One: corporate culture. Two: good working conditions. Three: training opportunities. These are the top three reasons why someone chooses an employer and feels committed to staying there long-term. This is what entry-level engineers indicate after their first experiences in the job market (source: Runway survey ie-net 2022).
Corporate culture, all well and good. But how do you know when you are dealing with an appropriate corporate culture? Especially at a stage when you don't know companies yet. Not simple. Yet more signals than you think tell you something about the culture in a company. Our experts' tips:
- Know what you need to evolve
An appropriate corporate culture is different for everyone. An environment that makes you grow and develop yourself may be a different story for you than for the fellow engineers you graduated with. Your personality, ambitions and outlook on life are all factors that determine which environment you feel comfortable in. So knowing yourself well is where it starts. - Engage in online research
Not beatific, but worth checking out. The company's website and socials. Why? You get a sense of how a company communicates, how it interacts with the outside world and what mission and values it pursues. Playfully worded, scientifically based. Straightforward, straightforward. Which style attracts you most?
"Just as the company may probe whether you fit in, you may as well do the reverse."
- Probe during the application process
A job interview does not have to be all about you. Just as the company is allowed to probe whether you fit in, you may as well do the reverse. How? By asking and by asking: how will I be supervised as a new colleague? Can I already get to know the team and the environment I will be working in? What about career opportunities horizontally or vertically? - Don't underestimate your gut feeling
Feeling comfortable right away. Enduring cross-examination. Hearing monologues. A strange interaction between two interviewers. Throughout the job interview, a certain feeling creeps up on you. Sometimes it is untamed enthusiasm, sometimes it is an indefinable doubt. Dare to listen to your feelings. A 'no' is also an option. - Be guided
Getting into the corporate culture where you feel comfortable? Above all, it requires a lot of self-insight and sufficient affinity with the company you are talking to. That is why an independent view is an extra asset. An expert who determines with you what you need and who knows the companies. Who estimates in advance where the match lies. It saves you valuable time. That is exactly where CTRL-F experts guide you.