You never want to walk into an employment opportunity too quickly. While it’s easy to assume your options are limited, you may be surprised what you can find by doing a little more research. When you search for a job with your own wants and needs in mind, you’re more likely to find a job that makes you happy. Here are five things to look for that will help you find the best fit for you:
1. Mission
How can you tell if you’ll like your job? A major factor that plays a role in job satisfaction is whether the company’s mission aligns with your values. Every company revolves around providing a solution for people with a specific need. Pretend for a moment we live in a world where money isn’t part of the equation. Ask yourself: who do I want to help? How do I want to help people? If your job allows you to do something worthwhile and fulfilling to you, you’ll be better motivated to stay, perform well and climb the ladder.
You can find out about a company’s mission from its website. Check out the homepage and “About Us” page, as well as other pages that talk about the organization so you can understand its end goal.
2. Open Positions
If you think you’ll be happy at a particular company, the next step is to find out what positions are open. Most companies have a page on their website that features their current openings with descriptions of what you can expect from each opportunity. For example, Amway’s job page provides information about not only their openings, but also their leadership and community, to help prospective employees determine whether Amway is a good fit for them. By looking around on Amway’s website, you can find answers to common questions, such as, “is Amway a pyramid scheme?” (hint: it’s not) to help you understand the company’s values.
3. Pay
Make sure you know how much money you need to make in order to cover all your bills before you research job opportunities. Find out how much a company pays so that you know whether you’re covered. If the potential for growing your salary or earning bonuses is important to you, make sure you get that information, too.
4. Benefits
Ideally, your job should provide you healthcare benefits. If it turns out you’ll be covered for healthcare, be sure to find out how much is covered and what the terms and conditions are. It may be that you need to be employed full-time or you need to work for three months before receiving benefits. Do your research before assuming benefits are included.
5. Your Boss
If possible, try to do some digging on the supervisor you’d be working under at a company before you commit to a job. The boss can sometimes make or break a work experience, so it’s a good idea to get a feel for who they are and how they’re received by existing employees. Going to the office for an interview with your prospective boss can help you get to know them and their work environment. You could also ask if it’s possible for you to contact the person who held the position previously. If not, you can talk with other employees at the office to get their two cents about working under the boss and for the company in general.
Doing Your Research
No matter your industry, before committing to a job position, it’s important to consider what you want to earn, the benefits you need and what type of work will fulfill you. While it’s tempting to go for the first opportunity that pops up, spending the time to dig deeper will pay off in the long run by helping you land a job you can stay at and build a career around.
