Company culture pertains to the shared practices and values, or sometimes called the “personality” of the company. It’s something you can’t just overlook when looking for a job because it can have a direct impact on your career. For instance, if you’re something who’s looking for an organization that can help you grow career-wise, you must also look into the culture of the company you’re applying for to determine if this career development is something that they value.
Use the following tips to learn more about a company’s culture before starting a new job.
Take time to do research
As a jobseeker, one of the first and most important things you can do to learn more about a company is doing research. The internet is a vast source of information and you can learn a lot about an organization with just a few taps and clicks.
First, check the company’s website. What does the website say about their culture? What are their core values as well as mission and vision? Also visit their LinkedIn page. This is a valuable resource that can give you a lot of information on the employees who worked there in the past, career paths and opportunities employees are given among others. Don’t forget to check to visit other employee review sites. You don’t want to miss some alarming red flags and warning signs about a company.
Tap on your network
The next valuable resource you can tap after the world wide web would be your network. If you know anyone who works in the company, try to talk to them to gather more information about the company. Whatever feedback you can gather from these people can more or less give you a sense of how the company’s culture looks like.
Check news sources
News sites are another place you can visit to learn about what’s going on about a company. Check news sources and find out if there are news about layoffs, downsizing or anything related to change in leadership and management. The information you can gather can help you evaluate how the organization has been handling issues and changes impacting the business and its employees.
Ask questions during the interview
Interviews are generally intended to help a hiring manager find out more about an potential candidate but it doesn’t mean you can’t ask questions about the company you’re applying for. Moreover, make sure your questions aren’t answerable by yes or no. Try to ask more specific ones. For example, you can ask how the company helps the employees in terms of career growth or if they have specific programs in place that cater to the professional growth of their employees.
A company’s culture isn’t something you can just overlook if you want to find a workplace that fits your career needs. Use these tips and learn whether or not a company is right for you.
