-emergencies/ but important. Then where is the line drawn between important and nice to know. Nice to know and b.s.
All that being said, as I mentioned previously. Most companies know how attached you are to your phone and will not reprimand someone glancing at a phone to check for emergency calls/texts.
Best to chance it and play it by ear once you work there on how strict or not strict they are. More than likely, you'll be good on taking emergencies.
Someone who is fine with occasional emergency phone calls probably doesn't mind the policy. Why would it be an issue if you only use it for urgent reasons, anyways? Do you NEED a cell phone for the twice a month your kid gets sick at school? I don't. I worked in a 911 dispatch centre for 10 years and we had a public line for outgoing/incoming family emergencies. No cell phones allowed. We used phones all day long, but not personal cells. It was never a big deal, unless you were the kind of person who was doing non-urgent things on it. And yes, that was in the 2010's and beyond
^^ A million times this!
I wouldn't ask, because I wouldn't set myself up to be viewed as a problem associate before I even had the opportunity to start. This also may hurt your chances of starting, because I could hire someone else who did not seem overly concerned with personal situations if the two candidates are equal. I'd give my kids' schools my work line for emergencies or I'd give them the line to my husband/mother/father/family member/trusted baby sitter who can deal with the emergency while I am at work. I would give those people my work line to get in touch with me if giving multiple numbers to the school is an issue for you.
Either way, I still have a concern about your password situation. In IT, it is a security breach to write them down.... but surely if you had to, they'd prefer you do it on your computer notepad that you could lock while you are away from your desk so no one else should have access to it. Otherwise, "I found Joe's cell phone in the lunchroom.... now I can go log onto his profiles! Teeheeheehee!" If you can't remember the PW, keep it the same but add a 1 at the end... when 1 expires, move to adding 2 at the end... and so on. It's a lot easier to keep track off doing password1, then password2, then password3 and then have no need to write your PWs down.
It really doesn't matter what their policy is, people will disregard it any way. The job should be your focal point, just be discreet with your cell phone use. I'm amazed at how blatant people are with their cell phones at work and how much time they get paid for playing games. I know they are neglecting their patients and I'm surprised the managers aren't coming down on them.
Long post, forgive me for asking, but why can't you just keep the phone away and let them call the business if it is urgent? That's what we used to do before cell phones.
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Originally Posted by Spaten_Drinker
Why can't the school just call you at your WORK number?
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Originally Posted by NARFALICIOUS
I think you should rely more on your WORK number as your reachable number for your kid or spouse, for EMERGENCIES. This will cut down on b.s. calls regarding dinner, homework, pick up some milk on the way home.
All of the above. I had exactly that policy at my business after getting rather sick and tired of some employees diddling around on their personal devices when even in slow times there was plenty of work to be done and chores to be caught up with. Cellphones were turned off and put away when my employees walked in the door and if there was an emergency the business number could be called. It worked out just fine.
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