How to understand company culture during remote interviews
The current COVID-19 situation has radically changed the work and recruitment landscape as we know it. Companies have been forced to quickly adjust their working-from-home policies in order to keep their employees safe when restrictions on travel and physical meet-ups were put in place across the world.
Now that this new way of working has been established, what are the challenges facing a potential employee? How can you be sure that what you are being told on the website and in interviews is true and matches with what you want when the current situation restricts you from meeting the employer face-to-face?
I had to go through this scenario with MAG when joining remotely during the early stages of the pandemic. It was really important to me that there was a good match in terms of company culture, working practices, and the company goals. My strategy on how to approach the interviews had to be more fine tuned than they’d usually be, and these are my learnings from that experience.
One of the most important outcomes is for both sides to feel confident that your new role is going to work out and everyone is a great fit. Teamwork and clear, relaxed communication is vital, and we put a lot of emphasis on this when considering applicants at MAG.
As the employer, we are also aware that the recruitment process is an opportunity for you, the prospective new employee, to investigate the company and its culture.
In the past, being able to come to conclusions regarding how you felt came through spending time at the workplace. By remembering how you felt when you arrived and what impression the office or studio gave you, considering the overall ‘vibe’ of the building, you imagine and project yourself in a position of how you would fit if/when you joined them. In these digital and remote times, it’s much harder to create this picture, and, most likely, you will have to draw these conclusions based on a series of video calls instead.
First impressions
There are many ways to research companies, but this text will focus on gaining understanding of personal fit and company culture in particular. For the sake of the argument, we’ll assume that you’ve deemed the company well suited to your needs and qualifications in other areas.
The company’s website is your obvious starting point, but you need to take a sideways, critical look at what is being presented to you. Obviously they want to present the most positive image possible of working for them, so you need to read between the lines:
Design and presentation
- How ‘corporate’ does the website look?
- Does it present itself as a slick, well-oiled machine?
- Or do you get the feeling that this is a warmer, less curated window into a company?
- What conclusions or impressions can you draw from this?
In MAG’s case I appreciated the nice and warm presentation on the website, along with the focus on the close-knit nature of the teams. There is very little pretentiousness on show, which I liked.
Language
- What language is used to convey how the company operates?
- Do these terms resonate with what you are looking for?
- Do they use words like ‘driven’, ‘ambitious’, & ‘deliver’ across their website? Language like this may suggest that the company has a more aggressive approach to how it operates.
- Do they use terms like ‘creativity’, ‘trusting’ & ‘empowering’? In this case, the company may focus more on the artistic merit and individual contribution of what is being undertaken.
- Which fits you better? Would you feel comfortable using these terms to explain how you work to a potential employer? Examining the language is important as it can give you insights you can bring up as questions during the interview.
Social Media
- Do they have a social feed on their website? Can you find a social feed on Instagram or Facebook?
- What sorts of photos or posts are there?
- Do they look like a competitive crew?
- Do they look warm & friendly?
- Do they show their politics and values?
- Does what you see resonate with you?
At MAG we care passionately about our employees’ happiness, which we believe leads to creating great games. You can see this all over the MAG website and on social feeds. Happy people, good times!
It’s worth pointing out that there is no right or wrong in any of the conclusions that you draw. The impression you reach will be based on your own outlook, experience, and goals. If what the company is presenting appeals to you, then great! If not, then consider if this will be the right place for you. If you have questions, then maybe you need to dig a little deeper!
Other websites are useful places to look as current or past employees can comment on their experiences with the company. LinkedIn and Glassdoor are the main options. Make sure you apply critical thought regarding any comments or reviews you read.
- Do they look authentic?
- Are they old? I.e. nothing new has been added recently.
- Does it look like the company has done a PR campaign internally to boost their review score? If they are aware that comments are damaging their recruitment process, they may attempt to improve them by asking people who still work there to leave good reviews, and this can be spotted if you look carefully.
If you have questions about what you’re seeing on somewhere like Glassdoor, make sure you bring it up with your main contact at the company in case there is an explanation you can accept. This is not a topic to bring up during an interview as it is a more corporate concern that may be harder to answer.
First contact
It can feel scary to get in touch with someone in HR or recruitment early in the process, but this is exactly what they would like you to do! A quick conversation before you apply lets you find out more about what the company is looking for and this is the ideal time to ask questions outside of a formal interview situation.
Here are some question ideas that could be applied outside of the normal application process:
The process
- How many people will you meet?
- What format do the interviews take?
- What opportunities to ask questions or give feedback will you have?
- How will I know the point of the meetings or what I’m expected to talk about?
Products & tests
- Can they explain what the project is or anything about the team or timescale?
- Will you have to do a test? Any details of what that might be could give you an insight into how they work and whether it fits your experience or approach.
The company
- What are the company goals?
- Do they seem incredibly ambitious, or do they have a steadier approach?
- Do these goals excite or interest you?
MAG’s Talent Acquisition Manager, Ruth Atkinson, does a brilliant job answering these questions and helping prospective candidates understand why MAG is special and whether they would be a good fit or not before any formal interview.
Meeting others
To continue building understanding remotely as you continue through the process, you need to think more deeply about what you have learned when speaking to people during video interviews. What insights have you gained?
Some things to consider:
- Do you meet a lot of people across the company? If so, this suggests that the company feels that interpersonal skills and team member connections are important. It also suggests they value their employees’ feedback and trust them to give a good impression.
- What sort of language do the managers that you meet use? Are they interested in how you approach problems? Are they interested in you as a person? Or are they more interested in task completion? Do they sound like they know all the answers? Does it look like they’d lean on your experience and knowledge?
- Do you feel like you can ask hard questions during your interview?
- Does one person usually answer during your interview? If so, are they the leader? How does the rest of the room react? Do you think you can see a range of answers and opinions? What does this tell you?
Think critically!
It may feel like a lot to consider when all you really want to do is succeed in getting a role. But consider that joining a company where you are not an authentic cultural fit will, in the long run, cause more issues. It’s worth taking the time to think outside the job itself and consider the more subtle messages. After considering these insights, hopefully you’ll be in a good place to make an educated decision.
For the foreseeable future, working remotely will continue to be the priority, and meeting in person to understand working practices of a company is going to remain difficult. However, this shouldn’t stop you from interviewing for a new role and accepting it in the knowledge that you’ve made the right choice. As you understand the culture you can become more confident you are a great fit, good luck!
And if you want to find out more about how MAG works, check out our job openings!
