SECTION 1

Ask About the Company

Question 1

What Is the Corporate Mission?

Yes, mission and values come and go, into and out of favor. But, really, what is more important about an organization than what it stands for, what it values, and why it exists? You will want to ask about the organization’s profitability. You will want to ask about its many operating procedures, but if you don’t know what makes it tick, what drives it onward, what it strives to become, you will not know the company.

Author and leadership guru, Simon Sinek has encouraged organizations and their leaders to “Start With Why1.” He has said that people don’t buy what a company does, but why it does it. That why is the mission. It’s what you’ve been sent to do (the world mission comes from a Latin root for sending).

I worked in the Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, parent of the first Mercy Hospital in the world, Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh. For over 150 years, the hospital was led by a Sister of Mercy. The Sister chief executive officer (CEO) I worked for made the mission and values living things. I might have had them branded on my arm; I knew them so well, from iteration and practice. I, and most of my colleagues, knew well what Mercy stood for. It stood for creating a healthy community—creating wellness, eliminating disease, physical, mental, or systemic.

You should be able to find a company’s mission statement on its website, if it has one. Or, you should be able to find it in its published documents—the annual report, the quarterly reports, the sales literature, or the recruiting materials.

Look at these documents. If you can’t find the mission or mission language, ask the question in the interview. You may have to ask obliquely, that is, you may have to ask the question indirectly. You might say, “Why is this company doing business?” If a for-profit says, “To make a profit,” they will answer honestly, but you might also expect them to add, “and to create and maintain satisfied customers” or even “to make the world a better place.” Regardless of how you ask, however, find the answer.

And, speaking of knowing the company, asking about the mission and values will present a good opportunity for you to find out what your interviewer knows about the company he or she represents. (It will show you how the organization’s leaders keep the mission alive and apparent in their employees.)

Make this one your first question! Search the Internet and the company’s published documents for the words of the mission.

Companion Questions to This One

2. What are the corporate values?

3. What is the corporate culture?

4. What is the organization’s vision?

 

Question 2

What Are the Corporate Values?

When I worked at the Pittsburgh Mercy Health System (which has since become part of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center), the six corporate values were easy to find. They were published on almost all of our internal communications. I knew them well and still remember them—compassion, collaboration, community, stewardship, excellence, and human dignity. We joked that the first letters of each value spelled “SHE C’s,” a reference, of course, to the top Sister of Mercy.

And, she did see, as well she should have! Each of these values was defined, and each employee of Mercy, including the CEO, was expected to live the value at work. Many times, I used our value of collaboration to keep others, less imbued with the values, from treating employees of lesser rank in the organization disrespectfully. I merely called the person, repeated the incident, and reminded them of the corporate values. They often apologized, recognizing their mistake.

And, make no mistake, not all employees will live each value. Nonetheless, because the value is in place, we all at least strived to live by it. And, so should those in the company where you may be offered employment.

Will your interviewers know the corporate values as I knew Mercy’s? It’s hard to say. Maybe the hard core people will. You know, they’re the ones who have the company logo tattooed somewhere on their person, the gung-ho types.

As with the corporate mission, you may be able to find the corporate values listed on the website. For instance, check your favorite company’s site. Do they invest ethically with an eye toward environmental, social, and governance (ESG; the so-called sustainable investing)? Are they interested in global issues, such as climate change? Do they invest in the companies that use renewable resources? Are they an enlightened company? Do they live their values? You judge! If you’re interviewing there, ask the person who interviews you. Remember, you’re hiring them, just as they are hiring you!

One last comment on values. We all had to write goals at Mercy, and our goals required that we include a “values goal.” From year to year, I typically wrote my values goal like this: “To train 30 tutors to work with the illiterate in Pittsburgh literacy programs over the 12 month period.” That was a measurable goal and brought the values to life.

Companion Questions to This One

1. What is the corporate mission?

3. What is the corporate culture?

4. What is the organization’s vision?

 

Question 3

What Is the Corporate Culture?

Every organization has a culture, or a personality, if you prefer.

I once worked as Director of Corporate Communications at a television production company. We created television commercials, corporate video, sports programming, and duplication and distribution of television programming. We interacted with advertising agencies, network producers, and public relations (PR) people, among others.

Our CEO and Executive Vice President (VP), who founded the firm, came from one of what was then called The Big Eight accounting firms. They wore conservative suits and ties every day (and so did I). And, they were very conservative in all aspects of their lives. Nonetheless, even though they were conservative business types, they knew that to succeed in the television production business, the firm needed not only solid fiscal grounding but lots of creativity, as well. Hence, they encouraged and fostered creativity.

The culture of that firm was what I would call Adolescent. It had the personality of Adam Sandler. The directors, camera operators, lighting and sound experts all dressed in the latest and most outlandish tee shirts and jeans. Anyone who walked onto a set in a suit was automatically suspect and shunned. This was a firm not only in its teenage years in actual years of operation but also in its culture. They produced fine work and were valued by the ad agencies, television networks, and corporations we did work for, and, it was, in part, because of the freewheeling energy of the creative types.

On the other extreme, the culture at Mercy was very maternal and spiritual, as befitting a health care organization founded and presided over by a religious order of women, most of whom wore drab, ordinary clothing and no makeup. (Interestingly, after I became Director of Corporate Communications at Mercy and we needed to produce television commercials, we used two men from the other firm, and they produced award-winning video communications for us.)

You can learn a little about the culture by looking at the organization’s website and publications. How do the employees dress? Does it use lively graphics? Does it use informal language? Does it use pinstripes or gothic type? You can certainly learn the culture by visiting the company, looking around, and asking employees. Yes, visit the company and interview some of the workers. Why not? Hey, “It’s a free country!”

Companion Questions to This One

1. What is the corporate mission?

2. What are the corporate values?

4. What is the organization’s vision?

 

Question 4

What Is the Organization’s Vision?

Heraclitus, a famous Greek philosopher, said, “Everything changes.” This certainly applies to organizations. Every organization must change or die. No organization can remain the same in the midst of a continuously changing world and marketplace. To direct this change as much as possible, an organization must have a vision of itself for the future.

A vision statement describes where the company aspires to be upon achieving its mission. This statement reveals the where of a business. Without a vision statement, a company risks stagnation. Without a vision to attain, they risk losing market position to a competitor that does have a vision, that vision becomes their future. Following are some vision statements from well-known companies to give you a sense of how a vision represents a brand. Take a look at the following vision statements.

Teach for America: One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.

LinkedIn: Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.

Disney: To entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds and innovative technologies that make ours the world’s premier entertainment company.

Facebook: Connect with friends and the world around you on Facebook2.

Do these companies succeed because they have a vision? Do their employees know the vision? Ask the person who interviews you, from whatever company. If that person cannot articulate (or at least paraphrase) the company vision, perhaps one does not exist. Perhaps they have no idea where they’re going. Perhaps you don’t want to join an organization that’s directionless.

Companion Questions to This One

1. What is the corporate mission?

2. What are the corporate values?

3. What is the corporate mission?

 

Question 5

Does the Organization Have a Strategic Plan?

Enough has been written about the importance of planning that we need not revisit it here. Needless to say, any organization can benefit from planning. The strategic plan maps out a pathway to achieve the vision for a company. Without it, the company may flounder and fail. The plan itself is of lesser value than the process, and plans constantly change (see Heraclitus). Former heavyweight champion of the world, Mike Tyson, said, “Everybody has a plan till they get punched in the mouth3.” Obviously, events can occur that require the plan to be revisited and revised using the planning process to map out the company’s future and to invest the employees in the company’s future.

When you are interviewing, ask if the organization has a strategic plan and a planning process, and, if the company does have a process, ask how it is implemented. This implementation should become obvious to you depending upon your interviewer’s response. If he or she is part of a good planning process, he or she will respond quickly and enthusiastically. If the company has no strategic planning or approaches planning in a tedious or haphazard way, the respondent will stumble. A plan not properly implemented or sporadically followed provides not much more guidance than no plan at all. Without a properly formulated and implemented plan, organizations face failure.

For you to know the answer to this question can help you make your decision, if you are offered one, about joining the firm. Then, if you join, you must, in your first week, ask for a copy of the strategic plan. Hey, you will be asked to do your part to achieve the plan’s objectives. You need to know what they are.

Companion Questions to This One

6. What are the organization’s strengths?

7. What are the areas where the organization can improve?

8. What is the organization’s financial situation?

9. What are the company’s core competencies?

 

Question 6

What Are the Organization’s Strengths?

If your interviewer hasn’t already done so (and I would hope the interviewer had), he or she should enthusiastically reveal the organization’s strengths. This shows pride in the organization, if nothing else. And, if you are treated well at the interview, you walk away as a salesperson for them, knowing what makes them a great company and telling your friends. Hey, they should want everyone to know their strengths.

Any firm that has done strategic planning or market planning has used the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis. They asked themselves to honestly list their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. So, an institutional list of these characteristics exists somewhere.

You want the list of strengths as perceived by the interviewer, not the official corporate list. If this person cannot generate, out of hand, a list, you may want to rethink your potential relationship with them.

You want to hear them say, “Our people are our strength.” Or, “We are financially sound.” Or, and perhaps better yet, “Our customers are our greatest strength.” Be it as it may, you will want to hear something. You will, of course, be asked that most famous of interview questions, “Tell me your strengths.” Every book on interviewing on the market prepares you to be able to respond to this most basic interview question. Why not turn the tables and ask your interviewer that question?

Companion Questions to This One

5. Does the organization have a strategic plan?

7. What are the areas where the organization can improve?

8. What is the organization’s financial situation?

9. What are the company’s core competencies?

 

Question 7

What Are the Areas Where the Organization Can Improve?

Most candidates know they will be asked if they have any weaknesses. Most, by now, also know how to answer, “I work too hard. I just don’t know when to stop. I give my all to my employer.”

On the other hand, not many interviewers expect to be asked the question. Because they are unprepared, they will likely answer honestly. They will be less likely to have the pat answer such as the one you’ve memorized for your interviews.

Wouldn’t it be good to ask some of the company’s current employees what the company’s weaknesses are? You might hear, “The benefits are awful,” or “This place expects your soul.”

Every organization has strengths and weaknesses. It is no cause for shame. In fact, most companies, when they do strategic planning, list many more weaknesses than strengths. It’s human nature for us to perceive our weaknesses more than our strengths.

A company aware of its weaknesses makes it able to address them and become that much stronger. Likewise, sharing the good and the bad with its employees makes a company stronger. And, the company that considers employee views and acts on them is a company on the road to invincibility.

Companion Questions to This One

5. Does the organization have a strategic plan?

6. What are the organization’s strengths?

8. What is the organization’s financial situation?

9. What are the company’s core competencies?

 

Question 8

What Is the Organization’s Financial Projection for the Coming Year?

Even if you investigate thoroughly, you’ll always find ENRON whose accounting practices are shady, at best. ENRON hid losses while their executives took millions from the company and its shareholders. You never would have found that looking at the published documents.

One of the key pieces of information you should investigate before interviewing with a company is its financial stability. Annual reports contain much of the important financial data such as net revenue, surpluses after investment income, return on investment, and so forth. So, whatever motivates you, it pays to know the financial position of an organization you consider joining. You then understand some of hurdles you face. I make no claims to financial wizardry; I simply encourage you to gain some understanding of the financial strength of the firm you wish to cast your lot with.

This financial information also tells you how the company spends its money. Does it reinvest in itself? Does it update its equipment? What areas receive the most reinvestment? Companies do not value all divisions equally. An investment company known for commercial banking decided to go into retail banking. They did not invest heavily in it, did not value the employees hired in that area, and eventually closed it, displacing all of the employees. Clearly, anyone looking to join that division would consider working in that division risky, at best, and not a good career choice. You can, of course, learn this information about publicly held companies. They must file their quarterly and annual financial reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and with the people who own their stock. Nonprofits must also file Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reports of their financial wherewithal. With nonprofits, you may legally walk in their doors at any time and ask for a copy of their IRS report. (You may have to pay for the copies and wait a day or two for the report.)

Companion Questions to This One

5. Does the organization have a strategic plan?

6. What are the organization’s strengths

7. What are the areas where the organization can improve?

9. What are the company’s core competencies?

 

Question 9

What Are the Organization’s Core Competencies?

If you believe in the Pareto principle4, and I do, you will agree that 20 percent of a company’s output reflects 80 percent of its successes. No company can do everything for everyone.

How many failures can be attributed to the company that “does everything for everyone?” In Pittsburgh, in the 1980s and 1990s, the hospital competition was fierce. However, Children’s Hospital cornered pediatric care (and rightfully so). Presbyterian Hospital cornered transplant surgery (they did, after all, retain the world famous transplant surgeon Dr. Thomas Starzl). Magee Women’s placed in the top 10 in the United States for women’s health matters; Mercy was known as the Catholic hospital, and Allegheny General had the best heart surgery and trauma care (plus the “Life Flight” franchise). They had core competencies in their respective fields. They did other things well, too, but they were best at a few. (See Question 15.)

I’ve worked at Carnegie Mellon University for many years, and over the years, the university has become well known for teaching computing. It has secondary, niche excellence in theater, computational finance, robotics, public policy, and business. It depends whom you ask.

If you don’t already know from your own investigation, ask your interviewer what he or she perceives to be the company’s competencies. You may be surprised at the answer.

Knowing the competencies of the company may indicate to you if this is a good career path. For example, a cardiac surgeon interested in transplantation should not seek employment at a community hospital that identifies as such and has no other aspirations. The staff and funding do not exist there to support groundbreaking transplant surgery. Also, be wary of a company that claims competency in many diverse areas but does not appear to have any overlap. If you see this, ask about it. How can company X have competence in areas that have no shared technology or expertise?

Companion Questions to This One

5. Does the organization have a strategic plan?

6. What are the organization’s strengths?

7. What are the areas where the organization can improve?

8. What is the organization’s financial situation?

 

Question 10

Does the Company Have Rituals?

Ritualistic behavior is healthy for any organization. At Mercy, we had many rituals, most of them related to spiritual events, like Christmas, Easter, Passover, but others related to Black History Month, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, and so forth.

At Christmas, the CEO led the decorating of the lobby Christmas tree as well as the singing of carols, all of this in the company of nurses, doctors, technicians, staff, and children from our day care center. Many employees stood in that lobby year after year with their children and celebrated a moment away from their very important work. They celebrated in the presence, and as equals with, the CEO, VPs and management team. This was in keeping, of course, with their stated mission and values.

Other companies have other events. I worked at an organization that took top management to South Carolina each winter for a golf outing. The vast majority of these individuals were men, and the event quickly became known as the “Testosterone Open.” By now, the event embraces women equally. Even so, I understand that the bonding was significant, and many work issues were discussed, debated, and resolved.

Some companies participate in the United Way “Day of Caring” and loan their staff to other agencies to help them accomplish objectives, perhaps cleaning or painting, or feeding the homeless. This gives many people a pride in their organization.

Ask your interviewer about corporate rituals. Some may be fun, some serious. Nonetheless, they exist, in every organization, even if it’s just celebrating birthdays. If you don’t want to use the word rituals, ask the interviewer what the staff do to celebrate, or what they do other than work. Ask what holidays are celebrated. Find a way to get at this information. It will tell you about the character of the people and company.

Companion Questions to This One

11. What communication techniques does the organization use with employees?

 

Question 11

What Communication Techniques Does the Organization Use With Employees?

As Cool Hand Luke in the movie of the same name, Paul Newman mocked the warden of his prison by mimicking his statement, “What we have here is a failure to communicate.” We all know what happened to Luke at the end of this great movie; he was shot!

As a person who worked in communication all of my life, I know the value of the practice of communication. I worked in a large corporation with many divisions and was responsible for creating a monthly newsletter to all employees. We worked hard to produce that newsletter, using a writer, a graphic designer, and a photographer to get it done every month. It featured news that we believed all employees needed to know and was a little top heavy, that is, it mostly featured the corporate positions on matters. It took lots of time and a significant budget. But, one day, I learned that it wasn’t as popular as a photocopied rag that one division sent out routinely. They proudly called their rag, “Babies, bowling and bullshit.” This publication included employee information such as the births of children, marriages, and personal achievements. We then added this information, as submitted by employees, to our publications. I’m certain many employees read that page of our publication first.

I learned a good lesson from that: communication is critical in corporations, employees have their own interests, and communication interests cannot be controlled. Be that as it may, although companies can’t and shouldn’t control the interests of their employees, they can and should make every effort to communicate vital information while also addressing the interests of employees. The CEO can have weekly breakfasts with employees; the executives can have similar meetings and can practice Management By Walking Around. The organization can provide daily bulletins and bi-weekly or monthly newsletters. Certainly, the firm can use more sophisticated means, such as broadcast e-mail and streaming video, as well as video conferencing.

To be effective, however, corporate communications must contain useful, relevant, and honest content, and these communications must be available to all. For this to happen, the executive leadership must have a predisposition to open, honest, and timely communication. Such communication won’t guarantee a good workplace, but it will lead to that end.

Open communication allows management to understand the needs and concerns of employees by being aware of and acting on these concerns to build a better work environment, ultimately improving productivity. Likewise, as employees learn why changes are being made and what future plans are being considered, employees feel invested in the company. Beware companies that do not value open communication.

Ask the person who interviews you to answer this important question about communication. Or, if you have time and you’re at the firm, look around for some of the communication tools. In all probability, you’ll be given some of the company’s printed materials in your interview packet. Regardless of how you come upon these materials, look them over carefully. They reveal things to you about the corporate culture, issues they consider important, they’re top of the page and those that are meaningless, bottom corner, last page, or not mentioned at all.

Companion Questions to This One

10. Does the company have rituals?

 

Question 12

Does the Company Value Diversity?

We live in a global society. This is indisputable. Some large American companies are doing more business outside America than inside. Over 3,500 multinationals are based in the United States. 40,000 U.S. firms do business with overseas companies, and most of the world’s great banks lie outside the United States.

We live in a diverse society. In the 1970s, only 12 percent of the workforce in America was black, Hispanic, or Asian-American. By 1990, the workforce consisted of over 25 percent of those groups. Now, 37 percent of the workforce is composed of minorities. By the middle of this century, one half of the workforce will be comprised of those groups5. Will you work in Miami? If you do, you know that almost 70 percent of the workforce is Hispanic. The same holds true for Washington DC.

New technologies, not the least of which is the Internet, have opened the world to people from all cultures. The person or company that is not willing to learn about, respect, and embrace new cultures will not succeed. And, consequently, you would be ill-advised to accept an offer from an organization that cannot offer obvious evidence of its appreciation and nurturing of diverse groups.

Ask for specific information about programs, services, and opportunities related to diverse groups of people.

How many managers from senior management are minorities?

Do mentoring programs exist to support minority advancement into management positions?

Does your company have programs within minority communities to help them enter college or internship programs for future employment in the company?

Don’t let the pictures on the website or the company newsletter fool you. Good PR with good casting does not equal a diverse workplace. You need to witness actual evidence of diversity within the company, particularly in senior management.

Companion Questions to This One

13. What is the organization’s board make-up and involvement?

14. Does the company have programs to develop and promote minorities?

20. Is there a union at the organization?

 

Question 13

What Is the Organization’s Board Makeup and Involvement?

You can expect different answers to this question, depending upon whether you interview with a for-profit or a not-for-profit. With the for-profit, you will be interested to know the kinds of talent and influence represented by the board of directors. General Dynamics had both Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State, and Charlotte Beers, former Under Secretary of State, as board members. These two famous and influential people undoubtedly attended few meetings and voted on only a few issues, probably profit sharing. However, their presence on the board lent no small weight to the firm’s prestige.

If you are considering working at a nonprofit, the questions of board makeup and involvement are as critical. Ask: What kind of talent and influence exists on the board, and what roles do these board members play?

All too often, board members, especially with nonprofits, believe they have operational authority. For instance, I once worked at a hospital in a small town where the board of trustees was comprised of the most powerful and wealthy people in the community. They caused more than one CEO to leave town because of their almost daily interference in the operations (and I don’t necessarily mean surgical operations) at the hospital. But, this was a small town, and those board members owned the car dealerships, the real estate, and the McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King franchises. They were big fish in a small pond.

However, on the other side of things, you do not want a board that gives senior management free reign. At a health care organization in Pittsburgh, senior management made financial decisions, including the acquisition of hospitals and a medical school in another market that put the organization in a financial crisis. To cover losses, they then accessed restricted funds sending the entire organization into bankruptcy. The board impressed by the rapid growth of the organization failed to monitor the financial solvency of the organization. As bankruptcy ensued, the courts replaced the entire board because they did not perform their fiduciary duty. Had they overseen the financial status of the organization, bankruptcy and the ensuing loss of jobs would not have occurred. So, boards do play an important role in a company’s operation.

You may, of course, find this information before you go on your interview. As with financial information, this information is a matter of record. Use the Internet, annual reports, the business media, among other sources, and find out who’s on the board of the company for which you might someday work, find out how involved the board is in overseeing financial decisions and the strategic planning of the organization.

Companion Questions to This One

12. Does the company value diversity?

14. Does the company have programs to develop and promote minorities?

20. Is there a union at the organization?

 

Question 14

Does the Company Have Programs to Develop and Promote Minorities?

If you are guided by statistics alone, you will see that women and minorities make up a growing portion of the workforce, and that portion will likely continue to grow. This includes Hispanics, African Americans, Asians, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ), and others.

The U.S. workforce is, indeed, becoming more diverse, according to a report by the Center for American Progress. In a recent study, they found that people of color made up 36 percent of the labor force. Furthermore, 64 percent in the labor force were non-Hispanic white; 16 percent were Hispanic; 12 percent were African American; and 5 percent were Asian.

As of June 2020, women account for 47 percent of the labor force, that is over 72 million women over age 16, compared to over 82 million men over age 16, who account for 53 percent of the labor force.

People with disabilities make important contributions to our economy, but their talents are under-used. Eleven percent of Americans have a disability, but only 21 percent of those are in workforce. The unemployment rate of people with disabilities is 15 percent, compared to the rest of the workforce at 8.7 percent. Companies need to put effort into understanding the ways the workplace can be re-designed to allow handicapped workers to participate in the workforce. Often, these changes are easily made.

As for corporate boardrooms, forget it. At Fortune 500 companies, only 21 people of color are CEOs, 4 percent. Four are black (0.8 percent); nine are Asian (1.8 percent); and six are Latino (1.2 percent). And, more troubling, only four are female people of color, representing just 0.8 percent of all Fortune 500 CEOs. As the study said, women make up nearly half of the labor force today, but only 18 Fortune 500 CEOs (3.6 percent) are female.

Gay and transgender workers represent 6 percent of the workforce, and they have little representation in seats of power6.

So, ask about opportunities for diverse peoples; it will make the organization stronger and your decision easier.

Companion Questions to This One

12. Does the company value diversity?

13. What is the organization’s board makeup and involvement?

20. Is there a union at the organization?

1 https://amazon.com/Start-Why-Leaders-Inspire-Everyone/dp/1591846447/ref=sr_1_3?crid=MVZIL0VKNW35&dchild=1&keywords=simon+sinek&qid=1609865233&s=books&sprefix=simon+%2Caps%2C172&sr=1-3

2 https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/inspiring-company-mission-statements

3 http://cutandjacked.com/30-Mike-Tyson-Quotes-Photos#!/

4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle

5 https://whattobecome.com/blog/diversity-in-the-workplace-statistics/#:~:text=By%202020%2C%20minorities%20in%20the,US%20workforce%20by%20next%20year.

6 https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2012/07/12/11938/the-state-of-diversity-in-todays-workforce/

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