The Secret to Finding Your Ideal Workplace | Marion Campan | TED
Choosing Between Job Offers: What Matters Most?
The Dilemma of Job Selection
- After receiving two job offers, individuals often face the challenge of choosing between them. Common advice includes prioritizing salary, title, or project mission.
- Marion suggests a different approach: focusing on company culture as the primary criterion for job selection.
Understanding Company Culture
- Marion introduces herself and shares her background, emphasizing her passion for corporate cultures.
- She highlights the diversity of Tahiti, where she grew up, drawing parallels to the importance of cultural fit in professional environments.
Assessing Company Culture Before Joining
- Many believe it's impossible to gauge a company's culture before working there; however, Marion disagrees and aims to provide strategies for assessment.
- Citing Gallup's study on workplace engagement in East Asia, she reveals that only 17% of employees feel engaged at work, leading to high turnover rates and "quiet quitting."
Real-Life Example: Junita's Experience
- Marion shares a case study about Junita, a lawyer who struggled with cultural fit after moving from a traditional law firm to a startup environment.
- Junita's experience illustrates how misalignment with company culture can lead to burnout and self-doubt.
Tools for Evaluating Company Culture
- To help others avoid similar pitfalls, Marion emphasizes the importance of observing during the recruitment process.
Understanding Company Culture and Interview Dynamics
The Nature of Company Culture
- Company cultures can vary significantly; some are process-oriented and slower-paced, while others may be more dynamic and energetic. It's essential to identify which type aligns with your preferences.
- Observing the interview dynamics can reveal cultural hierarchies. For instance, if only one person speaks during an interview, it may indicate a hierarchical structure within the company.
- Determine whether you thrive in a flat culture that encourages open dialogue or prefer a more structured environment where hierarchy is respected.
Effective Questions for Interviews
- Asking questions during interviews is crucial; it demonstrates engagement and helps assess the company's fit for you. Prepare thoughtful inquiries to elevate your interviewing game.
Key Questions to Ask
- Promotion Practices
- Inquire about promotion criteria by asking, "What kind of people get promoted here?" Responses will indicate potential growth opportunities within the company.
- Follow-up questions can help clarify why specific individuals were promoted, revealing insights into meritocracy versus favoritism in the workplace.
- Core Values
- Ask about core values with the question, "What are your core values?" A lack of awareness or vague responses signal potential red flags regarding corporate culture.
- If they provide examples of how core values manifest in practice, such as recent achievements reflecting those values, it's a positive sign.
- Feedback Mechanisms
- To understand feedback culture, ask, "When was the last time you received feedback here?" Regular feedback indicates a commitment to employee development and open communication.
- Responses should reflect ongoing dialogues around performance rather than infrequent annual reviews.
The Dual Purpose of Interviews
- Remember that interviews serve both parties: while companies evaluate candidates, candidates must also assess whether the organization meets their professional expectations.