Some of the job candidates I interview ask about Kaser’s workplace culture but, to my surprise, most don’t.
I guess it’s hard from an interviewee’s perspective – what questions do you ask to really get the info you want? Does the hiring manager know anything about the team’s interpersonal dynamics? How likely are they to be honest with you, anyway?
I’m extremely honest, because I think candidates should know what it’s like before they start here.
So here it is: everything you wanted to know about Kaser’s workplace culture, but were afraid to ask.
We are intense.
This is a team of overachievers. We take what we do very seriously, and we prefer to work with people who feel the same way. We expect a lot of each other, and when we don’t get what we need, we’ll say so. This MO has created great camaraderie on the team, but it’s not for everyone. If you prefer direct feedback, you won’t be disappointed.
We don’t stop until the job is done.
Shop employees get two 10-minute breaks a day, and 30 minutes for lunch. The rest of the time, they’re working hard. Overtime is compensated at time and a half, and there’s a lot of it: when things get busy (which is often, lately), I ask the team to do 9 hours a day instead of 8. Many of them choose to also come in on Saturdays.
In short, don’t expect downtime, because there won’t be any.
We are tight knit.
There are no cliques. Everyone is kind. We make dumb bets on football games, and we eat cake on every birthday. We tease each other. A lot of us have nicknames. It’s a collaborative dynamic, and I will do everything in my power to keep it that way. The best way to fit in as a new hire is to work hard and learn a lot. Do that, and it won’t be long before you’re an indispensable part of the community.
The truth is that everyone at Kaser wants the team to grow. We’re rooting for new hires to make it, and everyone benefits when one person succeeds. In that sense, this is an extremely welcoming environment.
But it’s also a very busy, productive environment that requires 100% from everyone, all of the time.
