How can you tell you are joining the right company?

Sergiu,

This is a really good question, but there is no really good answer. I often find myself asking the same thing about my company. We have our good days and our bad days, you could say its complicated. Some days my projects are moving along and I am making all the right decisions, others not so much.

I think Thomas had the best advice in that self reflection can reveal much. A lot of times I find that I could have handled myself differently in a situation, maybe I should have asked better questions? Did my response stem from logic or emotion? Knowing yourself, what are your red flags, what triggers you, needs to be determined.

In your statement "As I look for my next opportunity with a different company, other than the online reviews that can be deceiving, how else can I tell I will join a good culture?" I take this as your already going into the job search with distrust. This could impair your ability to make an objectively sound decision in regards to a new company, so don't read those reviews.

Do your research on the company: mission statements, community involvement, anything in recent news, possibly past news, legal troubles?

Ultimately the best fit company for you is one that fosters whatever it is that drives you and puts the right people in place around you to foster that.

Sergiu, from my experience, you will never be able to really tell if you joined the right organization or not until you start working there and this is why the Prohibition Period goes for both the employer and employee.

You can certainly check online reviews, GlassDoor insights, and other resources which will give you a high level idea. There are two phases to ensuring you join the right company:

1) Before you Join: You need to make sure the company's culture is resonates with you, there are growth opportunities, employee satisfaction, strong leadership, work-life balance, and stability.

2) After you Join: You need to see how you fit in the work place, how you get along with your colleagues, leadership and how happy you are with what you do.

The first phase will give you insights whether you should accept the offer or not. The second phase will tell if you fit there or not. Sometimes you join the right company but the right company is not always the right one for you.

It is similar to marriage, when two people are in a relationship, then they decide to get married, and shortly after, they discover that they have many differences so while they are great people, they might not be right for each other. I know this is probably not the best example, however, I am just trying to put perspective to what I am trying to say.

If the day is ending on Sunday and I don't get in a bad mood thinking "ugh, I have to work tomorrow" then I'm in the right place.

Hi Rami,
Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post. I really like and comply by the rules that you mention and that is what I am looking for my next opportunity.

As I grow and learn more about workforce and this specific role I was hoping that I will at least learn one more thing by posting this question here. I am happy that I did as there are some many people dedicated their time to answer and give me an advice.

Happy Holidays,
Sergiu

You can say you find a good job culture when you feel an environment of collaboration, a place where you can grow and acquire more skills, and where leaders share their passion for working with a vision of a good purpose.