Finding a job is one thing - to find a job you’ll love is another. This is why it’s essential to research what you’re looking for in a new opportunity, as well as to gain insight into the company, to allow you to make an informed decision. Essentially, you need to ask yourself: what career is right for me?
what do you value most?
Establishing what you value most in a job is the first step to take. Are you looking for great benefits or is company culture more important to you? Maybe you prioritize salary over everything else or the work-life balance has to be right for you.
Whatever it is, there’s going to be something that you won’t want to compromise on and that’s going to affect the jobs you apply for. When evaluating vacancies - or even job offers - research is essential when it comes to deciding which of them you should go for.
Examine what companies offer by thoroughly checking out their websites for the details on benefits and salary. Their social media accounts will also contain an important insight into company culture and whether it’s one you’d be happy fitting into.
consider the working environment
You’ll need to consider the kind of organization you want to work at. Clare Whitmell, business communication trainer explained: “This could be as simple as whether it's a competitive or collaborative working environment, but also more complex as regards the sort of attributes that you'd need to bring to the organization, or the values they work to.”
While these concerns are linked to company culture, you should also think about the more practical elements of the organization. Is it a large or small company, for example? You also have to consider your future career path. Where will you go from the position you’re applying for? Is there much room for progression or will you have to look elsewhere to move up the career ladder?
talk to insiders
After you’ve narrowed down the companies you’re most interested in, one of the most valuable things you can do is to talk to the people who work at the company you’re interested in. They’ll be able to help you establish whether it’s the right place for you or if you should be considering elsewhere.
Career coach Alison Doyle, writing for The Balance, encourages job seekers to utilize their connections on “LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+ and other networking sites to discover whom you know at the company”. Asking them for their own insights into the company will allow you to make a more informed decision about whether you can see yourself being happy there.
look for the right job
Ensure you’re looking for the right job. Part of the reason you’re unhappy in your current role may be the fact you cast your net too wide and applied for jobs that either weren’t a great fit for your skill-set or you just weren’t interested in.
According to Tone Hoeft, brand manager of esports at Riot Games, “when you invest time applying to jobs you aren’t perfect for, you burn yourself out emotionally”. He advises figuring out the “one specific thing” you want to do and letting that guide your search. This way, you’ll spend less of your time on the lookout and more time applying for jobs you have a good chance of getting and doing well at.
Make a list of your skills and use that a basis for finding the most relevant opportunities. You can even run your resume through a word cloud program to get an insight into the terms you use most on that document. This will provide you with some guidance on what roles to pursue.
interview your interviewer
During an interview, it’s customary for you to get a chance to ask your own questions to find out whether the company is a good fit for you. This is the perfect opportunity to work out whether it’s the job you’ll love.
Adrian Granzella Larssen, Muse editor at large, has explained a novel way doing so. She advises making a list of your qualities, thinking about whether you’re “quick to make decisions, or is slow and thoughtful more your style? Are you competitive or collaborative? Risk-averse or willing to try anything once? A social butterfly or all business, all the time?”.
Once you have your list, ask the interviewer what the traits of successful people in this company are and compare it to what you’ve established about yourself. This should help you work out if you’d fit in with the existing team.
Working on finding a job you'll love a job is about more than just your duties. Organizational structure, company culture and employees’ insights will all play a role, so make sure you’re doing all you can to work out where you think you’ll be happiest.