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How to Interview Companies for a JobJun 08 '02 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line There's more to a job than the actual work you perform. Environment does matter. Make sure you get the information you need to assess a company when you interview. Most people think of job interviews as a screening process for the hiring companies, a way for them to determine which candidates are appropriate for the available position. This is certainly an accurate assessment, but it's not a complete view. Candidates should be interviewing companies, too. When I was fresh out of graduate school and looking for my first job, I had no understanding of this concept. I went on a lot of interviews and my sole focus was to make myself as attractive as possible to the companies I visited. That is a noble goal, and certainly something to strive for in an interview. But it totally failed to gauge one very important factor - was I going to be happy at the job if it was offered to me? I applied for a lot of jobs, went on a lot of interviews. I didn't ask many questions on those interviews and what few questions I did ask were all related to the work involved in the position. I accepted the first job I was offered with no thought at all to anything more than salary, benefits, and the location of the company. I've since learned not to do that. Now when I go on job interviews, I interview the company as much as they interview me. I certainly happily answer all of their questions about my background and experience and I still try to make the best impression possible. But I've learned over time to ask a lot of questions about the company itself and the work atmosphere. Atmosphere is important. What is Atmosphere and Why You Should Care Let's face it, even if you only spend 40 hours a week at your job, that's still more time than you spend at just about any other activity you do. If you're not happy at work, chances are you aren't going to be a happy person in general. Part of having a satisfying work experience is having a job you enjoy and are good at. Part of it is working with people you like in an environment you like. There are as many different environments as there are companies. You need to find an environment that suits your personality and preferences. Some people don't mind wearing a suit to work every day, while others prefer to wear a tank top and jeans. If you have a preference, ask about the dress code. I've worked at places that didn't allow jeans and sneakers and at places where the dress code consisted of "you have to get dressed". While at companies with a dress code I've interviewed job applicants who felt strongly about being able to wear whatever they wanted to work. We discovered that early in the process and parted ways without wasting much time on either side. If abiding by a particular dress code is going to bother you it's better to learn about the rules up front. Another big gotcha can be your desk space. Some companies give everyone their own office complete with doors. Others shove everyone into a cube farm, while still others just have communal space with a bunch of tables and a bunch of computers. I personally like my private space, like to have some of my things around me and have a small area where I can get away from distractions and just work. Although I can live with cubes, I really cannot tolerate the thought of a completely open work environment. I've walked into interviews and known within 15 seconds that I didn't want to work at that company because of their office space. Ask yourself about noise requirements - do you need complete quiet to concentrate? Do you need to play music to concentrate? Are you comfortable dealing with the few personal matters that may come up while you're at work in front of your coworkers? Get a feel for your comfort level. Then when you interview, pay attention to the office space. Ask for a tour of the facilities if they don't offer you one. Decide if you can live with their setup or not. In addition to your actual office space, common facilities at a company can make a big difference. Some companies have playrooms or lounges. Others have shower facilities or even a small gym. All of these are nice, but probably not deal breakers for anyone (although if they are important to you, do ask). The big question is the availability of food. Ask people what they normally do for lunch. Ask if there's a restaurant or cafeteria in the building and what their hours are. Probably the best way to introduce this topic is when you spot a lunch room during a tour of the premises, or, if you don't see one, to ask immediately at the end of the tour. A quick "do you have a kitchen area, I didn't notice it while we were walking around" can open up these topics in an informal way but still get you the information you need. It really is a big convenience to have some sort of restaurant in the same building as your company in case of inclement weather. If you decide to bring your lunches, whether they have enough space to store a few meals in the refrigerator may be your burning issue regarding food. You may have other concerns or areas you want to explore during an interview. Each work experience has taught me more about myself and the environment I prefer to work in. For instance, I like to work at home one day a week. It isn't a dealbreaker for me, but it is a strong preference. I always bring up the idea of telecommuting during an interview while making it clear that I'd still consider the position regardless of the answer. If it's important to you to be home at 4PM every day to greet your kids, ask about their standard workday and how flexible they are about when folks arrive and leave. If you have a busy homelife and don't want to travel for business, bring that up as well. I can't tell you what your specific issues are - you need to think about what you want out of a work environment. As you progress through your career it will become easier and easier to determine what is important to you. Do Your Homework Ferret out as much information as possible from the company website before your interview. Many companies discuss telecommuting and office perks (free breakfast every Wednesday, Friday pizza parties, etc.) on the employment section of their site. Use that as a lead in to more in-depth questions whenever possible. It shows you did your research and your questions seem to come from information they provided rather than coming across as being picky or particular about "the little things". Do remember that first and foremost you must determine if the work is suitable and allow the company to determine if you meet their needs. Don't inundate them with a million questions about the work environment without discussing the job itself. That is still the most important element. Parting Words The atmosphere at a company can be perfect, but if you aren't capable of or interesting in doing the work it won't matter. However, the perfect job in a perfectly rotten environment isn't going to make you happy either. Remain focused on presenting yourself well during your interview, but also don't forget to interview the company about your needs and wishes. Remember that you have to live with whichever company you choose and do your best to ensure that it will be a pleasure rather than a burden.  |
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