What to Look For When Searching For/Accepting a Job (Glassdoor, benefits, expectations)

Finding the perfect job isn’t just about you filling an organization’s needs. It’s also about finding an organization that meets YOUR needs, and not just paying your bills.

Think about what is important to you in your daily life and compare your needs to what the organization represents. Do you need excellent health benefits for your family? Are you seeking opportunities for advancement? Does your personal mission statement mesh with the mission statement of the organization? These are important things to consider when you are making a career move.

Some of the information you are seeking will be available on the company’s website, but if you can’t find it, don’t hesitate to contact the Human Resources department to ask your questions, particularly when it comes to insurance, retirement benefits, leave policies, and expectations for work hours. Another great resource is www.Glassdoor.com. This is a site where you can learn from former employers what they thought of their experience with the organization. Keep in mind that people who respond to websites like this are generally very happy or very angry, so the responses may be skewed, but it will give you an idea of what about the organization keeps people there as well as what drives them away. This can help you decide what you are willing to take on. To get an idea of how the skewed answers may guide you, look up the Glassdoor information for a company where you have worked in the past. Compare the answers to your own thoughts on that organization. This will help you be aware of how bias can enhance or mitigate information, knowing that the truth is generally somewhere in the middle.