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When it comes to attracting and retaining talent, culture matters.
Employees will often leave a company if its culture is a disconnect with how they would prefer to do business.
If you need to figure out a company’s culture before you accept a job offer, here are five ways to do so.
Leverage Your Personal Network
Leverage your network to identify the hits and misses in a company’s culture. Consider your personal contacts, and talk to people from different departments, not just the finance function. If you don’t know someone specifically, perhaps a friend of a friend can help you fill in the gaps. Either way, talking to someone who is “in the know” can give you the information necessary to make a decision.
LinkedIn
Look at past and current employees of the organization you are considering. Examine their backgrounds. Do they all come from similar schools? What are their work experiences? Common themes can help indicate company preferences, giving you a possible glimpse into that company’s culture.
Glass Door
The website glassdoor.ca is a great place to research companies. Glass Door allows employees to write anonymous reviews of past organizations, meaning you can potentially access some unfiltered data. Look for trends in the feedback.
Company’s Website
Take a look at the company’s website. Read the About Us page. Look at the mission statement and core values. Read their blog if they have one. All of this information is useful in understanding how a company does business.
Recruiter
It might be worth connecting with a tenured accounting and finance recruiter for the inside scoop. Whether they’re working with you on the job or not, recruiters often have specific insight into what makes a company tick. And who knows? That conversation could pave the way for your next opportunity down the road.
If you’re considering accepting an offer from a company and want to know if it’s going to be a cultural fit, then use the five tips above to get the information you need to make an informed decision.