There are so many factors that go into picking the right company to work for but more importantly, the right company for you. Entering into your first job or even transitioning into a new one can be extremely overwhelming, and nothing short of stressful. We so often get caught up in trying to be the right fit for a company or making sure they like us, but it is equally important that they are the right fit for you.
How do you know if you’re going to be successful there or a good fit with the culture and other employees? That’s something only you can know, but there are several factors that play into making your decision. If you can know what to look for when going through your interview process, making that final decision will be a lot easier. That’s why we talked with 11 professionals about different ways to know if a company is a good fit to work for!
Do Your Research
The best way to know that a company is good to work for is by doing research and identifying if they have been awarded and recognized for its workplace culture and other corporate awards. There are countless credible national and local award programs whose main mission is to seek out and showcase validated Employers of Choice based on anonymous employee feedback! Utilize these resources and make sure that you are applying for companies with whom you share similar values and can thrive in their work environment.
Denise Gredler, BestCompaniesAZ
Timely and Professional Communication
The primary way to know if a company is the right fit is the timeliness and professionalism of their communication to an applicant during the interview process. If they state they will provide an email with a full description of the company on this date, and it arrives three days late with poor grammar, you might want to reconsider this opportunity. A smooth interview process is a good indicator of how well the company manages its overall operations.
Another way to know is discovering what current employees say about their experiences working at the company. Don’t be afraid to ask people you come in contact with during the interview process and pay attention to their answers!
Craig Rosen, InterviewFocus
Culture, Opportunity, Collaboration
An organization with a strong culture has the ability to attract top talent. Top talent demands opportunity. A good company will recognize the value of top talent and do their best to afford opportunities that will keep employees engaged, stimulated and fulfilled in their career advancement. A strong culture suggests collaboration with your peers, clients and leaders through employee engagement.
Kristina DiMartino, Voya Financial
Online Reviews
Companies that I’ve founded and led have collected more than 10,000 reviews and testimonials from customers over the years. While online customer reviews are important for business performance, online employee reviews are equally as powerful in attracting the right people to your team. Do an audit on sites like Glassdoor, Indeed, and others to see how your reviews and ratings can be seen by prospective candidates. Then, consider asking current and former employees to share their experiences on these platforms.
Brian Greenberg, True Blue Life Insurance
Look at How Companies Treat Staff
When trying to determine the true character of a company, take a look at how they treat their staff. How does the treatment of the CEO compare to the treatment of the newest intern? How has the company aided their staff during the midst of the pandemic? These are the hard questions a potential employee must wrestle with in order to see if a company truly cares about them beyond what the employee can do for the company. The company culture is all-telling of the experience you will have if you choose to work for them.
Max Hansen, Y Scouts
Ask Them in the Interview
When being interviewed for a job, there should always be time at the end to ask questions. Use this opportunity to ask specific questions about the company that are important to you to determine if the company is the right fit or not. When you’re preparing, make a list of your priorities, whether they’re professional development, work-life balance, a flexible work-from-home policy or something else, and be sure to ask about these things.
Kimberly Kriewald, AVANA Capital
Observe Company Culture
Observe and research the company culture. There are many indicators of a good company, but the best is to find one that resonates with you personally. Do you connect to their mission statement? Does the company give you the option to grow professionally? Simple things like this will often give an idea as to how they value their employees.
Jon Schneider, Recruiterie
Informational Interviews with Employees
The best way to know that a company is good to work for is to talk to current employees! Informational interviews are a great way to learn more about the company’s culture and also get your foot in the door. If you don’t know anyone personally within the company, consider connecting with someone on LinkedIn who works in a position similar to the one you are applying for. Most often, they will be more than willing to grab a cup of coffee and share their experience.
Nikitha Lokareddy, Markitors
Take Note of the Overall Environment
When I consult at a new company, I look for a few key things to determine if it’s a good working environment. How long have employees been there? Are they all fairly new (not applicable to a startup) or are most established with the company? Does the owner introduce employees as “John works for me” vs “John works with me” Is all the office area accessible or are parts off limit? Does the workforce look homogeneous or diverse?
Tony Baumer, Old Grey Tiger Consulting
It Has a Corporate Identity That It Truly Espouses
A mission statement like “To delight all customers” with no follow through or with executive decisions being made that take away that delight (nickel-and-dime decisions like a “no return” policy for instance) makes it diffuse to reconcile as a team member. If the organization is 100% financially focused, say so! Employees who enjoy that will find you. Make your actions match your words.
Matthew Lee, Learning & Development Leader
Flat vs. Hierarchical Organizational Structure
Find a company that is organized in a way that best works with you. For example, at MailNinja we have a flat organizational structure, not a hierarchical one. We learned our lessons the hard way, but by keeping a flat structure you avoid layers of middle management and red tape and everyone gets listened to. Our employees have thrived in this environment, but it doesn’t work for everyone. Make sure you find your organizational fit!
Doug Dennison, MailNinja
