The One Question to Ask Before You Take That Job

Regular readers know that I'm a big proponent of finding the right fit as opposed to just 'looking for a job.' Like most people of *cough* my age *cough*, I have been battered and bruised by a couple of bad choices. I also spent many years with a company where I fit perfectly. So I speak from experience when I say that finding the right fit is more important than salary, benefits, car allowances, swanky offices or opportunities for promotion. If the fit is right, the other stuff will come. If it's wrong, it won't.

Given that I feel this way, I was interested in an article showing up on Yahoo's home page this morning. Bill Citrin writes about the importance of finding the right fit, and tackles the issue of how to identify whether a company is right for you. His recommended questions are great, but it's the third one that I found most interesting. His questions are:

• "Do you like and respect the people with whom you would work on a day-to-day basis?"
• "Is the environment and culture one in which you can truly be yourself?"
• "When you consider the senior-most leadership of the organization, do you aspire to become like them one day?"

Thinking back on one particularly bad fit, I may not have been sure about question 1 and 2 just based on the interviews I'd had, but I know categorically what my answer to #3 would have been: NO!

The leaders of a company always set the tone and if you don't admire them, you won't enjoy working at their company. I wish I'd known to ask this question all those years ago.

Posted by Louise Fletcher

Comments

[Tara]

Hi: thanks , I really liked your commends on beinga right fit is the key to liking your job- what are some of the ideas you have in finding a right fit ?

tara

[Louise Fletcher]

Hi Tara,

I just think you have to really dig down and identify what matters to you - both in terms of the work and the culture. Ask yourself when you're happiest at work and when you're least happy. Ask yourself which jobs you've enjoyed and which you've hated. Maybe even work with a career coach to help you narrow it down if you're not sure. Know yourself and everything else will fall into place.

[air yeezy]

No matter how gluttonous devouring all the time, we need to breathe at this time, and strive to win our reputation, the sickle of time can not hurt us. - William Shakespeare