Job Search Strategy: Do You Fit Their Culture?

Q. I’m looking at a job offer from Mega Company that sounds absolutely perfect for me. A big step up: exciting challenges, salary increase, even a good location. But how do I know I can fit in with the culture? I want to land in a place where I can stay awhile. A. Evaluating culture can be challenging, but it’s absolutely essential. Even the most competent professional can be challenged to perform effectively when she’s labeled a misfit or he’s branded as an outsider. A few tips: (1) How did you feel during the interview? Did you find your stomach clenching? Did all the wrong words come out of your mouth? Or were you relaxed – maybe even sorry to say good-by at the end of the day? (2) How did the office look? Clean desks or clutter? Casual dress or formal? (3) Was your interview smooth? Were you left sitting by yourself when someone was late? To get additional perspective on this challenging topic, I consulted with Dr. Janet Scarborough of Seattle-based www.bridgewaycareer.com. She brought up three additional suggestions: (4) How do your future colleagues behave outside the office setting? “People tend to let down their guard when they leave an organizational setting,” says Dr. Scarborough, “and it is more difficult to sustain a false good impression outside of the artificial interview situation. Especially note how they treat the staff at restaurants.” (5) Can you uncover people who know employees of your future company? Mention the company’s name everywhere you go. You may be surprised to find someone who’s got a friend of a friend at your future company. You may even be able to ask questions like, "What type of boss is Ms. Smith?" “The most reassuring responses are glowing,” says Dr. Scarborough. “Neutral or lukewarm comments are probably negative.” (6) Can you google some of your future colleagues? “So many people have Web sites and blogs these days,” says Dr. Scarborough, “you can find out as much information as most competitive intelligence researchers.” Of course in some conservative industries, you may be dealing with luddites who still live in the Dark Ages. In other fieldsl you’ll find people who share a lot more than they should.