How to recognize the company corporate culture during the interview?

Look closely at the details, they hide all the truth about presence or absence of a corporate culture. Look at them and you will understand whether you like it or not. However, to be invited for an interview, you should write a good resume first. Use our resume writing website, our specialists will help you to create a great winning resume. And in this post on company corporate culture you will learn how to discover the features of the corporate culture at once at the interview.

Before paying attention to the important details that can show the particular qualities of corporate culture, our professional resume writers online will present you some fact about the history of corporate culture development.

What is corporate culture?

The first rules of behaviour, written as well as unwritten, were created inside the professional communities already in the medieval guilds in Europe. And the rules breaking could lead to the exclusion of members of the community.

The term “corporate culture” appeared in the 19th century. It was formulated by German Field Marshal von Moltke, who characterized in such a way special rules in relationships between the officers of that time. The fact is that different problems and argues at that time were solved not only with the help of charters, statutes, or courts of honor, but also with the duels. And saber scar was an obligatory attribute of the belonging to the officer “corporation”, a kind of a pass into a closed club. Much later they start to use the term “corporate culture” in the management, and it used to define all the rules, traditions, values and rituals, by which the staff of any company or organization “live” and is guided.

How is the corporate culture being formed?

Corporate culture of a company is the reflection of its life positions and values of the owner of business or of the general manager. And over time these values may change, and this is absolutely okay. After all, when a person develops, his point of view on different issues also changes.

What should you pay attention to, to make conclusions about the corporate culture?

We react intuitively to many important signs that can tell about the corporate culture of a company. For example, when a situation happens during the interview and we in the mind's eye mark it with “+” or “-”.

1. The frequency of vacancies appearance

If you see that one and the same vacancy appears with a frequency of once in two months, you should realize that no one stays for a long time at this position due to some reasons. And there is a constant staff turnover in the company. Of course, there are exceptions, when a company experiences the rapid stage of growth. However, exceptions only prove the rule.

2. The vacancy formulation

A company, which is interested in the search of a unique employee, will do it with a special thoroughness, it will publish the vacancy not only on the site of average candidate, but also on the particular sites, looking for people it needs. Recruiting and search for good employees is a profession, an art and in general it is a special part of a company work. So think well before sending resume to a company, in the vacancy of which is written “PC skills, organizational skills and so on”. Details and description of the company values will be a wonderful indicator of its corporate culture.

3. Suggestion to make the test tasks

You should discuss with the employer the terms of the tasks fulfillment, their number (because there are many unscrupulous companies that cash in on the ideas of the candidates, especially in the sphere of journalism, cinema and so on), and results announcement. Honestly saying, in the companies with real discipline and mutual respect they will always remind you when the next stage of the interview will be held, since they value their own and your time.

4. Company residence

The point is not about how much closely the office is situated to your house. Pay attention to the office centre, ease of entrance for customers, general convenience. Of course, an office should not be necessarily expensive and overlooking the central square of a city, however this is one of the ways of company demonstration (also it depends on the sphere, in which the company is occupied). We do not claim that everyone has to have beautiful and stylish office, but we know has much positively it influences the work of the staff. Does the company provide its workers with a kitchen, rest room and so on?

5. Treatment to you

How were you met and escorted? How long did you wait (remember that it can be made purposely at the so-called “stress interview”)? Did they offer you something? Did they show you their respect or tried to show your incompetence by any means?

6. Atmosphere in the team

Make a general look at the work of a team, and if you have such an opportunity, look at how the employees communicate between themselves:

Do they show respect treating each other?

How do they look at you, realizing that you have come to the interview?

How many people interviewed you?

Did they make everything possible to make you feel comfortable?

If there is a chance, make a question about joint activity (ask it at the final interview), about how they appreciate the inner activity, sport, charity – all this tells about corporate culture. If you do not have such an opportunity, just try to search for the information on the Internet. Social networks should be looked through and they can help you greatly.

7. Questions they make to you

You know that in the most famous companies they do not ask trivial obvious questions, they dig deeper. What kind of a filling for pizza are you? What book are you reading now? Any questions that go beyond the borders are normal, do not think they try to bring to light something hidden. Company is interested in the search of not just a worker, but a person.

Also pay attention to whether a recruiter asks you questions, answers to which are already written in your resume, or whether he has already managed to look through your resume. Of course, it tell more about the recruiter’s professionalism, but also about how much thoroughly they examine the candidates.

8. Your time

And we talk again about the company attitude to time. It is great if you are told when they will make a decision. If later they explain why they decided not to hire you, this is also a sign of a good corporate culture. Or did they say “Thank you, we will call you back” and disappeared at once? Ask them to give you their contacts for feedback to discuss the results in a week of a couple of days.

Our online service wishes you to feel “your company” already at the interview, the company where you will feel comfortable. Look for nice people, professionals, favourite business and labour of love. All these factors form the corporate culture.