Several times in my career, I took a job that was new, and often, on a new team at a young organization. While these opportunities have their benefits, the drawbacks can subsequently challenge growth trajectory within that organization. How do you advocate for the existence of the role while also executing in it? How do you identify the truly crucial stakeholders while being new to the organization? How do you balance breaking down siloes with navigating organizational dynamics. I will draw on my own personal experiences, as well as lessons from cognitive psychology, behavioral economics, and multiparty negotiation to share actionable takeaways for progressive professionals that either are or may soon be in a newly created role.

Over the course of 18 months, I applied to way too many jobs, and I learned hard, painful lessons. The main one? It wasn’t about what I was looking to do that mattered - what did was in what kind of environment. For me, the people and values of the organization are significantly more important than the role itself. I have had incredibly unique jobs, some in toxic environments. In this talk, I’ll draw on lessons from OSINT, risk analysis, and maturity assessment to explain how to conduct "cultural due diligence," including how to maximize chances of an interview and which questions to ask during interviews. Attendees will save on the cost of the job hunt based on my experience.