Before an employer hires you, the company performs a thorough check of your background, credentials, employment history and education. All of this due diligence occurs without you earning a dime. Likewise, you should investigate the company culture, mission statement and other aspects of the employer before you invest time, energy and effort to submit an application.
The company culture represents a good place to start your own due diligence process. Search for the employer's About Us page on the website. You should see what the company stands for, how it fits into the industry and what the leadership team comprises. Take five to 10 minutes, and research what the business says about itself.
Examine photographs of leadership staff. Do pictures of the leadership team show formal pictures of men in suits and ties, or do photographs show people in polo shirts out on the business floor interacting with employees and customers? Ask yourself if you would rather work for suits or people who seem to appear more hands-on. The executive teams sets the company culture.
The mission statement serves as the theoretical premise for a company's existence. It states why a business does what it does. Determine if the mission statement aligns with your own personal values, work ethics and career goals. Make sure you can derive some personal fulfillment by working for a company you like, rather than accepting a similar job at a business that does not allow you to flourish as a person.
Check out the LinkedIn page of the company and its employees. Do you have a lot in common with the people there? How many employees have the same college degree as you? See if you already have a connection there through your network, and make a phone call. Ask that person what the company is like in terms of benefits, time off, work-life balance and overall enjoyment.
Getting first-hand knowledge of the company culture may give you a better perspective than the official website. Ask someone at the office about the company. Determine who your potential interviewers might be, and email them. Ask questions about weekly meetings, team interactions, social media pushes and that blog entry posted last week. How the person responds to your informational request also bespeaks how the firm runs on a daily basis. Was the person cordial to you, or did the prospective interviewer belittle you? Your questions also show a prospective employer your interest in the job.
Search recent news headlines to ascertain what the company does outside the walls of its corporate office. How many employees participated in the charity run last weekend? Why did the stock just drop 5 percent? Although the company's mission statement may not have changed in 20 years, the current company culture may reflect on how news agencies, industry analysts and trade publications view the firm.
Get an overall picture of the company culture before you apply. How much you investigate is up to you, but make sure you find enough information to make valid assertions about the prospective employer before altering your resume's keywords to fit a current job description.
Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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