Thread by Pam Rubin 🦋 | Leadership Development
- Tweet
- Mar 20, 2023
- #Business
Thread
It’s not true, WE ARE ALLOWED to PICK OUT OUR OWN SOCKS.
I gulped and glanced at the door.
(I could NOT WAIT to get out of that interview.)
🧦 Socks? Really? What the heck?
Why would they say that? What kind of company was this?
<<--- Story Thread 🧵-->>
I gulped and glanced at the door.
(I could NOT WAIT to get out of that interview.)
🧦 Socks? Really? What the heck?
Why would they say that? What kind of company was this?
<<--- Story Thread 🧵-->>
🧦 What do socks have to do with the workplace?
Well, let me tell you a little story.
It all started with that interview that left me feeling queasy and uneasy.
Little did I know, that one surprising outburst about socks would change everything for me.
Well, let me tell you a little story.
It all started with that interview that left me feeling queasy and uneasy.
Little did I know, that one surprising outburst about socks would change everything for me.
🏫 It was the late 80s and I was graduating college.
UPenn had a fabulous recruiting process and I was psyched to be talking to so many amazing companies.
Many of the interviews were similar - about skills, roles, and opportunities but this company was talking dress code.
UPenn had a fabulous recruiting process and I was psyched to be talking to so many amazing companies.
Many of the interviews were similar - about skills, roles, and opportunities but this company was talking dress code.
🔨 During the interview, I felt like a square peg smashed into a round hole.
A "Danger, Will Robinson" alarm 🚨 went off in my head.
Their weird emphasis on a 'permissive sock policy' lit a fire in me.
I plastered a smile on my face, but kept edging towards the door.
A "Danger, Will Robinson" alarm 🚨 went off in my head.
Their weird emphasis on a 'permissive sock policy' lit a fire in me.
I plastered a smile on my face, but kept edging towards the door.
💰 I used to think that picking a job was just about the $$ and opportunity.
But that strange 'socks' outburst jolted me awake.
I hadn't seriously thought about workplace culture before, but now it was the only thing I could think about.
But that strange 'socks' outburst jolted me awake.
I hadn't seriously thought about workplace culture before, but now it was the only thing I could think about.
🔎 I was on a mission to avoid getting stuck in the wrong company.
I knew I needed to dig deeper and ask craftier questions to get a real sense of the culture.
But what could I ask that would tell me how things really worked?
I knew I needed to dig deeper and ask craftier questions to get a real sense of the culture.
But what could I ask that would tell me how things really worked?
⏰ I started by getting super specific and asking details about how things worked.
Ex. I asked what time the workday started and watched how they answered.
Abrupt answers: 'we all start at 8am' were RED 🚩flags
Better answers were flexible: 'everyone does their own thing'.
Ex. I asked what time the workday started and watched how they answered.
Abrupt answers: 'we all start at 8am' were RED 🚩flags
Better answers were flexible: 'everyone does their own thing'.
🔍 Instead of surface-level questions during interviews, I asked pointed questions like:
• How exactly is work assigned?
• Can you explain the trainings programs here?
• What was your promotion process like?
I looked for signs of real conversations, engagement and choice.
• How exactly is work assigned?
• Can you explain the trainings programs here?
• What was your promotion process like?
I looked for signs of real conversations, engagement and choice.
🍃 I have a strong independence streak, and knew I wouldn't thrive in a top-down 'obey the boss' culture.
So, I weeded out a lot of companies.
(Too bad the startup culture hadn't arrived yet!)
I was getting worried about finding an environment where I would fit in.
So, I weeded out a lot of companies.
(Too bad the startup culture hadn't arrived yet!)
I was getting worried about finding an environment where I would fit in.
💡 I quickly realized that traditional companies were not for me.
I shifted my focus to entrepreneurial environments and flexible workplaces.
(Luckily, my inquisitive interview style proved to be popular - and I ended up with 10 job offers to choose from!)
I shifted my focus to entrepreneurial environments and flexible workplaces.
(Luckily, my inquisitive interview style proved to be popular - and I ended up with 10 job offers to choose from!)
👨👩👧👦 At 1 on-site interview, I unexpectedly ran into college buddies already working there.
HR let me go off and schmooze, chat and meet people - I knew this was the right fit.
The open environment, flexible culture, and abundance of young, entrepreneurial people sealed the deal.
HR let me go off and schmooze, chat and meet people - I knew this was the right fit.
The open environment, flexible culture, and abundance of young, entrepreneurial people sealed the deal.
❓If you've made it this far, you're probably wondering who it was that said:
'It's not true, WE ARE ALLOWED to PICK OUT OUR OWN SOCKS.'
Well, it was none other than H. Ross Perot's Electronic Data Systems, EDS.
'It's not true, WE ARE ALLOWED to PICK OUT OUR OWN SOCKS.'
Well, it was none other than H. Ross Perot's Electronic Data Systems, EDS.
🙏 Thanks, EDS, your 🚨 warning was much appreciated.
Without that strange sock policy outburst, I would never have dug into workplace culture.
Once I saw how things worked, I found a pretty great company to start my career.
That 🧦 alert helped me see what really mattered.
Without that strange sock policy outburst, I would never have dug into workplace culture.
Once I saw how things worked, I found a pretty great company to start my career.
That 🧦 alert helped me see what really mattered.
Follow me @Pam_Rubin1 for tools & tactics to deconstruct workplace culture, lead authentically, and grow your soft skills.
If you enjoyed this thread, please:
1) 💜 it
2) Drop a comment 👇
3) RT the 1st tweet
If you enjoyed this thread, please:
1) 💜 it
2) Drop a comment 👇
3) RT the 1st tweet
