Ensure you 'fit' into a prospective work environment.

• Author: Johnson, Jennifer
• Position: Owning the Interview Process

For the past decade, I have watched (and, sometimes, cringed) as many professionals did all the wrong things when it came to getting a new job and fitting in. They didn't ask the right questions to determine if they would be a good fit for the organization; they became wrapped up in wanting a brand name or a best-place-to-work organization on their resume; or they were drawn in by the charisma of the hiring manager. But once they accepted the position and got inside, they realized they were working in the wrong place. It is very easy to just go with the flow during the interview process and let the potential employer decide whether you're a good fit versus the other way around. But as a prospective candidate, you need to be strategic during the process and you need to ask really good questions, because it's simple: If you don't fit, you can't function at your highest and best.

Have you ever been in an organization, maybe even one that is volunteer-based, where you don't feel you can catch your stride? Not being able to fit within an organization can result in a swimming-upstream feeling on a daily basis, and it will eventually wear you down. You want to ensure that your core values are aligned as closely as possible with those of your prospective employer. The following is a glaring example of this: A few years ago, I met a woman who was interviewing at a firm for a senior-level marketing position and, although she got a great vibe from those with whom she met, she couldn't shake the feeling that her personal political views might not be in line with those of the firm. She knew that the firm represented parties who were on the opposite side of the aisle from her beliefs, but she chose to overlook it because she was excited to finally get the next-level "director" title on her resume. About a year later when she was totally settled in there, she realized that for her to succeed as a marketing professional, she really needed to believe in what she was marketing. Her core values were being challenged, as the partners asked her to put together high-level meet and greets during campaign season. She really wished she had listened to her gut and held off for another role.

It's not always front-and-center issues such as political views that can cause friction with your core values. And if you're not at the highest level of an organization, you may not ever be exposed to the firm's true core. But your values can be compromised in many ways that is...