By Ben Weiss |
U.S.News & World Report LP
Ben
Weiss is the digital marketing strategist for Infusive Solutions - an NYC-based
IT staffing firm in the Microsoft Partner Network that specializes in the
placement of .NET, SharePoint and SQL Server developers as well as Windows
Systems Engineers, DBAs and help desk support professionals in verticals such
as legal, finance, fashion and media. Connect with him on Twitter: @InfusiveInc
or at Facebook.com/InfusiveInc.
Virtually every career advisor will
say you should arrive 10 to 20 minutes early to an interview to prove you can
keep an appointment, have time to fill out paperwork, wipe that bit of cream
cheese off your lip, fix your hair and all kinds of other stuff that will help
you make a good first impression.
But remember that the interview is
just as much about whether the opportunity would be a good fit for you as it is
whether you would be a good fit for the opportunity.
With that in mind, here are a number
of observations you can make in those precious few minutes before the interview
that will help you determine if the role at hand will be a good fit.
1. The greeting. You can tell a lot about a
company the second you walk in the door. "Not all companies have reception
areas, but was there some effort to direct incoming traffic, or did you end up
standing around like you wandered through a Narnian wardrobe?" says Karen
Ross, CEO of technology and financial consulting firm Sharp Decisions. "If
there are no simple greeting protocols in place, think twice about team
organization at your prospective employer."
2. The receptionist. You can glean
a lot of information about a company from observing and interacting with
receptionists (at companies that employ one). For example, if the receptionist
greets you warmly and says "you must be (insert your name)," that
gives a much different message than if he or she comes off as bored, rude or
dismissive.
Additionally,
"reception is usually a high-turnover position," says Rick Maher, owner
of Human Resources solutions provider Effective HR and a member of the business
coaching franchise The Alternative Board (TAB).
So if you
manage to ask how long he or she has been with the company and learn it has
been many years, that can be a great sign.
3. Technology. Take a look at the kind of desktops,
mobile technology and video/projection equipment being used around the office.
If it all appears cutting-edge, that can indicate the firm values up-to-date
technology and will provide the resources to keep it that way. By contrast, a
firm with antiquated technology may prevent you from doing your job with
paramount effectiveness.
4. Physical layout. Are employees boxed into
cubicles or are barriers at a minimum? Is anyone at a standing desk? These
observations can speak volumes about the company culture into which you'd be
integrated.
For example,
Yewande Ige, North America talent team lead at software consultancy firm
Thoughtworks, says: "A candidate exploring Thoughtworks will discover an
open and flexible environment," complete with moving walls and writing on
all sorts of non-traditional surfaces, evidence of the company's dedication to
innovation and creativity.
This is the
kind of observation that helped Jamie Anderson, editorial coordinator at
Austin, Texas-based advisement firm Software Advice, identify that her current
employer was the right option when she came on site for an in-person interview.
"While
the total suite boasts more than 10,000 square feet in usable space, the
majority of employees sit alongside teammates at long French farmhouse tables
without dividers," Anderson says. "While I watched people wheel over
from space to space to ask each other questions, and even to hold brief team
meetings, I knew the open environment was meant to foster the collaboration
necessary to do good work."
5.
Walls. Are
they adorned with ...
a. Employee
recognition? This observation can suggest how the firm values its personnel.
b. A mission
statement? A mission statement can help you understand a firm's values and what
they expect from their employees. "Our logo, which includes the tagline
'Be Brilliant,' is displayed throughout the building," says Dominique
Jones, vice president of human resources at talent management solutions
provider Halogen Software. "Prospective employees know right away that
this is a fundamental part of who we are as a company and if they are to work
for us, we will expect them to be their very best - brilliant, in fact."
c. Awards? You
may notice recognition for sales performance, social responsibility or
diversity. These are integral cues that can help you learn if your values and
goals align with the hiring firm's.
6. Employee dynamics. While the
physical environment can provide great insight, remember that its architecture
is often carefully preconceived to convey a specific message.
By contrast,
"the way people treat each other can't be staged," says Karen Cates,
professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
"Do people look at each other? Are smiles strained and put on or real? Are
jokes routine and dull or personal and warm? Are [employees] considerate in the
common areas?"
Similarly,
evaluate whether employees are all wearing headphones and glued to their
screens, indicating a more intense or independent culture, versus employees
engaged in collaboration, laughter or even games.
7. Employee dress. Depending on your personal
style, keep on the lookout for office attire defined by T-shirts, sneakers and
denim versus collars, wingtips and blazers.
One last note: Some hiring firms may
have you wait in an area that obstructs your ability to make these
observations. In that case, consider asking to use the bathroom. That can
provide the critical mobility you need to check everything out before your
focus is directed at the interviewer.
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