Corporate Culture: How to Find Out If You "Fit" In
Before you accept the job offer take inventory of your personal ideals and beliefs. Every organization is defined by a corporate culture. This culture is multifaceted and is a patchwork of various characteristics of an organization. It is shaped by a company's beliefs, values, and practices. What do you have to lose if you choose to take a position at a company that does not offer cultural congruence with your belief system?
Many career experts believe, if a candidate is culturally mismatched, he or she will struggle every day attempting to establish a comfort level, leaving little time or energy to focus on career goals and achievement. How does a candidate uncover the nature of a corporation's culture when confronted with the task of researching a subjective and somewhat elusive concept?
What it takes is asking the correct questions both during the interview process as well as tapping outside resources for more than one perspective.
Here are three tips to follow:
- Ask questions which reveal the culture
Although you should not depend on the interview process as the only barometer of a corporation's culture, asking focused questions will result in a truer reading. Shy away from asking your interviewer to simply describe the corporate culture, this will only prompt a canned response. Remember the old adage that actions speak louder than words. Ask questions which reveal the culture such as;
· How does the organization reward its employees?
· Is there a training structure in place?
· Are there defined tiers of progression for promotion within the company?
· How often do employees get together on a social basis?
Asking carefully formatted questions can give you an insider's view of what the company values.
- Seek out those individuals who have had dealings with the organization
· Seek out those individuals who have had dealings with the organization you are considering.
· Previous employees, vendors, or customers are valuable resources.
· Try to gather as many viewpoints as you can while constantly considering your own.
· Take inventory of what you value most in yourself and your career.
- Proceed with caution
· Technology has created a kaleidoscope of possibilities for the career seeker. The strength of the job market offers a seemingly infinite number of choices. Proceed with caution however.
· You may be tempted to accept that position working with the latest and greatest technology yet if you do not identify with your cohorts or your company's goals you will not be comfortable in your environment.
· This absence of cultural congruity will most probably lead to frequent moves that, in the majority of employer's opinions, reflect badly on a candidate.