How to Measure A Company's Culture

for a Best Fit for YOU

You can do a search on "best companies for company culture" and find many lists. Because most employees leave their company due to a weak or toxic culture, it's important to find a culture that fits you. But how do you know when a company is right for YOU?

Yes, it all starts with you. What are your values, interests, personality, skills?

Next, what can you learn about a company to see if it MATCHES your values, interests, personality, and skills? Do your research.

Start with published sources of info about internal cultures: This is what the company says about itself in marketing materials, on its website, etc.

• Website, blog, videos, the business press, media coverage: what do they say?
• Company’s public stands on the issues, its role in the community
• Your interviews there, if you've had any yet
• What are industry analysts saying? 
• See what “reviews of _____ company” turns up on Google, AI searches, bizjournals.com, glassdoor.com
• Social media: on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram; follow your target companies on these sites
• Is the Employee Handbook available online?

But a glowing mission statement can be very different than reality so check unpublished sources of info. Unpublished sources = your network. Networking is your best source for the unvarnished story of a company:

• Ask your network: “What do you know about XYZ?”
• Talk to current and former employees – mine LinkedIn to find them
• What do the salespeople who work for the company say about it (call the company and ask for Sales)
• What do recruiters say about the company?
• Go to their local cafes and eateries to eavesdrop, strike up conversations with employees

Some questions to ask your network about your targets:

• What do YOU like most about working here?
• What is celebrated here? 
• How does the company define success for itself?
• What are its real goals for the next few years?
• How does the company show employees are valued?
• What skills/behaviors succeed here?
• How would YOU describe the corp culture?
• Describe the management styles here
• Are there events that bring company people together?
• What’s one story that illustrates the culture?
• How are decisions made and communicated?
• What community activities are supported?

Sift all the data you discover and ask yourself if there's a match. If yes, fantastic. If no, keep looking. Trust your observations and your intuition. You're worth it!