Nothing is worse than putting in the time to find your next role, and realizing too late that the organization is not a cultural fit. Each step of your job search process gives you the opportunity to confirm your goals, and how your next role can fulfill them. With so much of your daily life spent at work, finding a team that will best support your success is key.

To make sure you choose the right culture, keep these simple checklists in mind in each stage of your hunt:

1. Before you look

It’s important to ask yourself some tough questions as a first step so you have clear answers to guide your search. Have a clear understanding of:
• How do you work best?
• What are your values?
• What do you want out of this role?
• How will a specific type of team/company structure/manager help you achieve that?

2. Reaching out to your network

Once you have a clear understanding of what you want, reach out to your network to let them know you’re looking for new opportunities. While it’s important not to recycle your same message over and over, you should try to:

•  Have a consistent message. Don’t be tempted to change your values just because a different opportunity comes up
•  Contact people who understand your vision; their network will probably reflect their values.
•  Show your value through actions, not words. Comment on relevant articles, attend events and share or create content that shows your expertise. Don’t just tell people you’re an expert – be one.
•  Do unto others; Treat referrals like a favour, not a right. Show that you can be trusted to represent your referee well by being helpful, considerate to all of your contacts.

3. Applying to jobs

You already know about researching the job to customize your application to target the specific company. But before you apply, put that research to the test:

• Look it up: Try to find an organization that has publicly declared its values. Most modern teams are proud of their progressive approach and will share this information on their website or blog.
• Pick the leaders: Find out who the leaders in are in implementing your values. There are lots of awards and lists that call out best examples of democratic or flat teams that can point you in the right direction.

4. Interviewing

Once you’ve found a great company and submitted your application, make sure they live up to the hype. Don’t be afraid to ask specific questions about how each level of the company operates. You should leave the interview with a clear understanding of the cultural values of your manager, team and the organization as a whole. During the interview, take note of things like:

• How does your manager communicate?
• How does the team rally around actions and goals?
• How is success measured and communicated?
• What opportunities exist for you to participate in what is important to you?

By first identifying what’s most important to your success, and staying focused on how those elements surface in each stage of the job search, you can avoid the lure of a fancy title or sweet salary, and make sure you choose the role that’s right for you.

Guest Blogger: Katherine is a Talent Acquisition Consultant at Gilmore Partners and graduated with an Honours double major from the University of Toronto. She then went on to pursue graduate studies with a professional designation in Human Resources Management. Connect with Katherine on LinkedIn.

Photo: Above photograph used under CC license