Branding
Is The Company You’re With Worth Staying At in 2017
Glassdoor Team
Glassdoor Team | Author & Career Expert at Glassdoor | 10 Jan 2017
When people look for a new job they often focus purely on what’s in it for them. They ask: is it going to pay me the right salary and how much holiday will I be entitled to, etc? But actually to find out if the firm is a long-term career bet you need to ask some straight questions that look beyond superficial contractual arrangements such as:
What is your Corporate Social Responsibility Policy?
What does the company do around Corporate Social Responsibility? Does it even recognize it has an obligation to act for the benefit of society at large? If it does have a CSR policy it is showing that it cares about things outside making money. Therefore it is more likely to care about you and your development.
Will my manager invest in me as much as they do in themselves?
A good manager knows that they aren’t great at everything. But one thing they should be good at is making you the best you can be. To find out if they will manage and develop your career properly ask your interviewers: how does your appraisal process work? How do you reward and recognize talent? When did your manager last promote someone from within the team? Do they tend to hire from outside when vacancies arise? If they routinely go for outsiders you have your answer.
Give me an example of something the company has done to put the firm’s mission statement in practice.
In some companies the mission statement is nothing more than a lovely thing that Saatchi & Saatchi created at great expense. Their employees find it hard to identify something they did to put those words into practice.
By contrast, in the best companies the mission statement is a genuine guide. The best example I know is the beautiful and succinct Rolls-Royce strapline: “Trusted to deliver excellence.” Employees and managers live up to those principles every day, not least because the consequences of not doing so would be catastrophic. They know that hiring and developing the right young talent to grow the business is critical.
So at your interview, ask for examples to check if the company’s blurb matches what happens in practice.
Can I bring my whole self to work?
People often say that the sociable “water cooler moments” where people discuss last night’s TV are the best aspect of working life. But in too many big companies your progress depends too much on whether you are seen to be part of the “cool” clique. Decision making is dominated by the brashest and loudest when the firm actually needs to hear from those who deliver best.
Glassdoor Team
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