InternshipRatings.com

By Rob Pitingolo

College Senior and Blogger

Extraordinary Observations

Internships are great for a lot of reasons, especially when it comes to immersing yourself in a company’s culture and determining whether you could see yourself spending 40 hours per week at a particular company when you are ready to launch your career. I’ve done six internships at five companies and I’ve witnessed a variety of corporate cultures. Some of my peers talk about finding a career with an enormous salary, others are looking for work that is both fun and challenging; not to say those aren’t worth seeking, but if you are anything like me, working for a company with a fun, open, and exciting corporate culture is most important of all.

There are quite a few ways to gauge a company’s culture. The daily dress code tells you something, as does the number of employee activities like happy hours and softball games; but one little-known method of learning about a company’s culture is based on how an office’s cubicles are laid out.

The first layout is generally found at companies with social and friendly cultures.

There are two desks in the cube, one against the back wall and one in the middle. The employee sits facing toward the cube’s opening. He or she can see everyone walking down the row and everyone walking past can make eye contact with him or her. Often times a chair sits facing the middle desk so a colleague can chat with the employee. This cube layout is typical for companies that support creative thinking and encourage employees to collaborate with each other on projects.

The second cubicle layout is generally found at companies with more conservative and traditional cultures.

Again, there are two desks but they are located along the back and side wall of the cube. The employee typically sits facing one of the walls, with his or her back to the opening. He or she cannot see anyone walking down the row nor can anyone make direct eye contact with him or her. This cube layout is typical of companies that strive to create an environment where employees can concentrate and work in a quiet atmosphere.

Of course, there are dozens of potential cubicle layouts; the two described above are merely examples of many possibilities. Plus, my examples may not necessarily hold true in every instance; there are thousands of companies, each with a unique culture, and sometimes cubicle layout may not match up perfectly. Finally, keep in mind that one layout is not necessarily better or worse than another. Some people prefer companies with a conservative culture and others thrive in social environments. The science of cubicles is far from perfect, but it can be a fun way to learn about a company’s culture during your time as an intern.