Will You Be Comfortable in This Job Environment?
You wouldn't want to live in the country if you enjoyed the pace of the city, and you wouldn't want to live in Alaska if you didn't like the cold. You shouldn't want to work in an environment where you wouldn't be comfortable, either. In fact, an uncomfortable work environment will hinder your productivity. One of the main goals of the entire interview process is to determine whether or not you and your personality will fit in with the work environment of the position.
Research the company's financial condition. Perhaps you gathered some information on this before your interview, but now you may want to dig a little deeper. You don't want to put yourself in a position where you will be looking for another job in a matter of months because the company went bankrupt or downsized.
Fact
Frank took a job with a company he felt offered him the greatest opportunity for advancement. But the company had a gung-ho attitude that valued late hours. Frank soon realized that he would have to cut back considerably on the amount of time spent with his family. Unhappy in his job, his advancement came slowly and at a huge price.
Consider specifics, including office or workstation setting, privacy, proximity to other staff, amount of space, noise level, and even the lighting. Most important, think about the corporate culture. It's the values and attitudes the company encourages, and the way these values and attitudes shake down into rules and practices in the workplace.
What is the level of interaction among coworkers? While some organizations strongly encourage teamwork, others promote individual accomplishment. Think about which approach works better for you. Remember: If you don't like the work environment before you accept the job, you probably will not like it as an employee. Don't accept a job only to realize this mistake a month or two later.
