Dear Diane,
I’ve been interviewing for new job opportunities in 2019 and am thankful to say I’ve received two solid offers. The position and pay are comparable, and both include work from home days. My biggest priority in choosing between the companies (and soon!) is the workplace environment/team morale. I have been burned in the past and want to do my due diligence this time around so that I’ll be more likely to find myself on a team with hardworking creatives. I’m not expecting to be best friends with my coworkers, but it would be wonderful to enjoy one another’s company and cheer one another on. How would you recommend I go about getting a better idea of what it would be like to work at both places?Sincerely,
Adrian S.
Dear Adrian,
I applaud you for listening to your instincts and learning from your experience. You’re right – company culture plays a significant role in overall job satisfaction. Multiple studies have confirmed what we instinctively knew to be true.
The good news is even with your short timeframe, there is plenty of information to be discovered online. Break out your laptop and notepad as you get to work!
Here are a few starting points:
Glassdoor
Begin with Glassdoor, taking note of the company rating and then moving to employee reviews. Since the site is anonymous, you’ll be more likely to find honest feedback. Make a note of the overall picture, weighing both positives and negatives. Would people recommend the company to a friend and do they approve of the CEO? How does leadership operate? Another perk of Glassdoor is being able to see employee salaries (when the information is shared).
If the company has a Facebook page, see if there are Facebook reviews. Though they aren’t anonymous, it is difficult for a company to hide or remove reviews, so it’s another good place to check. Pay attention to how people describe their experience (customers/clients and employees) and also look for a Facebook response from the company. While on the page, scan their recent social media posts and you will
begin to see a picture of what the company values. You may also find some behind the scenes insight into everyday life in the office.
On the company’s LinkedIn page, you should be able to see employee profiles. Hone in on your future department to see if you share a mutual connection. If the answer is yes, you can ask the friend if they have heard any feedback – positive or negative.
Media Interviews
Visit Google News and search for the CEO’s name. If they are in the media, you’ll find results there with links to news articles. There may also be video interviews to browse. Expand your search beyond the CEO, looking for media mentions of other members of the executive team.
Company Website/Blog
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the obvious – the company website. Pay special attention to their blog, which can shed light on the inner workings of the business. You will find out a great deal about what the company values and where they spend their time and dollars.
Twitter and Instagram
Last but not least, check Twitter and Instagram for the company hashtag. It’s not unusual for employees to share photos from company events. For example, you may see pictures from the holiday party, company tailgate or onsite dog park. All of these hold clues to the office culture.
I wish you all the best in your new role, whatever it may be.
Kind regards,
Diane
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