Does the Company Fit You?

We are coming up to the holiday season with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas approaching us.

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays because people always come up with the most creative costumes. Just this weekend I went to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA for something called Howl-O-Scream. At Howl-O-Scream there are “scarers” that are dressed up as something creepy who will either walk around scaring people in the park or will hide in haunted houses and jump out at you. Their makeup and costumes are incredible. It’s so fun!

As an introvert, I am SO impressed with those actors and cannot imagine doing their job. I imagine it takes a special personality to dress up in a costume and a good deal of social energy to think of something scary to say and repeat it as people walk past. My introverted self would be sobbing on the inside. I couldn’t do it.

It got me thinking how important it is to take stock of who you are and make sure you aren’t stretching yourself to do something that is unnatural for your personality.

And this is especially important to remember in the interview process. It’s easy to go into an interview laser-focused on how you are presenting yourself. Do this. But don’t forget the other piece of the process – you are interviewing them just like they are interviewing you. As you are meeting the team and getting a sense for the role and the company, absorb what it offers and then compare with what you need.

We all see those questions on LinkedIn that deal with how to prepare for and answer common interview questions. Well, candidates should be making a list of their own questions to have as they interview.

In our conversations with candidates, TYGES uses an acronym called CLAMPS to help us understand what is most important to each person as they are weighing different factors in their search. CLAMPS stands for Challenge, Location, Advancement, Money, People, and Security.

For me? People are very important, so when I interviewed at TYGES I took a careful look at the company culture. And I know it sounds simple, but my environment significantly affects my overall mood as well. So, when I came out of my interview to a bright office and found myself hoping I could see the people I talked with again, I knew that this place would be a fit for me. My point is that I knew those things were important to me and I was able to evaluate whether or not the company would meet those needs as well, however simple they may be.

Before you step into your interview, consider ranking the CLAMPS categories that I shared above. For your top two categories, go a step further and write down a few things that would satisfy your needs in those areas. And be specific.

For example, if location is your top priority, have in mind exactly how far and how often you’d be willing to commute. If advancement is your top priority, have a concrete idea of what next steps you have in mind, and compare that with what is offered at the company. If your most important needs are not met, move on to different opportunities if you can.

Do you know what else I love about Halloween? Watching different people’s personalities on display as they pick their costumes. You can see what’s important to them, and any eccentric qualities get to be on display. People are unique and have different factors that are important to who they are. Pay attention to yourself and don’t forget that the company needs to fit you just as you need to fit the company.

And if you need any help in talking through what you’re looking for, reach out to TYGES. We are here to understand you, and to help you understand you, so you can be with the opportunity that fits you best.

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