Will you fit in?

You should be looking for any opportunity to impart information that demonstrates how you would fit in.

You should particularly consider these areas:
How the organisation manages people
How the organisation devolves power
How people interrelate
How people are motivated
How the organisation competes in the marketplace

For example... It is your research into the organisation, as addressed elsewhere in the Interview Intelligence area, that will equip you to assess the organisational attitude to the fundamental issues that lie behind this type of question. An important point here is that if you find yourself disagreeing with your potential employers' values then you would be advised to speak to your Upstream consultant and potentially look elsewhere. It is almost impossible to succeed in a culture that feels alien to you or is not aligned with your principles.

Here are some common examples of this type of question:

How do you see yourself fitting into a new project team?
Interviewers will often seek reassurance that you can demonstrate a track record of fitting in when you have been repositioned in a working environment. You will need to illustrate times where you were placed in a new team or group. It doesn't matter how long or short term these placements were, rather that you can show how you did fit in; how the group was not disrupted by your arrival and that a clear improvement in overall performance resulted.

How will you be able to cope with a change in environment?
This sort of question is usually posed if you've spent a long time in one particular job. It sounds like a negative but can be turned into a positive especially if you're looking for a change, or a chance to develop. Avoid sounding negative about your current environment, whilst stressing the excitement you feel in seeking a new one.

How do you go about getting to know and understand new colleagues?
Show that you understand the process of fitting into a new working environment and that you appreciate that the key to getting to know new colleagues is to listen. Show that you appreciate this may impact on your normal work duties and that you will invest your own time and efforts, for example in coffee and lunch breaks and perhaps in extra curricular activities. By demonstrating knowledge of the processes involved and a willingness to commit to it, based on your past experiences, you will be creating a positive picture for the interviewer.

Where do you see yourself in five years time?
The obvious answer would be "part of the management team, or board of directors within this organisation". This may not necessarily be true, but the interviewer needs to know that your intentions are to move up the career ladder within their organization. Be careful not to sound overly ambitious, as the interviewer may be your future boss. The safest option is to modestly express your desire to grow and advance within the organization. Remember, throughout the interview you should be looking for any opportunity to impart information about your skills and abilities, backing them up with examples of what you have already achieved. Most employers are looking for staff who are not only capable of, and committed to, doing their job but who will fit the prevailing corporate culture and image.