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The truth is, you could be great at your job, but if you don’t like or fit into your company culture, you will not be be happy or last a long time there. Company culture is essentially the personality of the company, as defined by the owners and reinforced by the people who work there. It encompasses the mission, work style, office environment, values, policies, etc. Employees who enjoy their workplace culture are reportedly happier and satisfied with their job than who don’t.

If you’re a recent graduate or professional considering a job offer, you will hugely benefit from doing your research on the company culture before accepting a role. While LinkedIn, CareerBuilder and other career media platforms have made it easier to connect with employees across the globe, it is still difficult to tell what a company’s culture is truly like. There are some things you will just find out when you experience it firsthand.

That said, there are a few things you can do to come as close to the truth as possible. I spoke to Ronni Zehavi, CEO of Hibob and workplace expert for tips on getting the best sense of a company culture before accepting an offer.

Start the research online

Consider the company’s digital presence and employer branding. A company’s website and social media pages can be very telling. If the company’s website is vague and doesn’t share much about its employees, it may be a sign that they don’t appreciate their workforce. Take it a step further and look at their social media pages. Do they highlight employee milestones or make announcements such as new hires, promotions or work retreats? If a company takes the time to promote their employees online, there’s a good chance they value their work and who they are. Even so, go beyond the company’s own pages as an organization will always put themselves in the best light. Consider looking into other online resources like Glassdoor or private Facebook groups to see how past and current employees and customers are speaking about the company.

Look at the company’s growth rate

The best kind of jobs are at companies that offer growth opportunities. If a company is growing at a healthy rate, there’s a good chance their employees are being given promising growth opportunities as well. If this is the case, accepting an offer there will position you for immediate growth and development as well. You can also look at the LinkedIn profiles of current employees to see how quickly they advance in their roles. This will give you a sense of upward mobility and long-term career growth, which reflects the company’s values.

Inquire about the company culture during the interview

The interview stage of the job application process is often considered the scariest, especially if it is your first time interviewing for a full-time position. While it is important to have solid answers for the interviewer’s questions, it is equally important to ask them questions about the job you’re interviewing for, because not only do you get the information you are seeking, but it also shows you have interest in that company. If you are far along in the interview process and close to receiving an offer, you can ask questions to your future manager who will have the most insights into what the typical employee experience is on their team. Managers aren’t just team leaders, but culture champions, playing an important role in the day-to-day employee experience.

Apply to other jobs and compare them

We’ve all heard the phrase, “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” and that can be applied to job searches as well.” Before taking the job you’re interested in, see what other companies are offering in terms of benefits, perks and salary. Many companies are going beyond standard perks, offering benefits like employee meal plans, college tuition reimbursement and pet insurance,” says Ronni. By applying to multiple jobs and comparing different benefit packages (if you’re made an offer), you can be sure that the job you end up taking is the best fit for you compared to the other positions available.

Meet with current team members

You don’t need to wait for a formal job interview to meet with an employee at the company you’d like to work for. Feel empowered to reach out to a current team member and set up a coffee meeting to learn more about the company and the employee’s experience. Asking a team member who isn’t interviewing you directly is a great way to get a third-party perspective into the real life work environment of a business outside the structured interview environment.

[“source=forbes”]

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