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 and gain insight into the company 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. Are you looking for great benefits, or is company culture more important to you? Maybe you prioritise 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, which will affect the jobs you apply for. When evaluating vacancies - or even job offers - research is essential when 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 essential 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 organisation you want to work at. This could be as simple as whether it's a competitive or collaborative working environment or the sort of attributes that you'd need to bring to the organisation or the values they work to."
While these concerns are linked to company culture, you should also consider the organisation's more practical elements. 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.
Job seekers can utilise their connections on LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+ and other networking sites to discover whom they know at the company. Asking them for their 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 that you cast your net too wide and applied for jobs that either weren't an excellent fit for your skill-set or weren't interested in.
Focus on 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 as 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 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.
Ask the interviewer what the traits of successful people in this company are and compare them 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. Organisational 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.
