5 Tips for Ensuring a Job Is the Right Fit for You was originally published on Vault.
When looking for a job, you need to take into consideration many factors. In addition to daily responsibilities and salary, you need to think about things like training, advancement, flexibility, benefits, and company culture. Otherwise, you might find yourself very unhappy in your new job. In fact, 5 million people quit their jobs last year, with poor company culture and feeling unappreciated given as the top two reasons.
So, while employers are judging you during the hiring process to determine if you’re a good fit for them, you need to judge employers to determine if they’re a good fit for you. If that sounds like a lot of pressure, don’t panic. Here are five easy tips for making sure an employer meets your needs.
1. Do your research
Before you apply to any job, you need to do a bit of research to better understand the company, its industry, and its culture. There are several resources you can use to conduct a thorough search. The job description is a good start; from there you can head over to the firm’s website and look for any “career” and “meet the team” pages. Other helpful resources include the company’s blog, LinkedIn page, and other social media profiles. You can also research its profile on career sites like Vault-Firsthand to read verified reviews from current and former employees of the company.
2. Ask the right questions
Your interviews aren’t just opportunities for employers to ask you questions. It’s also crucial that you prepare some questions of your own and ask them in interviews. This will help you to build a fuller picture of what the job and company will be like. For example, you could ask employers about opportunities for progression, diversity and inclusivity, and the corporate culture. You could also ask questions about any well-being initiatives they offer. The answers and examples they provide can give you a much clearer indication of whether the company and role are going to be right for you.
3. Weigh salary and benefits
Talking about salary isn’t always comfortable. However, if you can determine whether the company is offering fair salaries that are equal to or above the national average, that says a lot about them. The other benefits they offer are just as important and can say a lot about how much a company values its employees.
Those organizations with solid well-being offerings in place, along with other ways to support your physical and financial health, are more likely to value their employees and do all they can to take care of them both at work and in their private life. So, ask about salaries and benefits if you’re unclear about them, then review them carefully when considering the job offer.
4. Review the whole recruitment process
How a company conducts its hiring process and the way they treat you throughout speaks volumes about the culture and how they treat employees. So, if you’re considering a job offer, think about how quickly and effectively the team communicated with you. Did they leave you waiting days for an answer or were they prompt? Were they friendly and approachable when you attended the interview? Important points like this can indicate how you might be treated in the future, so pay close attention to the whole recruitment process.
5. Go with your gut
Finally, when it comes to the job hunt, if something feels wrong, then it probably is. Even when you’re new to the working world, you need to learn to trust your gut (as it’s usually right). If at any point during the hiring process, you felt concerned or unsure about the company, you need to find out why. Ask more questions and do more research, and certainly don’t accept the offer until you’re 100 percent happy about it.
Andrew Fennell is the founder and director of StandOut CV, a leading CV builder and careers advice website. He is a former recruitment consultant and contributes careers advice to publications like Business Insider, The Guardian, and The Independent.