Community Spotlight: Different Company Cultures

By: Cori Schwabe / May 11, 2020

Community Spotlight: A new series highlighting Aspire to Her community members and their experiences early in their careers.

Who we’re featuring this week: Cori Schwabe
Position: Senior Account Manager at The Leith Agency

Many women early in their careers will switch jobs and experience different company cultures. What's your experience with switching jobs and how have you handled different company cultures?

My experience with switching jobs has all been very positive, but I think that’s because of two key things: I knew when it was time to leave and I didn’t burn bridges. Those two things have made those transitions feel like a celebration, which was helpful.

When switching to another company, one of the first things I notice right away are the cultural differences. Does the receptionist talk to you when you come in each morning? Is there chatter in the office? Does everyone leave right at 5:30pm, or stay until after dinnertime? I’ve made three very different culture shifts in my career. The first one was going from internships at various small advertising agencies in college, to the largest beauty company in the world. I had no clue how a beauty company operated, let alone the unspoken rules of one that had been around for 100 years. I was just a 21 year-old kid from the Midwest, and I had to quickly learn that you represented the brand inside and outside the building, what you wore mattered and your academic language would quickly morph into speaking in acronyms.

The second one was when I went from that beauty company to a small, family owned baby skincare company that was scientific, clinical and very French. I learned at this company that what was said outside of the meeting room most likely mattered more than what was said in the meeting room.

The third one was leaving that scientific and clinical culture to go to a top advertising agency that was full of creatives and out of the box strategists. I remember asking my boss for the first several months where she was going to sit at the table during the meeting. I figured that wherever she sat would determine her role, and therefore, determine where I sat and my role in the meeting. After a while, she finally asked me why I kept wondering where she was sitting. I had assumed that where people sat at the table was important at every company, just because it was important in my first two companies.

All shifts were very different and took me a while to adjust. I learned that the best way to understand and adapt to different cultures was to observe. I noticed when people came to work and when they left. What they did for lunch, how they dressed and how they acted in meetings. I observed how my boss liked to run their team, and then how they managed up. I took notice of the big and small, what were the company values and what were personal values, and then adjusted my actions accordingly.

What's your advice for anyone who's struggling to adapt to their new company culture?

Besides learning how to actually do your job, learning how to adapt to a new company culture can be challenging. On one hand, you want to fit in. On another, you don’t want to lose who you are.

The best advice I have to anyone that is struggling to adapt to their new company culture is to reflect on what type of culture their company has and what type of culture is important to you. If you’re not sure what you value, I would start by making a list of all the things you observe, big and small, and then of those things, determine what is important to you. Once you know what you value, you can start to figure out what types of things you can help influence. Can you change how birthdays are celebrated, or what summer Friday’s look like? Even if it’s not a formal thing, starting small by organizing events or asking a colleague to take an afternoon walk outside can have a bigger impact than you think. Brainstorm with other colleagues about what types of things should either be changed or enhanced, develop a plan and bring it to your boss. Ask your boss for their input and support.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of company cultures that are simply what they are, with some values so deeply ingrained no one really knows where they come from. If you find yourself in one of those companies that doesn’t align with who you are and what you value, then it might be time to consider looking for a company that matches your values more. There will be a company that is the right fit for you.

Remember that your job is not your whole life and those unique parts that make you you should still shine. That shine can be tailored depending on the situation, but remember what is important to you, speak up and (professionally) fight for those values.

If you have any questions, or need some advice, I'd love to chat with you. You can email me (corischwabe@gmail.com), or send me a message on LinkedIn.

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