Is your employer right for you? How to assess fit within an organization.

Transitioning to a new job can be stressful. Furthermore, the repercussions of selecting the wrong employer can impact both your mental well-being and long-term career trajectory. Finding a company that is the right fit is, hence, crucial.

What is fit? It is the match between your personal way of working and the way a company operates.

How can you determine that your employer or the company you are interviewing with is the right fit?

Begin by reflecting on why you are considering your next career move and revisit the factors driving your departure from your current role. Having clarity on what aspects of your current job or employer you appreciate and what you find unsatisfactory is important to avoid the same patterns in a new company.

After you assess your motivation to change, you need to evaluate what type of corporate culture is right for you. Ask yourself these questions:

·???????? How do I like to communicate and collaborate? You may prefer written to oral communication. More or less involvement in meetings or contacts with your team. Or you may instead thrive in an environment that is extremely collaborative.

·???????? How do I like to solve problems? Do you prefer to work alone, use data, find your own tools or to rely on team work?

·???????? How do I like to solve conflicts? You may prefer to relay the resolution to the senior members of your team or you may have a more “do it yourself” approach. ?

·???????? How do I define success and advancements? You may prefer yearly reviews or more frequent feedback.

·???????? How do I like training and development to be conducted? Maybe you respond better to classroom training versus on-the-job training. ?

After defining the environment conducive to your success, ask the same questions during your interviews and compare the answers. I suggest seeking insights from multiple sources to paint a better picture of the company’s culture. Be mindful that, in larger organizations, each department or division may display distinct sub-cultures, which may impact your fit within the organization.

?

Ivana Lodovici is a cross-cultural recruiting consultant, international headhunter, interviewing coach, resume writer, and writes on . Contact her at?[email protected]?to engage her in a search or book a speaking engagement.