Episode: 283

Episode Title: Getting the Inside Scoop

How can you get the inside scoop on a company you’re considering working for? Connect with the people who’ve experienced that culture. Find out more, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 283 show:

Welcome to The Perna Syndicate! This week we’re talking about diversity, equity, and inclusion—and how diverse professionals can advance their careers. 

When you feel like you don’t fit in, it can be hard to ask for help. One challenge that many workers from under-represented groups may face is the feeling that they have to “go it alone” in their job search. But that’s simply not the case. 

To find out what a particular company’s culture is really like, you need inside information. For diverse professionals especially, that means networking with current and past employees of that organization. 

Why don’t we do this more? Maybe we feel shy, or don’t want to bother people, or wonder if that kind of question breaks an unspoken taboo. But career coach Andy Agouridis, who moved to the UK from Greece for his higher education and then career, says that most people want to help and are willing to share what they know. This is doubly true if you go to them prepared and look for a way to reciprocate.

So reach out, introduce yourself, and share your reason for contacting them. Many people are flattered to be asked for their opinion and will take the time to share it. And you’ll get a valuable inside scoop on what it’s really like to work there.

When it comes to researching employers and getting a true picture of their workplace culture, you don’t have to go it alone. Everyone loves an underdog—once they understand that they deserve a chance. 

Tomorrow, in the struggle to fit in, how can diverse professionals be sure to stay true to themselves? We’ll talk more about it on tomorrow’s episode of The Perna Syndicate…see you then!