10 Signs That a Company Has a Serious Culture Problem

As you look for your next employer after playing in the NFL, keep in mind that not all employers are created equal. Look for signs of a culture that you are excited to join, and signs of ones you should avoid.

May. 19, 2014 Forbes

Looking for a job? It always surprises me how few people interviewing at my company ask about our culture. But they should. Over the last several months, weve all seen two cultural meltdowns that got big media play, and neither company came off well. In one, a woman named Julie Horvath resigned from GitHub and took to Twitter to complain about its alpha-male culture. This eventually led to the resignation of the CEO. In the other, a PayPal manager named Rakesh Agrawal began saying nasty things about other executives on Twitter. They tweeted back that he was mentally ill and they hoped he would find the help he needs. No matter what he did, that was not the sign of a happy workplace.

Aside from the unpleasantness, bad cultures are also bad for your career. Successful people tend to work for winners, and a good culture has been shown to drive long term financial performance. Work for a happy place, and youll likely do better in life.

However, that brings up a question. How can you know anything about a companys culture when you only go for a single interview? Believe it or not, there are signs.

Continue for the 10 signs.