Is a workplace right for you?

Are you nervous about your next career step? Maybe you have been at an office that didn’t suite you well that you never really “fit in.” Maybe you are not sure what to look for when going to a new company. Maybe the final interview question “Now, do you have any questions for us?” is confusing and you do not know what you should ask. Well, read on, and hopefully this article will give you some insight.

I am simply providing a generic approach that can help everyone evaluating a workplace. It focuses on job seekers, however, if you are hiring people, think about it as an insight of what kind of culture do you currently have and what kind of culture do want to have, which will attract the people you seek.

First, know thy self

In anything you wish to see if it would be suitable for you, you are the other half of the equation that you can rigorously investigate. When it comes to workplace, think of your habits and ask yourself and friends some questions, For example:

• Can I live with being continuously interrupted?
• Do I enjoy a hectic workplace?
• What is the level of interference I need from my management?
• What is the level of formality I am comfortable with?
• When it comes to work life balance, how many hours am I willing to work a week?

After you have a better understanding of yourself, you can gear your senses to get a better answer for suitability

Second, Ask indirect questions

Not all questions are created equal. Starting with an open question in this situation will only get you a lot of noise. People have different preferences and asking questions (Do you enjoy your job here?) will either get a polite answer, a vengeful answer…etc.

Instead, start with more concrete questions, depending on what you are looking for:

• What’s the dress code like here? Joined with observation, you can tell the level of formality.
• How do you measure success and over what time frame? How are these metrics determined?
• How many of the current team members have flexible schedules? Instead of (Can I have a flexible work schedule?) since there can be rules that allow things but a culture that doesn’t.

So think of the questions you wish to ask beforehand and try to ask multiple people.

Finally, observe

“Believe what they do, not what they say” This is the most difficult, yet most accurate answer to a workplace. If you know what you are looking for, you will need to keep a look out for signs. For example:

1. Judging a manager / boss / team lead can be done by seeing: Does she have a huge office? Is her door open or closed? Does she spend her time in the office or with employees? Does she interrupt others while speaking?
2. Judging structure: Do teams that work together sit together? Are they sitting together and are managers assigned by function or by project? Is it an open space? Is it quiet or loud? How many levels of management are there?

A lot can be inferred and then asked intelligently about. You do not have to be a cultural expert. Just be more aware of culture and its importance.