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When mentioning of a company culture, you should consider whether your value, personality and working style match with the people, working environment and its policies. You may prefer working in a creative and innovative environment or an environment where the teamwork spirit is more appreciated. When you look for a job, you normally care more about salary and ignore the working environment.

However, you will be satisfied with the job and work more effectively only when you are adapted with the environment. “Company culture is virtual part which determines your loyalty with the company”. You may have a great job but you will not feel happy if you do not adapt with its environment”. So, how to find out more about the company’s culture when you look for a job?

Know what your pursuit is?

First, let see what your expectation is. Be honest with yourself and consider what affects you at work beside the salary. Read carefully the company profile will help you to have full view of the company that you want to work for, by seeing their pictures, videos, etc. Let ask yourself: “What is the most important criteria for you when looking for a job?”.

Write down your short-term and long-term goals. These goals should be included: Career development, balance between work and life, or the potentiality for future development. Benefits or commission also should be concerned, but they are not important criteria to consider.

When you have good direction, you will save both time of yourself and the recruiters in the process of job searching.

Many candidates believe that they know what they want, but it is only “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”. They only realize their happiness with current job when receiving a new offer.

Consider carefully everything

When considering a new job offer, let think about its impacts to your life and career in a whole picture. For example, is higher salary worth changing the job? Or temporary salary reduction will bring the opportunity to develop a better career in the future?

Do not focus much on the short-term benefits and forget to consider your long-term values that you may obtain. “Fall down seven times, stand up eight” may be true in this case.

Find out key points of the Interview and ask questions.

“First impression may be a very important thing for the employers to make decision” You cannot find all information of a company during one short interview. Therefore, let consider the following points:

• Was the interview taken on time?
• Do your get a warm & formal welcome at the interview?
• Is the office clean, tidy and a professional environment?
• Do you think that you can work with this company?

You can ask some questions for the interviewers about company culture to have a general view. 

An interview is always two way communications; you should ask as the interviewers do. Questions should be prepared for the interview, and you should show you’re serious for the position you are applying for.

Here comes with some examples of issues you can ask to have deeper understanding of the company culture:

• The Company organization?
• How has a personal achievement recognized in the company?
• Chance for career development in the company?
• Does the company have any funding activities for the community?

Through these questions, you may understand better about the company culture.

Believe in yourself and find out more objective information.

If you are looking for information from one company, let ask your friends or anyone you know, or via the internet, and news to have as much information as possible.

Importantly, you should believe in yourself. You can refer to your friends but this should not be the only source to make decision. Do not let other people’s opinion influence your decision. You might miss the opportunity only because of an incorrect viewpoint of a person.

Social networking is a powerful tool, but you must know that the majority of posts on social networks are mostly subjective and you cannot judge the company based on it.

If you are still uncertain

You have already looked for information about the company and you are still not sure if you fit with the company. What should you do?

Let contact the recruiters to get to know more about the company, and ask them questions that you doubt. This will give you a sense of comfort when working for this company.

* Source: Jobstreet