Companies have cultures the way people have personalities. It is important to understand the culture of a company before you join to be sure there is a good fit. There are very few “bad” companies. However, there can be a terrible mismatch between an employee and the company culture, which almost always results in the individual being fired or quitting. To prevent this from happening to you, determine whether there is a good fit before you agree to take a job.

Find the Right Match
When you are job hunting, you are interviewing the company as much as the people on the other side of the desk are interviewing you. In addition to determining whether the job provides the skills and opportunities you are looking for, you need to decide if you will be successful in the working environment. Culture is defined in various dictionaries as “behavior patterns,” “beliefs,” and “institutions” and in the business world culture means what people value and how they treat each other. Companies with very different cultures can be equally successful, so do not judge the company if its style does not suit you. You need to find a place you will thrive.

Ask Potential Employers About The Company Culture
Some firms are very specific about conveying their culture because they want to be sure new employees have “the right stuff.” One financial services firm tells college students that the firm culture is “money.” When asked to elaborate, recruiters say that people work very long hours and are not treated well, but in exchange everyone is highly paid. While this may sound harsh, this firm is doing potential employees a great service by being so specific. That equation – high compensation for poor treatment of people – is a tradeoff many are willing to make. Candidates who are looking for a different environment will self-select out of the hiring process, increasing the probability that new employees will be successful.

Beware of Family-Friendly Statements
In many cases it can be difficult to determine the culture of a company from the outside. One problem is many companies have a vision of their culture that does not match reality. A company billed itself as “family-friendly” because it had an annual holiday party for employees’ children. The truth was it was not family-friendly by most people’s definition since the hours were long and there was no flexibility. Often a company forgets to mention Saturdays and Sundays if weekends are part of the standard work week. A CEO told me he had a staff meeting at 7AM every Saturday since he was busy playing golf during the week. I declined his job offer since Saturday morning was valuable family time I was not willing to give up. I was lucky he mentioned this or we both would have been unhappy when I quit.

Consider Different Cultures If Your Goals Change
You may be looking for different cultures at various times in your career as your lifestyle changes. For example, early in your career you may be willing to work long hours in a job where you gain experience that will help you get ahead. If you borrowed money to attend school, you may be prepared to work in a less collegial environment in return for higher compensation that will help you pay off your loans. One young job hunter told me he turned down an offer at a prestigious firm that stressed work/life balance. He thought it would be perfect if he were older, but he took another job with longer hours that provided a structured training program in order to learn some basic business skills. As long as you understand the tradeoffs, you can make the right choice for you.

A Company Won’t Change Its Culture To Suit Your Personality
Never join a company thinking you can change its culture. Unless you are the CEO and can replace most of the senior management team, you will not be able to change the long-ingrained way of doing business. My mother always told me, “Never marry a man thinking you can change him” and I have used that advice in business. People and companies will not change for you, so if you do not fit, you either need to adapt or leave.

Always remember that you know yourself better than anyone, so it is up to you to find the company that is right for you.

· Takeaways:
o Understand a company’s culture before you join.
o Make sure you can be successful and happy in the working environment.
o Consider different cultures as your work and personal goals change.
o Do not think a company will change for you. If there is not a good fit, leave and find a better place for you.