Evaluating Firm Culture at a Potential Employer and Part 5 of my Career in Detail Series

The Weekly Sitrep

How to think about and evaluate firm culture when looking at a potential employer

Very frequently I will post a military transition program for a company like Accenture, JP Morgan, Deloitte etc and without fail I will get a bunch of DMs asking me a variation of the following question…

“Is this a good company to work for? Is the culture good? Is this X consulting firm better than Y consulting firm culture? 

I always get perplexed and amused when I read these messages because the question itself betrays a misunderstanding of how companies internally work. I also remember that at one point I was like this, and it takes time and experience to learn. It’s kinda like asking if one Brigade Combat Teams culture is vastly different from another Brigade Combat Teams culture. For the most part, the cultures are going to be the same with little differences that are driven by leadership and situational pressures. 

To answer the first question “Is this a good company to work for?” Transitioning veterans need to understand a couple of things when evaluating if a company is good or bad (if such definitions could even be applied).

1. There is no such thing as a good company or a bad company. What matters is if the work pays well (or has a runway to pay well), affords the work life balance you seek (with the understanding that different industries have different norms and expectations on work life balance), and gives you the industry experience and skills you need to build a career that will allow you to provide for yourself and your family

2. Companies change and evolve over time as they react to market pressures. Compensation, benefits, culture can and do change over a period of time.

3. You will likely have several different employers throughout your civilian career. It is normal and natural and to leave a company when your career is stalled, you need a change, or find a better opportunity elsewhere. As such, the idea that a company is “good” or “bad” is irrelevant. What matters is if the terms of employment work for you at the moment and provide you with the experience to advance your career. 

To answer the second question about culture between companies, it's helpful to understand how specific industry norms inform company culture. 

Industries set cultural norms and companies internal cultures are downriver from the industry. What does this mean? Well it's quite simple if you think about it.

Investment Banking culture is known for being notoriously shitty. The shitty culture revolves around tight deadlines and managing directors making insane promises to clients. In order to stay competitive in the industry each company has to execute in a similar way. That drives culture. So rest assured, that no matter what investment bank you goto, it's going to be the same shitty culture no matter what they tell you. Consulting is going to be the same way. Really any professional services.