When looking for a new employer, we all have certain requirements. For example, The size of the company? The number of people it employs? Its location? Financial health and track record of the company you’re considering? Most of this information is easily obtained from the Internet and other sources. There is one factor, however, that is not so easy to determine, yet is most important, “company culture”.
What is a company’s “culture?” It has been defined as its “personality,”and it affects every facet of its employees’ work life. It includes work environment (whether casual or formal), work hours, how work gets processed, how decisions get made, promotional opportunities. What is the experience of working here? Company culture covers intangible things that are difficult to research. It is worth the effort since these factors can have an important impact on your career.
Can you think about a time when you worked for a company that was committed to your career success? Now think about an employer you worked for where you felt there was little if any emphasis on growth and development. How was your career and professional satisfaction affected in each instance?
Here are some practical ways to help you uncover a company’s culture. Begin by being alert to your interactions with an employer right from the start. Pay attention to how you are treated, whether over the phone or in person. Are the people you interact with confident in their role? Do they give you the feeling they know what is needed in this role? Are you treated with respect? When you interview, is the process well organized or do you sense it is a bit out of control, not quite the priority it is for you?
Be alert for these clues when you go on site. Do you see smiles on the faces of coworkers as you walk through the work place ? Are you acknowledged as you pass through? Do you see places where employees gather and interact? Are managers accessible or are they in offices removed from the people they supervise?
If you have not been invited for an interview yet, try to find someone you trust who works for the organization and ask them about the environment. They may have some bias but there is usually some useful information to be obtained, and you can test it out when you interview to see if you agree with their assessment.
Finally, and most importantly, be true to what works for you. You must know what is important to you. What are the principles and values that you live by? What are you willing and unwilling to compromise on? If you know yourself, you have the fundamental knowledge you need to determine whether you are likely to be happy in your new professional home.
Have you ever been disqualified from a job because the company felt you did not fit its culture? Did you agree? Let’s talk… Norma Sweeny
