How to Find Out If the Company's Culture Is Right for You

You're looking for your next career opportunity and have made a list of the "must haves". One thing you know for sure is that you don't want to work in a bureaucratic or political environment. Been there and done that.

The problem is how are you going to find out in an interview whether the culture is right for you or not?



One of the mistakes candidates often make is to ask general questions about the company, job, people, etc. They may ask, "Is this a bureaucratic environment?" and get relieved to hear that it's not. Only to take the job and find out it is! They asked the question but wonder why they didn't get the real picture.

The key is to ask specific questions that will give you the details. Asking broad questions leads to subjective answers.

Here's what to ask to find out if the culture is right for you:

What kinds of people (personality traits, working style, etc.) typically succeed at your company? Listen carefully to the responses that are given. If the person tells you that people who "burn the midnight oil" are successful, or that they like to joke that "if you don't come in on Saturday, don't bother coming in on Monday", you'll know that this environment is one in which putting in a lot of hours is the norm and expected. If you are trying to find balance in your life between work and personal, this should be a red flag for you. Some organizations value people who win at all costs. As long as the deal gets done, they don't care about the process or if people were alienated along the way. Ideally, the types of people who succeed are those who develop their teams, deliver results and work collaboratively.

Which department is the most influential? This will tell you what drives the company. If you're in marketing and you hear engineering, you might find this a frustrating environment. Dig a little deeper and ask from what department the CEO came from. If s/he came from the finance department, that may be a clue as to where the emphasis is for the company. Similarly, if the CEO came from marketing or manufacturing, that may be an indication of the perspective they would take on growing the company.

How are conflicts resolved? This is a very important question to ask, because it gets at the heart of how a company runs and the culture it fosters. Preferably things are resolved between parties and then escalated if needed. If, however, the response you are given indicates that there are ongoing powers struggles between departments and that the battles are fought with the intent of determining which department is stronger (versus doing what is best for the company), be aware that you may be stepping into a volatile environment. And if you don't like frequent conflict, better stay away from this company!

How are ideas presented? Companies are always looking for good ideas. Is there a forum for presenting ideas, or is it less formal? How do ideas from all levels get funneled through the organization? In some companies formal written recommendations/ideas are channeled up through the organization, with modifications and changes being made by various people in senior management as the document works its way to the CEO. Ultimately, that recommendation may be presented to the CEO by the EVP, even though the idea came from a lower level management (or non-management) person. In other companies, an idea may be presented directly to the CEO from whoever came up with the idea, and it may be presented verbally without all the analysis having been completed. Which format are you more comfortable with?

How are decisions made? Some companies are command and control. All decisions are made at the top and get pushed down to middle management. Other companies are consensus driven, which means decisions can drag out in the process of getting everyone to agree. Other companies empower people at multiple levels to make decisions that affect their area. During the course of your interviews, ferret out how decisions are made and ask about how the smaller decisions are made versus the larger, more strategic ones. This will be an indication of whether top management sets the strategy and then lets lower level management make the tactical decisions or whether all decisions are made through top management. Be honest with yourself about the type and style of company management you are most comfortable working in.

How does the company deal with people who are not performing? Do they try to work with that individual to help them raise their performance to an acceptable level or do they very quickly attempt to weed out the underperformers and transition them out of the company? Or, do they try and determine what skills the person has and then find another place for them in the organization? This is an important element of a company's culture, as it gets at the heart of how they view the individual and the success of the company. Are you the type of manager who wants to work with an underperforming employee and try to bring them "up to speed" or are you more comfortable cutting your losses more quickly and transitioning that person out of the company? How your interviewers respond to this question will provide excellent insight into the culture of the company.


As recruiters, we know that the cultural fit for a candidate with a company is critical to long term success. Candidates and companies owe it to themselves to do their due diligence on the issue of cultural compatibility during the interview process. It's worth the effort!

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

They Took My Ideas and Gave Somebody Else the Job

We met over coffee with a Director of Sales who told us of a recent experience he had interviewing at a company. He went through several rounds of interviews and by all accounts he was headed for an offer. The recruiter said, “Things are looking good” and told him he should keep selling.

Every time this Director went back for another round, the company kept pumping him for more ideas, which he freely gave. After the fourth round in a protracted process, he was surprised to learn that they had implemented two of his ideas. When the CEO said to him, “You’re going to make me a lot of money,” the Director of Sales thought an offer was just around the corner. Unfortunately, the offer went to another candidate.


This Director of Sales learned the painful lesson of giving away too much for free.



We heard a similar story about an advertising agency which was approached by a potential client. The potential client was a small company and wanted the agency to develop some creative, free of charge, before they made an agency selection. The head of the agency told the company president that he was happy to provide broadcast and print samples from current clients, but wasn’t going to develop new creative and give away free what they sell. The agency got the account.

We’re not saying that you should never give out ideas, especially when you’re interviewing. It’s normal in the course of an interview to be asked your ideas on how to solve a problem the company is facing. It gives a prospective employer a window into how you think and this is an important element in their hiring decision. However, it’s better to give them a “taste” rather than “serving up the whole meal.” You need to balance out the degree to which you give away your ideas. Otherwise, you’re in the role of an unpaid consultant.

So what do you do when you’re faced with this dilemma? When you feel you’ve reached that level of discomfort where giving away more ideas without an offer just doesn’t feel right?

A very powerful way to demonstrate your strategic thinking is to draw on your past successes. For example, you can relate the story of how you analyzed some research and came up with an epiphany that helped grow the business. Past performances are the best predictor of future results, which is why it’s important to highlight your accomplishments. Building the bridge between your past achievements and the challenges the prospective employer is facing is a great way to paint a picture of what kind of impact you could make at their company.

The Director of Sales we mentioned above is scheduled to interview at another company. He is going to be very cautious and give ideas out on a more strategic basis. He learned from the previous experience. He no longer believes that, “They are using my ideas so they must love me.” He now realizes, “If they are using my ideas they may not need me.” This is not always the case, but it certainly can be.

Use your best judgment when you’re asked for advice or recommendations during an interview. Give them just enough so they’ll want more – on a permanent basis.

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

The Best Answers to: How Do You Manage?

Companies are always looking for people who have the potential to advance within the organization. One of the keys to progressing is being an effective manager.

When we’re interviewing candidates we spend a significant amount of time on the management portion, probing several areas. The answers we get vary depending on someone’s management style, but below are some we thought were particularly good. As you read through these, think about your management style and how it applies to each one of these questions.


Describe Your Management Philosophy – What we’re trying to learn here is the person’s view on how a team should be managed. This is their overarching philosophy. A VP at Yahoo! had a great answer to this question. She said, “I automatically believe in my people. If there’s a problem, I look to myself first.” A CEO of a start-up gave this answer, “I like to eliminate fear so that people try new things and are not afraid to make mistakes. But, they shouldn’t make the same mistake twice.”

What’s Your Management Style? – One VP articulated what we like to hear: “I set out a clear vision, remove any obstacles they can’t remove and then ‘turn them loose’ to accomplish their goals.” Other things we look for are: giving them stretch assignments and credit (especially publically) , being accessible, creating a collaborative environment while holding people accountable, and mentoring.

How Do You Motivate People? The best managers empower their teams so that everyone “owns” a part of the business. It’s a big motivator when people see how their part contributes to the overall success of the brand, division and company. Knowing that their efforts matter on a larger scale, incents them to do their best work. Another way to motivate individuals on your team is to find out what makes them tick. One CFO said, “I determine what motivates each individual and then develop a plan that addresses their needs.” Rewards are also great motivators. Make it a point to celebrate the individual wins, but also focus on the success of the group.

What Do You Look for When You Hire? - Beyond the expected skill set, we like managers who look for passion, creativity, leadership potential and problem solvers. One senior executive said, “I look for people who complement my skills. Are enthusiastic, ingenious, passionate, and have a sense of humor. It’s hard to work with people who don’t have one.”

Give an Example of How You Turned a Problem Employee Around – What we look for is how patient the manager is and how dedicated they are to helping the person succeed. The best answers are ones where the manager demonstrates how they effectively mentored someone to improve their performance. Someone gave a great answer to this question and then added, “When I can’t turn someone around, I look to see if there’s another role within the organization which might better leverage their skills.”

Tell Us About Someone You Developed Who Got Promoted - Developing your team is key to your success, the individuals and the company’s. Good answers include assigning projects that mesh with the needs of the individual and those of the company; increasing someone’s visibility to senior management, either by talking them up or having them attend an executive meeting; and appropriately delegating so they get exposure to new things. Ideally, you were the architect of their development plan and their mentor. The combination of these resulted in their promotion. A sales manager told us, “I take a real interest in their career goals and work with them to achieve what they want.”

Give an Example of How You Inspired Others – A President of a Cosmetic company put it best, “I inspire by having a collaborative style. Getting everyone to believe in the mission. Listening to my team and soliciting their ideas. I firmly believe that the best ideas can come from anywhere.” Another executive indicated that one of his keys to success was getting people to see that statements about “what can’t be done” were really just highlighting areas of opportunity.

People who have “cracked the code” on managing have propelled their careers forward. It’s a basic fact that you can’t get to the top without the success of the people who work for you. Rate yourself on the above areas and if you fall short, take a page from what these successful executives are doing.

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

How to Interview Well and Get That Job

Obviously the marketplace is tight, which is why it's even more important to say and do the right things in an interview. Companies are more selective now and less likely to overlook a stumble.

If you're taking the time to interview, make a good impression. Even if this may not be the job for you, a connection can be made during the interview that will serve you at some point in the future.

Here's how to have a great interview:




Tell the Story Well - People love a good story. When discussing your accomplishments make sure your story has a beginning, middle and end. What was the business problem, how did you solve it and what were the results? For example, if you're explaining how you grew a business, start with the situation. Describe the market conditions at the time, what your competitors were doing and what resources you had. Then talk about the epiphany that led to the solution and how you executed on that. Finally, discuss the results. A cautionary note: watch the "I's" when telling the story. No one succeeds alone. Most companies are looking for people who are successful in a collaborative environment.

Focus On Results, Results, Results - Companies are interested in results. Candidates sometimes shoot themselves in the foot by discussing their philosophy of growing a business, rather than focusing on the far more powerful examples of how they have successfully done it in the past. Results should be quantified. Rather than saying the business grew, give specifics around sales volume, market share, distribution gains, etc. Don't give an example unless you were still at the company when the results came in. It's a mistake to launch into a story only to say at the end, "I wasn't there when the product hit the marketplace."

Make Your Personal Story Interesting - Interviewers often want to know who you are as a person, rather than just your professional experience. We're always amazed that people get tongued tied when we asked them about themselves. This should be a fairly easy question to handle. The best way to frame this answer is to start with where you're from, why you chose to go to a particular school and what got you interested in your field. In addition you can always mention your interests. If you say you like to read, be prepared to discuss what you enjoy reading and why.

Get Your Top Three In - There are probably three things you do very well. Make it a point to weave these skills in during the course of your answers. Rather than just listing them, have a sentence or two that demonstrates your expertise.

Know the Company - Know the company you are interviewing with and what issues they are facing. Make the connection between your experience and their business problems. The more relevant your experience is, the better. If you are changing industries, you will have to demonstrate how your skills are transferable. Also discuss how this opportunity aligns with your future career goals.

Be Enthusiastic - Don't hold back your enthusiasm for round two because there may not be one. This is one of the most common mistakes that candidates make, believing that they are "buying" as well as "selling" and forgetting that their focus should be on "selling". Interviewing is a lot like dating. You want to feel like that person is interested in you. The more you can convey your enthusiasm (leaning forward, smiling, nodding) for the company and the opportunity, the greater the likelihood you'll be asked back.

Be a Good Listener - Listening is crucial to a good interview. Another common mistake candidates make is to go into an interview determined to make a point. Answering what is being asked is the best way to be relevant. Don't give a preamble to the answer, "Before I answer that let me tell you this." Importantly, when the interviewer has finished and thanks you for coming in, recognize that the interview is over. Don't prolong the interview by giving your final thoughts or continuing to sell.


Think of an interview as a focused conversation in which you have one hour to build rapport. Use your time wisely and leave them with a good impression. Interviewing is a lot like dating. If things don't click, you won't be asked on a second date.

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

What All Good Mentors Do

Most people we know have benefited from having a great mentor, someone who has helped accelerate their career. Because of that, they’re now in a position to be a mentor themselves. While companies encourage mentoring there’s often little guidance on how to do it well.

Whether you are a novice or an experienced mentor, here is what all good mentors do:



Set Goals – It’s important to set expectations around the relationship. Be clear as to what you can do for them and what you expect from them. They should have a defined goal that includes what they would like to accomplish in what time frame and a plan to make that happen. For example, a finance manager at a Fortune 500 company wanted to learn how to work better cross functionally. Her mentor gave her a number of suggestions on how she could achieve this. In addition, she made it a point to include her in a meeting with multiple departments so the finance manager could learn who the players were and what their perspectives were. The mentor made sure her goal tied to a long-term one. In this case, the finance manager wanted to be a general manager someday. Working cross functionally was key to achieving that goal.

Have an Honest Interest in the Person - Sometimes people are arbitrarily assigned to a mentor. If the match isn’t a good one, lack of chemistry, etc, asked to be reassigned to a different mentee. It’s important to have a connection and care about your mentee’s success.

Be Accessible – In addition to your formal meetings, let your mentee know that you are available between meetings, especially if they need your assistance in a pinch. This could be a quick call or email. The time you’ll be expending is minimal but the impact could be significant.

Actively Look for Ways to Help Them – Maybe they would benefit from listening in on a call or meeting you’ll be attending. The relationship you have is a two-way street. Don’t wait for them to come to you. If you are aware of resources (e.g., seminars, training, etc.) that could be of help, be proactive and let them know about it.

Talk Them Up – When you’re in meetings, let your peers and boss know how well your mentee is doing. That will help their visibility and ultimately their career. It will also help to increase their self-confidence knowing that key people in the organization are aware of their contributions.

Mentoring is a great way to give back and can make all the difference in someone’s career. Useful advice at the right moment can provide the spark to help someone through a rough patch or deal with a major project which has key implications for a potential promotion. The wonderful aspect of mentoring is that it is the gift that rewards the giver as well as the receiver.


Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

How to Get Your Twenty Something Off the Couch!

Your twenty something graduated two months ago and…...now what?

The last thing you want is your twenty something using their lack of experience and the slow job market as an excuse to lay on the couch watching reality TV.



Having coached these Gen-Y's, we know the first thing to do is tap into what motivates them. If they majored in business, what did they picture themselves doing? Did they see themselves traveling the globe solving major business problems? Great! Use that as fuel to get them moving.

After their initial excitement, they'll come up with a bunch of excuses why they should delay getting started. We've heard it all and wanted to pass along ammunition, you can use to launch them off the couch and into a job.

I Don't Have Any Real Experience. Who's Going to Hire Me? -- Temporary agencies, for starters. Companies like Office Team have plenty of administrative positions which are perfect for graduates. Most temporary agencies do "temp to perm", which is an excellent way to see if they like the job before making a long-term commitment. Outside of agencies, there are thousands of companies, large and small, that need help at the entry level.

There's Too Much Competition Now. I'll Wait Until Fall -- Even though there are thousands of graduates looking for jobs, a job search could take a few months, and there'll always be competition. The sooner your twenty something gets started, the better.

I Don't Know How to Write a resume -- The important thing about a resume is that it is their chance to highlight the great things they have done. And when they write their resume, they should be sure to separate the position responsibilities from their actual accomplishments. Responsibilities are the things they were in charge of (e.g., filing) and accomplishments are what they achieved (e.g., established a new filing system). We were coaching one student who said, "All I did was answer the phones." We probed and found out that in answering those calls he was also scheduling shipment dates for vendors, which we added to his resume.

The resume should also include school activities that will highlight their leadership and organizational skills. If they were on the school newspaper, worked at fundraiser for the school or a particular club within the school, those should go on their resume. If relevant, have a section for awards and scholarships. Finally, have a section for interests. This is NOT where they should put "play video games all day" unless s/he wants to work at a gaming company. The interests should be aligned with their objective. They can use this sample resume to crank one out.

I Don't Know How to Look for a Job -- The first step (they usually like this one) is to list all the companies they would love to work for. Apple and Google usually make the list. Then, they should approach each one, even if there are no jobs posted that they qualify for. A lot of great positions are never listed on a company's website. Here's more on that: Finally a plan to get a job.

I Don't Know How to Interview -- At this early stage in their career, you wouldn't expect them to know what to say and do in an interview. Interviewers know this and will forgive most faux pas, except answering a cell phone during an interview. And yes, we've had that happen to us, which prompted us to put together this list: Ditch the Cell Phone and Other Essential Interview Tips

Your twenty something is on the verge of launching their career. The inertia that is created by staying on the couch is a powerful force to overcome, but it must be overcome if they are to successfully begin their career. Creating a plan of action for finding a great job and then putting that plan into action will ensure that your twenty something will be among those smart college graduates who have learned how to make the difficult transition from academics to the real world.

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

Employer vs. Employee Mentality. Which Do You Have?

We were coaching a woman (we'll call her Donna) who is an associate partner in a law firm. Donna has been with the firm for 10 years and was promoted to limited partner 18 months ago. The managing director of the firm expected to see a change in how Donna approached the business - after all, she was now a limited partner. Her next career step would be a full fledged equity partner, assuming she was invited to join at that level. The managing director was starting to have doubts about her future with the firm. He had spoken to Donna about the expectations he had of partners and explained he wanted her to act more like an employer than an employee. It had been a year and a half, and Donna wasn't getting it.

When we sat down with Donna she had a very definite goal - to be an equity partner. Since she was highly motivated we asked her what was preventing her from making that transition to more of an employer mentality. She said "I'm not sure how to do that". She said she knew that it meant thinking more like a boss but what did that really entail?

It might seem fairly straightforward but there are thing that are indicative of an employer mentality.


Here's what companies are looking for:


What do we need to do to grow the business? This is the type of thinking that senior management is looking for, and you don't necessarily have to have all the answers. Just by raising the questions, "How do we increase our business in this vertical?" or "How do we penetrate new markets?" will demonstrate that you are thinking about the big picture. Once that's on the table, a plan can be put in place to address it.

Problems then Solutions - Every company has their share of problems. Whether it's growing their brand, training their people or streamlining processes, there are usually some areas that need to be strengthened. What employees typically do is complain about things without offering potential solutions. Thinking more like an employer means having some idea of how you would approach the problem. Even if your solution isn't the one that's embraced, it's important to have some ideas of how to solve it.

Mentoring - Help people grow in their careers, even those who aren't your direct reports. If someone has a skill deficiency, help them turn that around. Let them know you care. You can send them to training or put them on a project that will developed that skill, or work with them side by side until they've improved. Beyond helping them with a specific skill, position them for advancement. Delegate to them or have them sit in on important meetings. Investing in your company's talent will benefit everyone and elevate you in senior management's eyes.

Bigger Presence - Developing your own brand and having a bigger presence will benefit you and your organization. You can raise the profile of the firm and attract new clients by joining a board, writing articles (traditional or blogs), speaking on panels or attending and hosting networking events. To be pegged as someone who is always looking for ways to strengthen the business by increasing the company's reputation as well as your own, will mark you as someone ticketed for bigger things.

Having a POV in Management Meetings - The management meeting exist to highlight and solve problems and explore opportunities. Bringing managers together and having all that brain power in the same room doesn't do any good if no one contributes. You're in the room because they want to know your point of view. It doesn't mean that they'll agree with it, but as a manager, they certainly expect you to have something substantive to say. Most meetings have agendas that are circulated beforehand. Take a close look at all the items on the agenda and come up with one or two key points about each one.


Importantly, you don't need to be in management to have an employer mentality. In fact, that's how most people rise to senior management. They take ownership in the business and look for ways to help strengthen the company. This thinking can be done at all levels and is appreciated even at the most basic levels. Whether you are already part of senior management, transitioning to senior management or just starting your career, it's important to start thinking more like your employer. Having an employer mentality will shift you to the major leagues.

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success