by Charlotte Gurney
With the labor market much more active than it’s been for years there are many more opportunities for anyone looking to make a change. Whether you’re looking for a career that’s more fulfilling, you’re chasing a specific dream or you’re just ready for something new, now is a great time to consider looking elsewhere. The employer that you have is going to make a big difference to how you feel about your job on a day-to-day basis - so how do you find the right one for you?
Take the time to identify your ideal employer
You may not be able to find, or work for, an ‘ideal’ employer that ticks every single box but having a clear idea of what that looks like for you is going to be incredibly important to ensure that you at least get close. Start by making a list of all the things that mean the most to you when it comes to a role. That could be a clear path for advancement through a company, being able to work flexibly or having lots of options when it comes to training and development. Look at the characteristics you want in an ideal employer - a very competitive culture or somewhere more laid back, for example? And think about the type of business you want to be in, whether that’s an innovative start-up or somewhere more stable and well-established. Go through everything you’re looking for and rank in order of importance - those at the top of your list will be your deal-breakers.
Look at the company’s ‘CV’
Obviously, a business doesn’t have a physical CV but there are lots of resources you can use to get an idea of the culture, values, strengths and achievements of a potential employer. Social media pages are often a great place to start, for example. You can also look at press releases and any third-party information that is available, whether that comes from news and articles or former (or current) employees). Look for any discrepancies between the way that the business presents itself and what others are saying about it. If you find any then this is something to ask about during the interview stage.
Make sure the interview is a two-way street
It’s well accepted that an interview is an opportunity for an employer to assess you and find out more about what you’re capable of. You’ll also have the opportunity to ask questions and can do this to get more insight into whether this is the right employer for you. Have a list of key questions you would like answers to and look at the way that the interviewer responds when you ask them. Vague or dismissive answers could be a sign of a lack of transparency, for example. What’s your overall impression of the interviewer? Look at their body language, the way they respond and the language they use.
Finding the right employer for you starts with knowing what you’re looking for - and how to use that information to make the best choice.