By Daniel M. Rover, CEO
How to Choose a Company to Work for: 5 Tips
When you’re looking for a new job, it can be pure instinct to focus your search
on a specific job title and position. But should you search for a company you
would like to work and then focus on an available job?
Starting your job search by company helps you target a career that is more
likely to be fulfilling personally, rather than just landing a job. A job is so much
more than just a title and duties. A company’s workplace culture, opportunities
for career growth, industry, and overall atmosphere play a huge role in job
satisfaction. These five tips can help you prioritize your job search to find the
perfect company for you.
- Start with the Industry
Before you dive into searching for companies, choosing an industry can be
the perfect starting point. For example, if you’re a writer with a background in
education, you can begin with the educational field and find companies within
that industry. This will not only ensure that you’ll be interested in the subject
matter you’ll be writing about, but you’ll build industry expertise that you can
carry from company to company. - Make a List
Once you know what industry you’re interested in, imagine the type of job
you’d really like to have. It should be one that aligns with your skills and your
passion. It should also be intellectually appealing as well as financially
appealing. That way, you’re more likely to end up working with a company that
has a culture that will be a good fit for you.
To begin, your ideal list should have no more than 15 companies that you’d be
happy to work for - Do Your Research
After creating your list, be sure to research the companies to understand their
corporate history. Go through their website(s) and read up on past CEOs and
what they did to improve their company’s standing. Search for current info as
well by reading interviews conducted with senior-level management or press
releases published by the company.
This will help you confirm if this is a company you’d like to work for, and the
information will come in handy as talking points you can use during your job
interview.
- Find an Angle
As you get more familiar with each company, come up with any unique angles
you may be able to bring to the company and position. Companies want
people who are passionate about their mission, so if you can show them what
you can bring to the table outside of your normal job responsibilities, they’ll be
more likely to give you a chance. - Get Social
Once you have a good sense of what the company stands for and its goals for
the future, it’s time to make a connection. Follow them on LinkedIn, Facebook,
and Twitter, and stay informed about any recent press coverage. You can
even watch the videos they publish on YouTube to get insights into their
company culture. Use social media in your job search, and be sure to stay
active on company profiles.
