How to find a company that fits you

Searching for the right role is a difficult task: a good one will utilise your skills, provide a salary you’re happy with and advance your career. But how often do you stop to consider the people you’ll be working with and the office atmosphere as well? If you don’t take the time to find out whether an organisation’s values align with your own, your dream job could end up being quite the opposite. It’s important for organisations to hire people who will thrive in their corporate culture. You can use your interview as a chance to evaluate a company and your potential new boss.

What is corporate culture?

Corporate culture is: “the beliefs and ideas that a company has and the way in which they affect how it does business and how its employees behave,” according to Cambridge Dictionaries Online.

Why it’s important

There are a few reasons why corporate culture matters: 

• You’ll be more productive in a comfortable environment.
• Your professional growth may depend on being surrounded with likeminded individuals.
• In many organisations there is an emphasis on team work at every level; if you don’t get on with your team it may affect your standard of work.

What works best for you?

Before you can assess a company’s culture you need to understand what kind of environment you’ll enjoy most. Are you looking for a strict corporate environment? Or something more creative? It’s different for every one.

Do your research

Take a look at the company’s website. An interactive site and clear customer path is indicative of an organisation who value online customers and probably invest in their online marketing department, for example. When you attend the interview, take note of your surroundings. Is the office open plan, encouraging a social; atmosphere? If so, it’s likely team work factors into everyday life there. An office full of cubicles, however, probably revolves much more around individual work. Is the dress code formal? If you want to work in a creative atmosphere, you’d probably feel more comfortable if it isn’t compulsory to wear a suit.

During your interview, ask a question like “what is the organisation’s mission?” The answer will likely sound quite formal, however it will tell you a lot about your potential employer. Or does their answer revolve around financial gain? Of course, either of these answers might appeal to you, depending on what type of company culture you’re looking for.

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