Coming of age in your career means acknowledging you bring immense value to the table. Professional maturity means understanding you’re choosing a company as much as they’re choosing you. You are stepping into the driver’s seat of your career.
This realisation is critical. We work in high-stakes, high-pressure environments and the wrong job – no structure, no support, unsustainable workloads – can quickly lead to burnout. Due diligence is required during the interview process. Asking the right questions is vital. My top five are:
1. Who is currently managing your proposals?
If the answer is vague or “we all pitch in,” brace yourself. You may be stepping into a job with little structure, where you’ll be building everything from the ground up. If that excites you, great! But make sure you’re being compensated fairly and that your title reflects not just managing proposals, but establishing a proposal department. This isn’t just a job; it’s a leadership role, and it should be treated (and paid) as such.
2. Will those people continue managing proposals?
Just because others are handling proposals now doesn’t mean they’ll continue once you’re on board. It’s one thing to join a team with shared responsibilities. It’s another to think you’ll have support, only to find yourself running everything solo. If you don’t ask upfront, you lose all your negotiating power once you’re in the role.
3. What happens when the proposal manager is on vacation?
The answer to this determines if you’ll ever be able to take a real break. A vague “we make it work” isn’t good enough. A company that values you will have a plan, ensuring you can take time off without your inbox exploding. If there’s no backup plan, be ready for burnout.
4. How does your company decide what to bid on?
A structured bid/no-bid process separates strategic companies from chaotic ones. Without clear decision-making, you’ll be stuck in last-minute bids, impossible deadlines, and wasted effort. Knowing how opportunities are qualified tells you if the company is strategic or just throwing spaghetti at the wall.
5. What does growth look like for this role?
Proposal management is demanding. Maybe you love it and want to do it forever. Maybe you don’t. The best companies create paths for growth, so you don’t have to leave just to advance. Before you invest your time and talent, make sure there’s a future for you there.
Ask the hard questions so you don’t end up in an unhealthy work environment. The right company will respect your due diligence. When you find the right fit, where your work, boundaries and future are valued, respected and considered, you’ll be building a career on your own terms.
Meryl Angelicola
Meryl Angelicola has 20+ years in GovCon, focusing on innovation and accessibility in the industry. As VP of Industry Solutions at GovDash, she designs AI-driven tools that simplify workflows, enhance collaboration, and increase PWIN. She also founded ProposalTeam, a nonprofit dedicated to training professionals entering GovCon. Meryl leads a team of former Proposal Managers, helping GovCon teams rethink business development by integrating emerging technology and optimising workflows for a competitive advantage.
