MAKING A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION
Ask questions during your interview Near the tail end of your interview, you’ll most likely get the question, “Do you have any questions for me?” This is your chance to ask about the company workplace culture! Take note, though, that the key to asking about workplace culture is to ask indirectly. In other words, avoid asking questions that’ll get you “yes” or “no” answers, and instead ask after daily tasks. How teams communicate with each other is another talking point, as is work from home policies, especially if the initiatives are to continue post-COVID-19. The answers you get here may be on the open-ended side, but you’ll be able to see how healthy – or unhealthy – a company workplace culture is!
Read between the lines The way in which your questions are answered is just as important as the questions you ask. Take note of your recruiter’s body language when they answer. Are their arms crossed to show that they’re on the defensive? Or do their answers sound like they’re being reluctantly dragged out? Do the answers sound rehearsed, much like your recruiter is trying to hide something? Take note to pay closer attention to what’s being emphasised, too. For instance, if an answer sounds like, “We allow employees to wear jeans and shirts to the office on weekends”, you’re either looking at a bad joke, or a workplace culture of overwork.
Although these tips can help you figure out what the workplace culture at your prospective company is like, they’re not exhaustive. Don’t take it too hard if you misjudged the company’s environment. There are other elements to job satisfaction, and you may still end up enjoying your time working there.
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