Know the company's culture before you join it

By Viqué-Ocean Kahinju

How to fit into a company culture is an important aspect every job seeker should consider before applying for or accepting a job offer.

Company, corporate or organisational culture is the background, or the founding values or, traditions of a particular organisation. It is important for you to figure out whether the culture of the company you are interested in is one you think you will thrive in, says Yusuf Nkurunungi, a human resource consultant in Jinja.

"A job is more than just going to a workplace and doing your tasks for eight or more hours," he says. "You are also expected to behave in a way the company culture dictates, or else you will fall out with your employer," he adds.

Bear in mind, you have to deal well with co-workers, bosses, office politics, faith matters, stakeholders and society. If you are not comfortable with your organisational, or office culture, you are bound to find the job boring, or even unbearable.

"Thus, how can you tell that a company in which you are about to apply for a job is not compatible with you?"Nkurunungi asks.

You can tell what a company's internal culture is fit for you, take your research about their corporate culture to the next level before you seek, or take the job that essentially may require you to do things you certainly loathe, or feel will damage your selfesteem, he advises.

"It is a click away and you will find out from their website whether the company you are interested in is open about its corporate culture," adds Musa.

"They should be able to explain what it is like to be a part of their team, or what their ‘values' are." What is more, check out the company's social media pages. by doing your homework about its culture well. Or, ensure you hint on the company culture during an interview. Ask about the background or norms of the organisation.

It will give you the impression whether you will fit in or otherwise. And, it will give you a perfect picture of what is expected of you, and what you actually should expect when you get the job, he adds. Arguably, cultural fit in an interview may matter more than qualifications, or skills, says Musa Khalid, a business consultant in Entebbe. When you find a job that sounds like a great professional