How to Choose the Right Technology Company For You
We’re currently experiencing a hugely job-driven market, meaning there are still more job opportunities than they are candidates. If you’re considering making a move in your career, now is the time to do it! It’s a unique advantage – companies want top talent but their competitors are swooping in and nicking them all. You’re the most popular kid in school, and everyone’s fighting over your attention. Enjoy it. Utilise it!
If you’re currently interviewing, chances are you’ve got more than one interview process on the go. If you’re not yet interviewing but thinking about applying, you will most likely be in numerous processes soon. When the time comes, you might be faced with offers from multiple companies. It’s not a bad position to be in, but it can be frustrating to identify which company is the right one.
Here are 5 questions to ask yourself before accepting a job offer:
Do you have an interest in the industry that the company is in?
Whatever the company is, they will be somehow making an impact out there in the world. How much do you resonate with this impact? Do you share a purpose with the company? Interest can certainly develop once you learn more about the company and the industry, but sharing a purpose with the organisation and believing in the impact they’re making is an amazing signifier that you’re in the right place.
We spend a huge portion of our lives working – so much time, energy, and thought goes into work. If you don’t connect with the company’s purpose in some way, you will end up resenting it. Getting bogged down by a big workload/demanding managers is massively exacerbated when you don’t truly care about the company’s purpose. Instead of perceiving it as a challenge that you want to take on, it grates on you.
How right is the culture for you?
Assess what a ‘great culture’ means to you. Does this align with what the company thinks is so appealing about their culture (spoiler – every company thinks they’ve got a ‘great culture’)? This is completely subjective – what one person thinks is an ideal culture, might be another person’s nightmare. So, before you accept a job, ensure that you really understand what it is you’re walking into and if that’s right for you.
How does this job fit with the rest of your life?
Work is never separate from ‘real life’. One impacts the other, so it’s important to consider how a new job will impact the rest of your life. How will it change your day-to-day schedule? If you enjoy having a short commute, you prioritise having dinner with your family or picking up your kids from school, does this new job come with a longer commute and, is it worth it? These are really important factors to consider before accepting an offer.
Of course, many of us have discovered the beauty of flexible working. Is an employer asking you to work from the office 5 days a week, when really you’d rather do 2 or 3 days remotely? Flexibility in the workplace and the employee’s autonomy undoubtedly results in higher job satisfaction – how important is it to you?
Do you want to follow the leader?
In interviews, we’re often so focused on how we’re being perceived and making a good impression, that we forget to ask ourselves what impression the hiring manager is making on us. This could be the person that’s going to be your line manager, someone that you work closely with every day, and someone that gives you directions.
A big part of leadership is sufficient praise and recognition. Feeling truly appreciated plays a major role in employee’s overall engagement, performance, and commitment. A great way to gauge if this is the company for you is by asking, “how do you/the company recognise employee accomplishments?”.
The interview question we all know, why do you want to work for this company?
Of course, there are situations when people just need a job to pay the bills. However, if finding a job is more of a desire than a necessity, it’s a good idea to really think about why you want to work for that company. More money? More flexibility? All reasons are valid but if you’re choosing between two, or more, companies and one answer provokes a longer, more in-depth response, you probably know that’s the one.
How a recruitment agency can help you with this decision…
It’s always great to have someone in your corner who has your back. Working with a recruitment agency means that you’re working with someone who has your best interest at heart – we want you to succeed! Success and professional development are typically a result of working at the right company for you, in the right position, right industry, where you feel supported to realise your full potential. What we do is more than simply finding you a new job – we’re with you throughout the process, working to get the best possible outcome for you, answering any and every question you have, and more.
The market is saturated, so finding that company that just has it is going to be a challenge. So, if you’re looking for an opportunity where you can achieve success, get in touch with one of our team to discuss how we can help you find that needle in the haystack. We want to make sure that both you and the employer have found a great fit in one another.
Check out our Google reviews to hear about what other job seekers have to say about ESP’s recruitment approach.
