What do you do if your personal values clash with a potential employer's in an interview?

Reflecting at an interview is a good idea, but it's more important to be honest with yourself before you apply for the role. Do some research. Read over the website. See what you can find out about the company's leaders and see if you are in agreement with their approach. There's always a chance you'll be caught off guard by what someone says in an interview, but when you do your research, that's less likely to happen.

Values are the things that help us make choices and decisions. It happens that our values may contradict the values of other people and companies. So what should I do? 1. I need to understand whether I am willing to compromise my values to work for this company and assess the risks. Working in companies whose values we do not accept usually has consequences - burnout and dismissal. 2. When I decide that future cooperation is not possible, I speak openly about this situation so that all parties to the negotiations understand it. Honest communication is the way to partnership.

If you're at an interview and it's suddenly clear that your values conflict with those of the potential employer. Ask yourself the key question: Is this difference in values unacceptable to me? Can I put up with it? Your answer will determine your next steps. If the employer's values are deeply at odds with your fundamentals, it may not be the place for you. But if it seems that differences can be reconciled, this is a chance for development and growth. And it is normal to say at the interview that you need time to think. Remember, the interview is not only a test of your suitability for the company, but also of the company's standards for you.

Get an understanding of what the company's values really are. Often companies publish their values on their website, yet the actual values that workers experience are quite different. I know someone who went on an interview at a company that states that "collaboration" is one of their top 5 values. When she spoke to people in the organization that she knew through friends, she learned that the unwritten value that permeates the culture is competition. She was warned by the people she spoke with that you can "feel like your competing with your peers all the time." Get lots of info about the company through research. Don't rely on what an interviewer says or the values that are written on wall of their HQ lobby!

In such a situation questions are the tool of choice. Try to find out if the stated values are corporate values or personal values of the person you are interviewing with. I'd also try to find out how these values come about. If there is a story behind the values. Make sure you can and want to live up to those values. Once, I had already started a contractor job when the company asked me to sign an agreement with the company supplying the software I was about to modify and maintain. It asked me to "not use what I learned on the job." - I respectfully declined to sign such a clause, because I did not know how to do this. Furthermore, what I learned in the past qualified me for this job.

Probe a bit more, determine if this personal value is reflected and expected within the work....assume that it will be and make a choice.

It is very important to talk about differences in values, but you need to understand that it is like feedback and you need to be able to provide it. And how to do it right? Preparation. Determine which of your values do not coincide with the company's values. Choosing the moment. Choose a suitable time and place for the conversation. Honesty and openness. Be honest, but tactful. Explain why these differences are important to you and how they affect your productivity at work. Strive for mutual understanding. Your goal is not to criticize. Discuss possible solutions to the problem. An open conversation about differences in values will not only help you find a better place to grow, but will also give the company a chance to grow and improve.

It's hard to imagine how you could be successful in a role if your personal values clash with your employer's. As much as you might want to think you could compartmentalize, and 'just do your job' not being able to say what you're thinking and feeling is likely to wear on you -- and your performance. Even if the job seems to be a 'good' one, it's better to say no and look for a better fit.