How do you know you click with an employer?
Laurence Brems - February 16, 2022
I remember it vividly. Almost graduated and looking for my very first job. I was surfing the career sites of some big international companies. But to be honest, I had no idea what I was looking for. So, what would your chosen company look like? Or better still, what would you want it to look like?
A recipe for failure
Having switched jobs, I’ve learned that this question is crucial. If you want to have a thriving career, I have one piece of advice: make sure the company clicks with your personality. Joining a company that’s a bad fit, will have you feeling conflicted. Working there will drain your energy and they will not be able to give you what you are looking for. It’s a recipe for failure.
I see you thinking okay, but how do I know if a company fits my personality? Well, first you have to know what it is that defines your own personality. It’s not a simple task but getting to know yourself is probably the most important thing you can do. There is no set formula to follow, it takes time, but it’s never too late to start. So why not start today?
Take time to reflect: what are your core values?
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The first thing you need to know is what your own values are. You can start by checking this list of values and selecting the ones that resonate. It might be trust, safety, joy, integrity, creativity, growth, respect, passion, transparency, a whole range of things. Now the hard part: cut down your list until you have only three left — these are your core values.
Yes, it’s an excruciating exercise. The whole list is important to you. I feel for you, but you have to choose. Which, then, are the three values you could absolutely not live without? Choose three that would suck all the meaning out of your life if you had to live without them. A company rating low on one of your three core values will generate conflicts in the long run.
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Which organizational culture is right for you?
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The second step to finding out whether a company is a good match for you is getting to know the company culture. Check out their commercial website, career site and social media to get a notion of what they stand for. Don’t fall for their marketing talk. Read between the lines. What kind of culture can you detect? Is it a person culture, a task culture, a power culture, or a role culture? Check out the Handy-Harrison Model to see which culture appeals the most to you.
If the company website uses lots of superlatives and is loaded with figures aiming to underline their market leadership, you’re probably dealing with a power culture. If the website emphasizes team spirit and non-hierarchical cooperation, and the blog posts are signed off by team members of all positions, then you’re probably looking at a task culture.
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Submerge yourself in the company culture
Maybe you know someone who works at the company you’re interested in. In that case you can simply ask them about the company’s culture first hand. Another option is contacting one of their employees on LinkedIn, don’t be shy! If possible, ask someone with a similar role as the one you’re interested in.
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But in the end, the best way to really get to know a company culture is to experience it.
That’s why at OMP we show each candidate around the office to get a feel for how things roll here. We even take it one step further by organizing career days so that candidates have time to soak up the atmosphere and talk to future colleagues and managers.
It could be a good idea to arrive 15 minutes early for your job interview, for instance, and just observe the people walking by. Do they say hello? Do they have smiles on their faces? What are they talking about?
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Laurence Brems
Senior Talent Professional at OMP BE
Biography
With a great passion for attracting, engaging and recruiting new people, Laurence always looks for the best in everyone so they can grow and succeed. Her mission is to be a partner to new hires so that their talent can flourish.
