Monday, September 17, 2007

Interviewing the Interviewer Part 1: Work Environment

What is the work environment like? This is a pretty important factor to me. A great work environment and culture are factors that I put really high. Probably the single most important factor is the people. How are the people at this place you interviewed at? Is there a good range of age groups, or is it just all young people or all old people? Depending on your age and stage in career, the work demographic can enhance the work experience and even your career. From my perspective, I prefer young people who I can get along with, talk to, but older people who can mentor me. If a company does not have the right people who can suit your needs, it might not work out for either party. I once had an interview in which I explained that I was looking to take the lead at work, but at the same time find a mentor in the company too. Unfortunately the company was looking solely for an experienced person who could lead and wasn't looking for mentorship. This cost me a potential job, but at the end of the day, it didn't really fit what I was looking for. The work environment is not only made up of people, but also even the physical environment. This can also be a minor factor for a potential employee. If you are stuck in a cubicle, does this matter? It might be something to consider. All in all, the work environment is very important. Salary, job description are very important, but coming into a nice job in a bad work environment can tarnish the experience.

No comments: