Hello Job Seeker,
Imagine you’ve overcome the headache and mental torture of finding a company that wants to interview or meet you (especially in these harsh times of a recruitment freeze) only to now consider if you fit into that company? Come on!
However, fact is fact. You do have to consider and weigh your options. It is so easy to get lost in the ‘what qualities are employers looking for in the perfect candidate’ orbit that you forget to ask what the company can do for you. The most important decision is whether or not you want to be a part of that culture. While I understand that different people/candidates are driven by different motivations, below are tips (not necessarily in order of importance) that every job seeker out there must consider before joining a company:
People: I always say that the team is one of the most motivational reasons for staying in a company. I am a strong preacher of teamwork and playing a strong role as a team player. No man is an island and you soon realize this in a corporate world or a company. Of course you will not know anything about your potential team from interviews but you can gauge the scope from the people you came across during the interview process. Did they make you feel welcome? Did they seem too serious or semi casual? During an interview, also see that as a window to get to know the company through the representatives of the company at the interview. Depending on how intuitive you are, you may also seek out the opinions of previous employees. People can be biased based on experiences and these do not always give a true picture: try to filter out the sentiments from the facts.
The Benefits & Remuneration packages: This is a very obvious motivational angle. Job seekers are probably not looking for unpaid jobs. Benefits such as health, allowances and other perks are important things that can point towards to financial stability of a company. If they can afford it and save you the extra costs of some necessities/luxuries, why not? You want a pay that can comfortably see you through life and make needs/wants easy to bear. You do not need your mental space crowded with thoughts of needs and wants when you are trying to be productive at work. Please keep in mind that I am not hammering on placing other factors like peace of mind over money. Just have in mind that you want a job that you can live with your salary whilst enjoying the happiness of doing what you love.
Career Growth and Company Stability: Take your time to do your own research and findings on your potential company. With the economic downfalls, companies are taking steps to ensure that productivity is achieved, with little costs. You owe it to yourself to be certain enough that the company you are about to join will not pack up and fold, leaving you redundant or retrenched.
The Job itself: This is very important and quite frankly, cannot be over emphasized. If you do not like the functions you will be performing, please consider carefully before accepting. This is a job that you will carry out 5 days in a week, possibly 40 – 60 hours a week (if you throw in the overtime). You need to be excited about your job. Excitement and passion paves way for creativity and productivity. You will encounter downsides but the passion for the job allows you to overcome whatever challenges may come your way. It also really helps if you personally strongly believe in the company’s products and services. That way, you are a brand ambassador and that alone fuels your dedication and passion for the job.
Location: this can also be a very crucial factor to consider when choosing an employer. Time is everything and most companies like to ensure that staff resumes working hours in good time. You need to factor in the distance and location of your work station if you want to minimize the stress that would come with working in any city. Transporting yourself to and from the office can be a stressful process if it is not properly managed. Please endeavor to not work in Mars and live on Earth.
There are other factors that you can personally include when deciding to accept a job offer. The bottom line is to ensure that the PROS OUTWEIGH THE CONS. I like to trust my gut feelings…you should trust yours too.
