Whether you are fresh out of college and about to embark on a new career, or scouting for new employment because you are dissatisfied with your current position, researching a new job goes beyond finding a company that has an opening. If you are looking to start a
relationship with a company that you feel you can stick with and build a career within, then you need to find the kind of company whose values are in-line with your own.
When researching qualities that you may be looking for in a company, the first thing you will want to consider is how it is you define a successful company. If you are interested in finding out which companies have done the best financially speaking, you can start with lists like the Fortune 500. This lists America's largest corporations and ranks them by revenue. If you are more interested in a company that is growing quickly (it is always a great opportunity to get in early with a smaller company that is growing rapidly), you can check out sites like Inc.com, which ranks and profiles the fastest growing American companies each year.
Different business magazines and organizations will run ranking lists annually. The easiest way to track down who might be doing a list for the specific geographical area (state, country, province) you are interested in is to do a search for "best companies" online. Each of the organizations that do the ranking have their own list of criteria, so be certain that the criteria matches up to what you believe to be strong values.
If you have a specific company or group of companies in mind that you would like to work for, research each of them. You can go online and go to the company's Web site to find out what they have to say about their company philosophy. Other sites that provide company profiles include Vault.com, Hoover Online, Wetfeet.com, and Inc.com. Here you can get a glimpse of how a company is doing financially, their growth, their employment stats, and other information.
Finally, the best way to find out more about a company is to try and ask someone who works for the company. Not only can you get an idea of benefits and expectations on employees, you can also get an idea of the company culture. There are several areas that you can ask about in order to get an idea of the company culture. The following areas are among those listed as important aspects of the companies rated highest for employee satisfaction on several ranked lists:
Transparency: A good company is one that keeps its employees informed about their policies, and their movement, both in the marketplace and within the company. If a company is struggling and they are considering layoffs, you'll want to know that you are working for a company that will let you know in advance, perhaps provide support such as career counselling, networking opportunities, and outplacement services. If a company cannot be forthright with their employees about how and why they are making decisions about everything from expansion to benefits or salaries, the employees have no reason to have trust in their job security.
Communication: Linked to transparency, a company that not only communicates its policies to its employees, but turns to employees for feedback, opinions, and advice is a company in which an employee can feel they are personally invested. There is an atmosphere of respect created when administration is open to hearing employee advice and concerns, and creates regular opportunities for dialogue.
Benefits: Benefits are an incredibly important aspect of any job. Aside from the basics that you might require (medical, dental, retirement programs), many companies are getting creative in developing benefits packages for their employees. New programs can include paternity leave, backup childcare, employee-assistance programs, paid-time-off programs, sabbaticals and bonuses. When companies take the time to reflect on how benefits can best serve their employees, it shows a willingness to look at and take an interest in employee needs, but it also shows a willingness to evolve with changing lifestyles and management styles.
Flexibility: One thing that the dot-com generation of companies showed us was that employees are seeking a new flexibility in their lifestyles and are seeking employment that will fulfill that need. Some companies have been doing their part with job sharing, and some have explored the idea of compressed weeks, especially in the summer time. One of the biggest changes has been the telecommuting opportunities that have opened up with increased technology.
Professional Development: To what extent will the company support you in improving your existing skills and learning new ones? Does the company provide opportunities or funds to allow you to improve your position to move up within the company?
Room to move: You may land a great position with a company, but if you are near the top of your department and don't have much further to move, other than laterally within the company, you might want to consider how long this company will actually suit your needs. The job might be a good place to start, but while you are there, recognize it as such and keep your eyes open for a company that is growing faster or simply is larger and therefore has greater opportunities for you to move up.
Obviously, the best way to get the skinny on a business is to ask an employee how they feel the company rates in these areas, or at least in the ones that are important to you. If you are just out of college, you can go to your career centre and ask if there are any alumni working at a company you want to learn more about and check out the possibility of contacting them. Finally, if you don't find the answers elsewhere, these are important questions to deal with in an interview when they ask you if you have any questions for them. If you choose wisely, you can find a match that will satisfy many of your work and personal needs and build a career within a company that cares about you as much as you care about it.
