Are you switching jobs looking for that greener grass during the Grand Reshuffle?

Finding the right position is only part of the effort. Finding the right firm/team/leader to join is a much bigger part. Fortunately, everything you need to know about a firm/team/leader can be discovered with a few choice questions at the end of your first interview (assuming the hiring manager is in that interview).

Try these:

1. If I asked a fellow team member about the culture, how would they describe it?

2. How would you summarize the mission?

3. Tell me about a time the firm followed its values even though it was tough or cost money?

There is only so much we can gather from our web searches, our networks, and the job description. We need a way to get beneath the veneer. These questions are designed to help.

So, listen carefully to the answers. What you are listening for is not only the answer itself, but evidence of forethought and reflection. If the answers are confusing or unclear, pass on the job. And you know why. Because this job will be just like the one you came from, maybe worse.

For leaders, we must step up their game to attract, engage, and retain superstars. That means that being able to clearly articulate the culture, the mission, and the values is now just table stakes.

Here’s the thing, this stuff matters more now than it ever has. You are competing with other firms on more than money, benefits, and perks. Values matter. Mission matters. Meaning matters. And superstars just won’t settle for less.