How Not to be Surprised by a Company’s Culture

Lawyers can be burnt or at least surprised by what a company is actually like after they’ve joined.

How to do your diligence:

• Do basic Internet research. Take results with a grain of salt, but figure out which themes to keep an eye on during the interview process.
• Ask friends who are insiders but not part of the formal interview process what it’s like and how things are handled. Sample things to find out: Who gets rewarded and why? What kinds of metrics are used? What does the company consider risky? How are people let go? What is the hiring manager or team known for?
• During the interview, don’t ask what is the culture like because the answer will likely be too generic to be helpful. Instead, ask what’s unique about the place, or what are common themes among top performers. You can also ask nicely why the job is open. (See https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/30/wharton-psychologist-adam-grant-my-favorite-advice-for-job-seekers.html for more.)
• After you receive the offer, you can ask for a coffee or call with the manager, a future colleague, or business partner to get a better sense of the place and people. Now you can ask more specific questions (again, nicely) like how to work with tough clients, how vacations are handled, etc.