Do it for the Culture!

Dear Millennial,

How often have you found yourself in an interview asking the question, “How would you describe the culture of your organization? What type of people tend to really thrive, and what type of people don’t do as well?”

 I’m sure many of us don’t ask this question; two reasons come to mind:

1. Although we’re interviewing the employer as well to determine what WE think about THEM, we’re too busy focusing on what THEY think about US…so we forget about our own needs and wants.
2. If we’re being honest with ourselves, we’re just happy to have gotten a call back, made it past the phone interview and to be sitting in front of a decision maker. In that moment, many believe the question, nor the answer, really matters.

Right?

Nope, wrong!

This question should be used as a guiding principle when job hunting.  In today’s society “Doing It for the Culture” is a widely-used pop culture term about carrying out a specific action for the benefit of a shared culture. I’m sure you’re wondering what that reference has to do with my opening comments and the answer is –everything! When I say “Do it for the Culture” I’m literally talking about making the right decisions as it pertains to your career….Do. It. For. The. Culture (not necessarily the money).

Most of us believe the opportunity is right if the money is right and sometimes that’s true. HOWEVER, there are, and always will be, instances when the opportunity is wrong, despite the money being right. The reasons for why the opportunity may be wrong may vary, but my hope is that after reading this letter, you’ll never forget to ask…

“How would you describe the culture of your organization? What type of people tend to really thrive, and what type of people don’t do as well?”

I’m no different from you. For as long as I could remember,the mission has always been to climb the corporate ladder, gain exposure to various opportunities, make connections, build your resume, “GET MONEY”, and do it quickly! Right? I mean, why else would I have gone to college and picked the major I thoughtwould earn me a windfall of money by now…(I’m still waiting). At this point in our lives, some have accomplished the “mission” others’ “mission” is in progress and there are those that completely aborted the mission altogether. Regardless of where you may fall on the spectrum, I think it’s safe to say that we all tend to believe money solves a lot of problems & makes it easier to deal with people we’d rather distance ourselves from, especially in professional settings.

In my experience, I’d say money has only worked about 25-30% of the timeas a problem solver (completely) and/or as a comforter when dealing with difficult people. Culture can be viewed in various ways; I’d say it’s dependent upon each individual and their experience. With that being said, I can only share my experiences and give insight based on that. When I think of my career progression, I wouldn’t say “mission accomplished” just yet…but I would say, like most, I’m a mission in progress. Due to that, I’ve endured various experiences. As a result, I am now VERY clear on what it means to “Do it for the Culture.” For me, that culture is a positive, conducive, progressive culture.

Why am I clear? Well, there have been times in my career when I did not make a career move, keeping the culture of an organization in mind. Making career decisions solely based on status, money, a title and a certain way of living has been a bittersweet experience.

The Sweet…

Financial flexibility	Ability to provide for family
Rarely saying no	Career advancement
Resume building	Corporate perks
Travel	Exposure
Sponsorship	Mentorship
Invite-only events with influential leaders	Seeing the return on investment from my student loans

All the sweet sounds great, especially because this list is a snapshot, …there’s more!

One might think “what’s the problem”….right?

Nope, wrong again! The culture I needed was MIA (missing in action).

The Bitter…

Being disrespected (directly and indirectly)	High blood pressure
Early mornings	Late nights
Accountability without ownership	Stress
Being made to feel inferior	Negativity
Sleepless nights	Lack of peace
Credibility concerns (mostly due to age and experience)	Judgement
Being absent mentally, sometimes physically and emotionally from the moments and events that matter most with friends and family.	Tears (lots of tears)

The list goes on and as I stated before, it depends on the individual. We all prioritize and value various aspects of our lives differently. I would often make excuses for the lackluster culture of various organizations by saying things such as “to whom much is given, much is required.” I firmly believe this statement is true, and understand that some of the bitter things I mentioned may not be that bitter and/or will always be bitter no matter what. However, when you decide to “Do It for the Culture” you feel differently about what you’re willing to sacrifice and how you’re willing to be treated in an effort to provide for yourself and/or those you love.

There are a variety of things that no amount of money can buy within an organization that only culture can. Don’t get me wrong, there are some opportunities where money and culture are both present and make for a great experience. All I’m saying is it’s important to keep in mind that culture is something you should be thinking about as you advance in your career. It may not seem like a big thing until you’ve accepted an opportunity and later realize that the kind of culture you need to flourish, grow and thrive is missing. As the presence of millennials within organizations becomes more prevalent in the working world, organizations will begin recognizing that money will attract talent… but in my opinion, they still don’t completely understand that CULTURE is what will essentially keep the talent.

Speaking from experience, I believe that if we’re “Doing It for the Culture” everything else will fall into place, rather it be opportunity, money, etcetera. If you don’t believe such currently, I PROMISE one day you will!

Ask the question, pay attention to the response and observe the people around you.

-Millennial Jas