One of the most misunderstood parts of a job seeker’s career search involves meeting with an agency recruiter.  Many times I walk out of a meeting with a candidate and think, “That is a great candidate.”  Your goal as a candidate is to get whoever you meet with to think the same thing.  As a recruiter, my thought process after wrapping up an interview is to think about how I think a candidate is going to represent me, my company, and him/herself.  Why are the first two things me and my company? – Because, I have to protect my reputation and our brand with the hiring managers that we work with on a daily basis.  If they start to think that the candidates that I send are consistently not the right fit then a hiring manager is of course going to look into other avenues to find the candidates that are the right fit. 

As a candidate what you should be thinking of is treating the interview with a recruiter as important as an interview with a potential employer.  Why?  When your recruiter has to put their reputation on the line to speak to your abilities and candidacy – you want your recruiter to be emotionally invested in selling you.  As a flip side to this I recently had an interview with a candidate who told me in no uncertain terms that she wanted to make more of a base salary, work less, and that she didn’t really like to work that hard at all.  The last part she told me twice. And the topper was that her sales accomplishments were less than impressive.  But, I wanted to find her a job and thought there might be a chance with one of our clients.  Until, I got one question. 

What was the killer question? – The sales manager for our client who I have built a relationship with called me and asked, “Brian, would you hire this candidate for your team?”  I hemmed and hawed to come out with some type of explanation as to why I felt she could succeed.  My lack of positive feedback spoke more volumes than anything and in the end, ruined any chance of setting up an interview.  I am sure some of you reading this will think, “Why didn’t you just lie?”  The answer is based on my interview with the candidate I had no confidence that she would not walk into an interview and tell a manager that she didn’t like to work that hard.  Also, there are times when you need to put your neck on the line for your candidates and you can’t burn your reputation as a recruiter for someone who didn’t want to impress you. 

On the positive side I have a candidate who was referred to me.  The candidate was aggressive about getting me on the phone and then when he came in to meet with me he was all positive energy, engaged, and looked the part of a salesperson.  He was successful in sales and was asked in his previous company to move into a non-sales role.  When his company downsized him the challenge was getting back into a sales role.  But, because of his presentation I was willing to put my neck out with my clients as I knew that if he had the chance to meet with a sales manager they would be impressed.  He started last week in his new sales role.  Morale of the story; do your best to impress your recruiter and we will work hard to have doors opened for you.

1.  The Negative Sell:

1.  
   • “You are probably overqualified for this position”
   • “This position, is almost 100% New Business Development, all you will do all day is make cold calls.”
   • “There are other positions open in Marketing or Account Management that you might be more interested in, would you like me to get you in touch with those hiring managers?”

One of the most common traps is the “Negative Sell.”  The negative sell can come in many different forms, but most commonly hiring managers will bait you with other positions internally that may or may not be open to try to get to the bottom of your primal interest.  You may be telling the interviewer that you are willing to hunt for new business but would much rather work as an Account Manager?  Are you unemployed and getting desperate, thus willing to take a role that you are overqualified for?  Are you an experienced Sales Person, tiring of the rat race, and thus looking for ways to get out of sales all together, (i.e: a Product Marketing, training, or something else).  Or are you an entry level sales person that ended up in sales purely out of default, still under the assumption that marketing, advertising or PR, would be the “sexier” career choice? 

In the market that we are currently in, where interviews are hard to come by, the key to overcoming this trap and ensure a positive interview you must have the following:  Tact and Focus.   

Be tactful and show focus to the job you are interviewing for:

(Example Reponses)

 “Everything I’ve learned about your organization leads me to believe this is certainly a company I want to be a part of.  I am here today to focus on learning more about the Account Executive Role.  I feel strongly, that based on my experience I could be both happy as well as highly successful in the role.  Do you have any questions or concerns that would lead you to believe I was not a good fit for this role, and is that the reason you are suggesting other avenues to take?”

There certainly are instances when you go into a company, interviewing for one role, and ultimately end up getting an offer for a different role.  The above response would allow for that while not disqualifying you for the role in which you initially applied. 

2.  The Bad Cop

Another very common trap in sales interviews is what we like to call Bad Cop.  You have had one or two interviews and great rapport with all the people you’ve met with until…..THE BAD COP.  Right off the bat, this interviewer is confrontational.  You show up on time, and they say you are late.  You answer their question and they always have a rebuttal.  No matter what you say, you just don’t seem to say the right things.  They object to everything you say, and purposely don’t answer your questions…they may even get up and leave the room while you are mid-sentence.  At the end of the interview, they may flat out tell you that you are not a fit. 

If this hasn’t happened to you yet, then consider yourself lucky.  This tactic is used by hiring managers and many times by outsourced consulting firms who are hired by the hiring company to simulate a challenging prospect you may encounter while in an actual sale.  This can commonly look like a terrible interview but it is in fact a trap the interviewer is trying to get you to fall into.

The key to this is to anticipate what might be coming and remember it is not a personal attack, this is an interview trap.  Just like in sales, you have your awesome prospects, and those that…well… are not so awesome.  Great Sales People find a way to win over any audience.  So keep your cool and remember their challenging personality could simply be a trap to gauge how you would handle yourself.  Take your time overcoming their objections in a non-defensive way.  Ignore their blatant disrespect by spinning conversation back to positive aspects of your background whenever possible.  Of course, no one wants to work for a jerk, however, get through the interview by treating it like a sales call, don’t let your feathers get ruffled and then later in the process probe and qualify who this person is and in what capacity would you work together. 

3.  The Comfort Zone:

Oh, the comfort zone…how easy it is to sink right into the casual conversations about your weekend activities, how much you hated your last boss, or the fact that you are really looking for a sales role that pays the most money but requires the least amount of work.   The Comfort Zone might as well be a hole full of quick sand because when you fall into The Comfort Zone there is no talking yourself back out.  You’re done.

At first read, you may say, “I know better than to do this,” however it is easier trap to fall into than you may think.  The more experienced your interviewer, the more artful they are in creating, “The Comfort Zone”.   Even with all of today’s technology, sales is still about people and ultimately, people buy from people they like and trust…they also hire people they like and trust.  Thus, within that conquest to relate to the hiring manager, to get him/her to like you, it is one’s natural inclination to walk down the same conversation paths as the hiring manager. 

The key to this isn’t unlike any of my other advice….it is all about preparation.   Be cognoscente that these traps exist, so you are on your toes, looking out for them and tactfully sidestepping them.   Definitely relate to your interviewer, but avoid all potential topics of controversy or inappropriate nature.  You can have a very dynamic conversation, full of positive affirmations, head nods, laugher and eye contact without saying anything damaging!!!! 

After all, “failure to prepare is preparing to fail.”  Think of a mouse trap….it only works if it catches the mouse off guard.  Once the mouse knows that it is there, the mouse can easily take a different path to bypass the trap.  Some mice even get skilled enough to take the cheese out of the trap without it closing on them.  These Mice go happily on their way with a belly full of cheese.  So, next time you’re gearing up for your next interview, put some time into anticipating these common traps and others. 

Interviewing is a skill.  With a little preparation, you will soon find yourself facing interview traps with confidence and leaving interviews not overcome, but leaving with offers!!

In a market where national unemployment is around 9.4% and so many talented professionals out on the market, it’s no wonder why it’s a buyers market for potential employers.  Across the nation, job descriptions have become more specific, hiring managers are conducting harder interviews and they are becoming less forgiving on the flaws of potential employees.  It may seem like hiring companies are in a phenomenal position and they are being picky because they can, but the real reason that companies are scrutinizing new hires is because they can’t afford to make a mistake.  Whether you like it or not, hiring the wrong candidate comes at a huge cost. 

Think about the time it takes and money it costs to ramp up a new hire.  A base salary is a liability and a mark on the “loss” column of the spreadsheet before it has the opportunity to be a “gain”.  Therefore, employers are proceeding in this market with a “buyer beware” type of attitude, especially when it comes to sales professionals. We all know that sales professionals have a history of exaggerating or packaging things in a glamorous light, therefore, hiring managers have put practices in place that will bring the truth to the surface and ensure them that they are getting the best candidate possible.  Two of these tactics are credit checks and W2 requests.

Although both of these reports pertain to your financial history, they are requested for very different reasons.  Employers request credit checks to gain a better understanding of your personal history and your allocation on your own personal finances.  If you have a shaky credit history with a potential bankruptcy claim, why would an employer trust an expense account to you?  Also, if you run your own personal finances into the ground, what will you do with their business?  When it comes to sales, you’re main objective is to make money for your company and ultimately, yourself.  So the best way an employer can get to know how you run a business is to look at your credit report.

W2s, on the other hand, are requested at the end of an interview process to ensure that employers aren’t being taken to the cleaners by their potential employee.  At the end of the day, we all want to make as much money as possible and if we can get a nice base salary that will cushion all of our expenses, of course we’ll take it.  However, a company asks you what you’re currently making and what you need to make to ensure that they are getting their money’s worth in a candidate.  One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a candidate is exaggerate your current base salary and W2.  Being a recruiter for several years, I have seen candidates grossly over exaggerate their wages in hopes that they’ll land a job with a $20-40K raise on the base.  Not only did it bite them in the end and force them to lose an offer, it ruined their reputation with both the client and the recruiter (see Burning Bridges).  Let’s face it, the best way to get a raise in pay is to prove to the employer that the juice is worth the squeeze.  If you tell them that you’re currently making more than what is stated on your W2 you better pray they don’t ask for documentation.  Once they see the report, they’ll see that you blatantly lied to them and you’ll lose the offer.  Lying is no way to start a relationship.  Raises are earned, not conned. 

So before you ruin your credit and then attempt to pay it off by requesting too much money on a base salary, think about what those implications can lead to.  This job market is hard enough, don’t make it harder for yourself.

After being in the recruiting industry and having met many people through my career, I can sincerely attest that it is a small world, people talk and word travels fast.  When that word is about you,  you want it to be a positive one.  You want people to respond to your name positively and hopefully send business and referrals your way.  Having a poor reputation will surely ruin your chances of success.  When it comes to building your reputation, the one rule of thumb is “Don’t burn any bridges”.   In all situations, especially in business, be respectful of people and their time.  But most importantly, be honest.

Let me share a story with you:

A candidate, that I will refer to as Johnny, called me to help him in his job search.  After running a particular job by him, Johnny asked that I try to get him an interview.  After submitting his resume, my client responded by saying that she thought his name sounded familiar but would like to meet with him.  I scheduled him in to meet with my client and on the day of the interview, Johnny was a no-show.  I promptly called Johnny and he made an excuse as to why he didn’t make it and wanted to reschedule.  Not only does blowing off an interview soil the reputation of a candidate, but it also turns out that Johnny had met with my client for several interviews 8 months ago.  They made him an offer and then Johnny went missing – he never called them back to accept or deny the offer.  Therefore my client passed on his candidacy on the spot and red flagged his name for future consideration. 

In this case, Johnny burnt the bridge between a potential job and also stained his reputation with me.  Since this incident my client has moved on to a new company as their hiring manager. Therefore, what Johnny did not realize that because he has burned that bridge he not only shot himself in the foot with not one company, but two.

The moral of the story is be honest and do not play games.  Treat everyone with the respect that you would want to be treated with.  It’s a small world and karma exists.

We have all been in an interview and things are going reasonably well.  You can’t get the best read on what the interviewer is thinking but you know that s/he does not completely hate you.  Just when you’re feeling confident, they throw out that question that you have heard a thousand times before and you never know how to answer it the right way.  You spew out a bunch of sentences that you hope will form an audible answer but it’s a crap shoot.

I am going to take up a few blogs and explore some of these questions, how to approach them, how to prepare for them and, more importantly, why the hell do they ask these questions in the first place .

First Question:

“Where do you want to be in 5 years?” 

It is one of those questions that a hiring manager will ask and wants a direct answer but what the answer is does not matter as much as how you answer it.  I recently wrote a blog about ‘the message’ that you are trying to deliver.  My point in that blog was that it is not always about what you say, but how you say it.  That is what this cookie cutter question is all about.

There are many different ways to successfully answer this question but only one way to blow it – not have an answer.  If the first word out of your mouth is “err” or “ahh” – you’re all done.  Just pack it up and walk out.  If your answer is, “Jeeze, I never thought about it,” give them a fist bump and move on.  Let’s be honest, no one has a crystal ball and knows where they will be in 5 years – but you have an idea of what you’d like to be in the future.  That’s where you answer should start.

First, let’s talk about why they are asking this question.  They simply want to find out if you have direction.  That’s it.  Do you know where you are going in life?  Are you steering the ship or are you along for the ride?  Employers are looking for drivers, not riders.  Put yourself in their shoes – do you want someone who is going to sit around and wait to be told what to do OR do you want someone who will always be busy and taking initiative?  They simply want to know if you are proactive or reactive.

Now, let’s figure out how to answer this, here is the secret:  answer the question honestly.  Tell them who you want to be and it does not have to be professionally.  Remember, it’s not about what you say, it’s how you say it.  If you are confident and you have a plan – they will accept it. The answer can be, “I want to be a good husband to my wife and father to my kids.  I want to be in a home with a yard and continuing to advance myself professionally.”  Simple and general and most importantly, honest.  Here’s another, “I want to be a top producer in this company and I plan on doing that by following the training and looking to you (interviewer) as my mentor.”  This is a little intense but it is very direct and ambitious.  The interviewer will not question your dedication to advancement and will probably move onto HOW you plan to accomplish that.

So the next time you are in an interview just remember that there is no cookie cutter answer to this cookie cutter question.  However you decide to answer, you have to own it and make it your answer…it is your future after all.  Take a few moments and write down a few things that you would like to accomplish in the next few years and how you plan to accomplish them.  Make them simple and attainable goals and make sure that they are important to you.  Do not do it because you want to be ready for an interview but do it because you want to set real goals.  Without goals, you are just along for the ride and who knows where that will lead you?!  It is more fun to steer the ship than it is to be strapped in the passenger seat.

by Kathleen Mauriot

One never knows exactly what to expect when you go on an interview. Anxiety builds as your mind wanders about the people you’ll meet, the questions they will ask and the overall feel of the company. But there is one thing you can do to build confidence before you start the interview process and that is to be prepared. Preparation before every interview is an absolute must. So what does that exactly mean? Do a little research and role playing the night before and you will be on the right track to a successful interview. Here are a few tips:

1. Dress to impress. Stay away from colognes and perfumes. Keep hair groomed neatly. Be conservative with jewelry and make-up.

2. Bring a leather-bound notebook with a couple copies of your resume. Avoid spiral notebooks and manila envelopes.

3. Know exactly where the interview is going to take place. If you are unsure, take a test drive beforehand. Make a good first impression and get there at least 10 minutes early.

4. Meet every person with a firm handshake, eye contact and a smile. Begin to build rapport and get them to like you. You will feel more relaxed as the interview moves forward.

5. Be confident and speak with conviction. Who can better sell yourself than you?

6. Gather some facts about the company. Go to their website and be able to recite in your own words what they do and why you would want to work for them.

7. Know your own background and be able to tell “your story” in a way that is logical while creating excitement and relevancy to the position you are interviewing for.

8. Be able to articulate why you are the best person for the job. Remember in this market you will have competition. Set yourself apart.

9. Anticipate questions and objections. Sorry – but no candidate is perfect.

10. Have at least 10 questions prepared to ask. An interviewee with no questions does not convey much interest in the opportunity. Be inquisitive but not redundant.

11. Ask for the job!

You will be surprised at how many people don’t. If you take time to prepare before your interview you will see how much of a difference it will make!

Today’s landscape for job seekers has been anything but a walk in the park. Typically, hiring companies have created standard interview processes which can range from 2 to 7 steps, including phone screens, several meetings with company executives and sometimes a “day in the life” or a field ride. A “day in the life” is fairly standard within an outside sales role, but this trend has recently been adopted for inside sales roles. These “shadow” days can range from a few hours to an entire day depending on the hiring company and are tools to asses your ability to listen, ask questions and catch on to their day to day routine. However, “shadow” days are not only for the employer, it’s also a great opportunity for you, as a candidate, to find out if it is the right job for you. The day in the life can be very informative so make sure you take advantage of it! It’s a great way to meet a representative that has first hand experience in the role as well as important insight as to what it’s like to work for the company. You will hear about the success stories and of course all the hardships that one has to go through to make a sale. This step in the interview process can either reinforce your desire to work for the company or send you running for the hills. As an executive recruiter, I have seen it all. With that said, let me share a few tips (and stories of what not to do!), but also keep you in check on why it is extremely important to have the same positive attitude as meeting the hiring manager.

• GET SOME REST!

A day in the life can be several hours out on the road shadowing or on the inside listening to phone calls. Often times you are the observing party and you are there to watch, listen and ask questions regarding what you witnessed. As a sales professional, this can be draining so make sure you get some sleep and eat an energy filled breakfast. You do not want to be the one who falls asleep on the ride back or zone out during a phone call.

• BE PREPARED

You are going to be a representative of the company you are interviewing with for the duration of the shadow day, you must act like it and it all starts with your dress. Regardless as to whether the company’s dress policy is casual, put on your best suit and don’t forget to shine your shoes ( see Interview Tips). Make sure you also do your homework. You may be observing for the day but ask if you can jump in on a few calls utilizing the research that you’ve done regarding the company and their product/service. This is your chance to show them that you can do this!

• YOU’RE A PASSENGER, NOT THE DRIVER.

The day in the life is an observation, so never get involved with any type of sale unless specifically asked to. Building rapport and formal introductions are always recommended, but if an employee is in any part of the sale your best move is to sit back and take mental notes for later questions about the call. Never, under any circumstances, interrupt the sale or attempt to involve yourself. Every call is a potential deal, therefore if you cause a rep to lose a deal by your involvement, you can guarantee the fact that you will not be asked back for another interview.

• ASK QUESTIONS AT APPROPRIATE TIMES.

As an observer, wait until you and the representative are in a private place to ask questions and give feedback regarding a sale. I once had a candidate make a inappropriate comment regarding an executive’s “personality” in the elevator after a sales call, only to have another executive from the same firm in the elevator with them. Long story short, it was not a great situation and needless to say the candidate did not get the job.

• BE INQUISITIVE!

This will be your opportunity to ask any questions that you want. I would stay away from personal, but anything that pertains to the company, the position and the representative should be asked. This is valuable time and should not be wasted.

• CLOSE EVERY REP YOU SHADOW

It’s a MUST! They may not be the final decision maker but they will report back about their experience with you and your ability to do this job. Ask him/her if they have any questions or hesitation about you or your background and more importantly, ask them for their recommendation. Their part of the interview process is a key piece as to whether you’ll be moved forward or not.

A “day in the life” may seem like a significant commitment of your time but in the grand scheme of an interview process, it’s the pivotal point which will make or break your opportunity with the hiring company. Prepare yourself for every minute of that day and make sure you’re on top of your game. Take notes, make observations and get ready to take a backstage look at your potential career. Good luck!

By Kimberly Collins

How many of you job seekers would love to be a fly on the wall, listening in on a group of Sales Managers and Vice President’s while they discuss their favorite interview questions?  Which question is their “go-to” question, which questions they save to the end of the interview to hopefully knock you off your game?  Consider your wish granted….the following is a list derived from a Sales Manager Networking group where the topic was “The Ten Favorite Interview Questions You Ask”!

1) “You are going to go home and talk to your family and significant other about your interview today. They are going to ask you about our company….what you are going to tell them?”
The manager who listed this question uses it to determine a candidate’s true listening skills, can they listen and articulate back a message. 

2) ”If I asked your last Boss what you could improve in order to sell more, what would he say?”

This is a creative way of asking about your weaknesses. 

3) “What questions do you have for me?”

This manager has been taught to score the interviews with prospective employees.  They award five points if the candidates asks  a) how they did/if they have concerns,  b) will they hire them and/or recommend them,  c) what is the next step and d) can we set it up.  This manager (and every manager) wants a salesperson that can demonstrate in an interview, that they are capable of moving the sales process forward.  If they can’t do it in an interview, then they won’t be able to do it in front of a client. 

4) “I’d like to give you a choice. You can tell me about your background or, I can tell you about the position and then you can tell me about your background. What would you prefer?”

Asking this question, allows the manager to determine if their candidate leads with feature/benefits or first determines the prospects needs and then aligns the products capabilities with those specific needs.

5) “How do you overcome price as an objection?”

Asking this question allows the manager to see if you understand how to lay the groundwork for value and differentiation.  If you are an order taker, you probably will not be able to answer this question….UNLESS YOU ARE PREPARED!!!

6) “Tell me what you know about my company.”

This manager wants to see if you can tell him/her something more than the basics.   It shows they have prepared for the meeting by researching your firm and are taking this seriously. 

7) ”Tell me about a sales situation with a customer that shows why people buy from you.” 

The details of this story allow this manager to understand your selling style.  

8) ”A piece of paper is passed across the table.  It has a name and a phone number on it.  The manager asks the candidate to call the number and make an appointment.”  

This manager wants to see if you have the confidence to take on the challenge – not necessarily if you say the right “pitch” and get the appointment. 

9)  What have been times in your career when you have struggled as a professional and how have you handled them? 

This manager wants to determine your tolerance for adversity.  If you have yet to experience a set back there is no way of knowing how you will react to one when it comes.  In addition if your idea of setback is a “normal” day at their company this will show them you are not the right fit. 

10)   “Why do you like sales?”

This manager looks for very competitive, money motivated sales professionals.  If you don’t say “money” as a main reason you are in sales, he is not interested in you. 

Some of these aren’t shocking, pretty basic if you say the least.  But the more you understand about whom you are talking to and why they are asking these questions, the better you can prepare.  What are some of the questions that you have been asked recently or in the past that have knocked you off your game?  And….if you are a manager….what is your favorite question to ask and why do you ask it???

Good listening skills. Not enough sales professionals have them according to Author Barry Farber in a recent Entreparticle on the subject. He suggests it’s because we feel more comfortable talking about ourselves and the subjects we know that we sometimes neglect to listen. After all, what could be easier? Another Farber theory is that sales professionals are so excited about their product they can’t wait to tell prospects about it – and end up doing most of the talking. Consequently, they may not come away with a clear understanding of what their client really needs. So how does a poor listener break the cycle? As Farber points out, it does take a conscious effort to develop better listening skills, but you can do it with some practice. Here’s how:

Take Notes When someone is taking notes, it means they value what is being said. The next time you meet with a prospect, be sure to bring a pad and pen. It shows right away that you want to capture whatever is most important to them.

Ask Questions Look for ways to extract information about key needs/issues. One technique that helps get people talking is “parroting” – repeating the last few words a prospect says as a question. This encourages people to elaborate more on the subject.

Make Sure You Understand One way to make sure you really understand what your client needs is to repeat back what he/she has told you. Re-phrase what you think you’ve heard to make sure you’ve understood correctly. If you’re a bit off-base, your client can clarify important points.

Practice The next time you are at a party or event, Farber advises, “shut up and listen.” Find out as much as you can about people while revealing as little as possible about yourself. Don’t interrupt and resist the urge to jump into a conversation that interests you. Instead, just watch and listen. You’ll be surprised about all of the new, interesting, and valuable information you’ll learn.

Have you ever glanced at a job description and thought it matched your skill set so perfectly that the hiring manager surely had you in mind when creating it? Only to realize at the interview that you would never, ever fit in at such a place? There is no denying that possessing the right skills and background are imperative to the position you want. But as too many people learn, allowing yourself to be seduced by great pay or benefits while ignoring warning signs about the culture can be disastrous.

Why should job-seekers care about a potential employer’s corporate culture? Aren’t there more important factors to consider, such as the job itself, salary and bonuses, and fringe benefits? These factors are important, but increasingly career experts are talking about the employee-employer “fit.” How well the employee fits the culture can make the difference between job-search success and failure. According to Leadership Coach Ron Rael, today’s applicants will base their decision to accept a position on two criteria: 1) the person that he will work for, and 2) the feel he has for the corporate culture.

Just what is corporate culture? Simply put, it’s the personality of an organization. It guides how employees think, act, and feel, and includes a company’s core values and beliefs, ethics, and rules of behavior. Culture reveals itself in many ways, both obvious and subtle. The décor of its offices, how its employees dress, and how they interact with each other are all observable clues.

Before you dismiss the corporate culture factor as insignificant, here are some tangible ways it affects you: the amount of hours you are expected to work; whether it’s a fun or hostile environment – or something in between; the dress code; the type of office space you’ll occupy (and rules regarding display of personal items); the training and development you’ll receive; the availability of onsite perks such as fitness and daycare facilities; and the interaction you’ll have with other employees, especially top management.

How do you uncover the corporate culture of a potential employer? The truth is that you will never really know the corporate culture until you have worked at the company for a number of months, but you can get close to it through research and observation. Understanding culture is a two-step process, starting with research before the interview and ending with observation at the interview.

Experts suggest arriving early to the interview — unannounced if possible — and spend the time observing how current employees interact with each other, how they are dressed, and their level of courtesy and professionalism. While it is great that firms are now using their cultures as a tool to attract and retain talent, companies must be able to substantiate their claims of a work/life balance, team atmosphere, or any other such promise.

The bottom line is that you are going to spend a lot of time in the work environment — and to be happy, successful, and productive, you’ll want to be in a place where you fit the culture. A place where you can have a voice, are respected, and have opportunities for growth.

Portions of this article have been excerpted from Dr. Randall Hansen’s website, quintessentialcareers.com. anding