Interviewing: Bring Your Red Stapler with You!

Just like Milton in Office Space, we all have a Red Stapler, or key element to our job that keeps us sane and tolerant of any sort of cr*p that may go on at work.

When you're interviewing, be sure to bring your Red Stapler with you. In other words, keep in mind the most important, uncompromisable element that you must have in a job. I wouldn't recommend you take out the figurative stapler and slam it on the interview desk, declaring you must be able to bring this with you to work or else. You've certainly got to be subtle about it!

So, what's your Red Stapler? Is it:

Work-Life Balance; being able to come and go at sane hours, take a lunch away from the desk most days, taking vacation, not having to come in on weekends, etc?
Rapid Opportunity for Advancement
High Salary; pay, bonuses
Total Compensation; tuition reimbursement, retirement contribution matching, benefits, etc.
Great Commute/Telecommuting capabilities
Autonomy in Your Role
A Company Culture/Demographic where you feel welcomed and can be yourself

Don't be afraid to subtlety and politely ask about whatever element it is you hold paramount.

For instance, if you had a previous manager with whom you felt you couldn't share your ideas, the wrong way to ask about your potential new boss goes something like:

"I want to work in a place where management can take some direction from subordinates. Will I find that here?"

DANGER! DANGER! No need to slam the stapler into their forehead.

Instead, a safer way to test the waters is: "Do you feel there's a high sense of collaboration between management and staff?" or, "Is this a climate where employees are encouraged to take strategic risks?"

A good method to ensure you're not doing anything inappropriate with that stapler is to write out the questions you have in an emotional context (like the first example), then take a look at them and tone them the heck down (as with the second example).

So, be sure to keep that Red Stapler handy, and use it responsibly!