Interview Prospective Employers

Before you take that job, should you do any more research to find out more about what it would be like to actually work there?

After all, on the basis of maybe a few interviews, how well can you really know your prospective employer?

You should be certain that the job role, the team, and the culture of the organization are all right for you before you sign on the dotted line.

Some good questions to ask the organization include:

• ‘Why do people fail in this organization?’ This tries to get at the sorts of individuals who don’t get on and either leave or get asked to leave. When they describe those individuals, does that sound at all like you?

• ‘Who are the decision-makers?’ Who will you be working with on a day-to-day basis? And what are their personalities like?

• ‘What targets will I have?’ Don’t be content that you will be given a pay rise with ‘satisfactory performance’ in six months’ time. And what will happen if you don’t meet those targets?

• ‘How important is teamworking here?’ Some organizations expect you to work in teams all of the time. Others may actually expect you to be much more autonomous, providing far less support and expecting you to be more self-sufficient.

What other aspects of a job are you looking for? What does your life mission (Chapter 1) say about the working conditions that you are looking for?

Dig for dirt

When an employer wants you, they often bend over backwards to seem like a good fit for you. But it’s worth finding out whether you really can get on with the people you’re going to work with too:

• Ask if you can spend a few hours speaking to people in the organization. Spend maybe half and hour with three or four people one at a time, asking them to talk about both what’s good and bad about working there.

• Try to organize an informal event to get to know your prospective boss or the team too. People in the bar or over lunch can often reveal aspects of their personalities that they otherwise keep well hidden.

Once you’ve met them all, try the ‘airport test’. How would you feel about being stranded with your prospective colleagues at an airport for 24 hours?

Use your eyes

You can also tell a lot about the culture of an organization by spending some time wandering around the corridors and open areas of the offices.

• How do the people strike you? Are they fun and energetic or merely chaotic? Calm and organized? Or just plain old dull?
• What is the office layout? Is it open plan or are there closed offices?
• What’s the dress code? Do people dress casually or in formal suits all of the time? Do they have Casual Fridays at all?

How well does the office environment suit your preferences?