HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT JOB
There are so many reasons why it’s important to find the right job for yourself. Here are the majors to consider:
You spend at least 40 hours at work (more time vs. at home with your family), so you should like what you do.
Happiness at work = more energy to fuel into your personal life (outside of work).
Happy People stay at their jobs longer, leading to increased job stability and career growth (most companies prefer to promote internally, if there is a high potential employee they are confident in).
Companies look for people with longevity on their resumes. A “jumper” is not as desirable because an employer wants people to stay with the company (employee turnover leads to loss of revenue and time).
So, how do you find the right job for yourself to avoid unhappiness and jumping around? The key to finding a job that’s right for you is research. One of the worst outcomes is starting a new job and realizing the company culture SUCKS or it is just not what you expected.
While job searching, do your research on the company. The internet will give you whatever answers you need, or at least enough to ask the right questions when you have the opportunity. (Read Glassdoor reviews, ask around in your network). You’ll want to research:
Company Culture: What are employees saying about management? What are people saying about the work environment? Look for cues that are important to you (work/life balance, management style, etc.)
Be aware that you have to assess multiple reviews to find the truth as it is often disgruntled employees who write review on Glassdoor and other outlets.
Compensation: What are employees saying about compensation and benefits?
People: What are employees longevity with the company? (Look at current/past employees profiles on LinkedIn - How long have they been with the company? Have they been promoted in their roles?)
When Interviewing, make sure you are prepared to ask questions that will teach you about the company. Yes, the company is interviewing you, but remember, you are a qualified candidate so they should also be courting you! Ask away.
Make sure the role is right for you. If you are applying for a change in career, make sure you know what you are getting yourself into. Most people make a career change without understanding why they want a career change. You have to soul search and understand what you disliked about your prior job and what you are looking to do in your new job. For example, if you work in Customer Service, you have to LIKE talking to customers. If you don’t enjoy talking to people, the role is probably not a good fit for you.
Start your job search before you are miserable at your current job. When miserable with our current situation, we don’t make the best decisions as we act out of desperation, hoping the grass is greener. *Fun fact: the grass is NOT always greener. It’s green if you do research on how to fertilize your lawn and you water it as often as required. When miserable, we rush to accept an offer, often resulting in failure to negotiate the best terms, which we end up regretting later.
Know what you want in a job. Do the research to make sure the company and role is aligned with what you want and are looking for.
*Remember that sometimes in your career, you are not in a position to be picky. Sometimes you will have to compromise what you ideally want, in order to get to where you want to be. That’s a part of the journey.
