Assessing Corporate Culture and Fit

Determining if a corporation or a law firm is a good fit is critical to the longer term success of your career.

How does one determine a good fit? Fit relates to corporate culture. Corporate culture is based on company or law firm values. Determining what your work values are will help you understand what type(s) of corporate culture fit best with your values.

Below is list of work related values. These are values that professionals may find meaningful in planning and managing their careers.

1. Working on meaningful assignments or projects
2. Being rewarded financially for goals achieved
3. Having a flexible schedule to meet family needs
4. Being active in a community, society or profession
5. Collaborating with others to achieve goals
6. Being recognized as an expert in my field
7. Advancing My Career
8. Being Creative
9. Negotiating the deal(s)
10. Securing new clients
11. Maintaining client relations
12. Marketing legal services
13. Helping clients solve problems
14. Having time with family and friends
15. Being loyal to my work, profession
16. Being independent
17. Influencing others
18. Challenging myself intellectually
19. Helping society
20. Being Competitive

If you rank rather than just read these values, it will make a difference in values clarification. In clarifying your values before embarking on a career transition in the legal profession, you will be more focused and will reduce your search and transition time. You will also increase your energy level when you find career opportunities which are a good match with and for your values.

HOW TO DETERMINE CULTURAL FIT

Whether pursuing a career opportunity with a law firm or corporation, the following process may apply. Following this process may help connect your values which you have identified to a hiring organization’s values.

1. Secure brochures, annual reports or marketing documents prepared by the law firm or corporation.
2. Underline or highlight any word or words that have to do with values such as: collaborating, teams, achieving, securing, family, recognition.
3. Look at the highlighted, underlined words. Do you see patterns or trends in the words being used? What is the information communicating to you about the culture?
4. Are there connections between your values and the hiring organization’s? How many and which priority values connect?