How to Know If a Job Is Right: 9 Signs an Employer Is Right for You
How to know if a job is right? Don’t feel like reading? Listen here!
How to know if a job is right for you can be tricky. It takes lots of introspection, reflection, observation, and assessment. That takes time, and during the recruiting and hiring process, time is of the essence.
How can you carefully and critically assess whether an employer is right for you? How can you move closer to career fulfillment by selecting a great fit?
Pay attention during the recruiting, hiring, and onboarding process. If you pick up on these clues, you may be moving in the direction of a true career fit.
Your Research Reveals Positives
When you consider applying for a job, do you take time to consider the hiring organization? Researching the employer is an essential step in avoiding a poor fit.
Use tools like Google, employer websites, social media profiles, and the employer’s recruiting and branding material to research the employer. Note how well the employer interacts with others on social media. Try to find recruiters and hiring managers on LinkedIn. Do they seem content and thriving in the organization? Are they posting about positive interactions, moments of recognition, or team accomplishments? Pay attention to what they’re saying and not saying.
The more you know, the fewer ugly surprises you’ll encounter as you move through the hiring and onboarding process. Any other clues on how to know if a job is right for you? Yes –
The Employer and Job Role Match Your Career Needs and Wants
Determine your own career needs and wants before you ever launch your job search. Each time you interact with an employer and conduct employer research, compare the reality of the potential job role and employer with your list of needs and wants. If your needs aren’t going to be met, the job role is not a fit. If some of your wants will be unmet, you may still consider the role, but proceed with caution.
Keep in mind that as time passes and your life evolves, your career needs and wants evolve, too. Be sure you can identify your top three career needs and consider these non-negotiable.
“As a job seeker, I look for companies and higher education institutions with similar values and beliefs. I want to be a part of a positive environment that celebrates the work of staff members. Of course, compensation is important, but I also look for growth and professional development opportunities,” Jake Long, TRiO Director, notes.
William Frierson, Freelance Writer, also shares his top career needs. “As a job seeker, the first factor I consider in determining if an employer is right for me is the type of job opportunity available. If I don’t have the skill set to do certain jobs, I don’t apply for them. I also consider company culture. Even if I can do the job, does a particular company share my values? Lastly, I must consider compensation. I want to be able to support myself,” Frierson adds.
If You Accept the Job Offer, You Will Move Closer to Career Fulfillment
When determining how to know if a job is right, along with career needs and wants, clearly define career fulfillment for yourself before launching your job search. If you’re offered a job role with this employer, will it move you closer to fulfilling your current definitions of career fulfillment and success? If not, you might want to pass unless you’re only seeking temporary employment. In this regard, implementing workforce planning solutions might play a pivotal role by identifying and addressing workforce gaps, fostering a sense of stability and confidence among employees, which in turn enhances their engagement and commitment to the organization.
Which factors should you consider when defining career fulfillment? They differ for every job seeker.
“Overall, I’m looking for impact. I want to know the organizational mission. I want to see they care about their people,” Tabitha Cavanaugh, Branding & Recruitment Leader, asserts.
Heather Woodward, Job Search Consultant, proposes that job seekers consider the following factors when determining whether a job role or employer will aid in career fulfillment.
“Consider the type of work; are you looking for something like a generalist or specialist role in your area? Other considerations are the level of leadership, flexibility, location, growth, team, values, and culture. Everyone will prefer a different mix, but that’s where fit comes in. You don’t want to accept an offer too far out of line with what you’re seeking,” Woodward advises.
When Reflecting on the Interview, You Feel Like Moving Forward
Here’s another way on gauging how to know if a job is right. If you walk away from a job interview and feel inspired or energized, it might be a good fit for you.
However, if you leave the interview feeling like your energy was just sucked right out of you, the employer may not be the right fit.
Don’t ignore your gut instincts and the vibe you get about the leaders you interact with, the workplace setting, or the overall sense of morale. Too many times, we bypass our instincts and talk ourselves into believing the best of others when it is not merited.
Michael Stinnett, Career Coach, suggests that job seekers ask themselves the following questions when reflecting on interactions with employers.
“Do they value growth by encouraging employees to take time to do professional development? Do they pay for it? Do they give me PTO/benefits from the beginning? Do they create a space where everyone feels valued?”
Current and Former Employees Seem Fulfilled and Optimistic
Talk to employees and former employees to gain insight into the true nature of the employer and workplace. Reading reviews on Glassdoor is fine, but talking to real people employed (or formerly employed) by an organization lends insight into aspects of the employer you may not otherwise consider.
“When the values and mission align with yours, the employer may be a fit. There will always be things you don’t like about where you work or what you do. But if your ethics and values don’t align, it won’t work long-term.”
“You can learn about the organization’s values in the initial interview by asking to speak with several different individuals at all levels in the organization to see if their values align with their actions and business practices. You can also talk with past employees to gain some insight. It’s also possible for this to shift while working for an organization,” shares Stephanie Shine, COO of Talent Recruiting Partners.
The Employer Doesn’t Balk When You Ask Tough Questions
Don’t be afraid to ask tough questions during the interview process. This is another crucial tactic for seeing how to know if a job is right for you.
You will want to hear the employer’s responses, but you will also want to observe the interviewer’s reactions when you ask each question. Do they hesitate to respond? Do they seem open to your ideas or comments during the interview? Do they ask for your thoughts and opinions, or do they simply shove information your way? Do they seem to be carefully wording each response, or are they speaking comfortably and immediately responding?
These are all clues regarding whether the employer is being transparent and honest. Any awkwardness or hesitation may be a signal pointing to weak points in the organization.
“Ask scenario-based questions, such as: “Tell me your favorite company value and how it plays out,” or “Can you describe a situation where conflict was resolved well,” or “What are some reasons people have left in the past 12 months,” encourages Jerrod Murr, Cofounder and CVO at Paradigm Shift.
“Change the paradigm; instead of thinking of an interview as a chance to prove yourself or for the interviewers to prove themselves, ask yourself if this is a good partnership for this season. Think of it as dating or finding a roommate,” Murr adds.
The Recruiting and Onboarding Process Proceeds Smoothly and Transparently
While a rough, unclear, or disorganized recruiting, hiring, and onboarding process is not necessarily indicative of a disorganized employer, it certainly can be. If the employer runs a clean and clear recruiting, hiring, and onboarding process, your total employment experience might be positive, too.
Look for employers who communicate regularly and clearly; expect timely responses and no ghosting. Other positive indicators during the recruiting and hiring process include upbeat, organized interviews, focused interview questions, and follow-up email responses indicating the next steps in the hiring process.
Employees Display Enthusiasm, Positivity, and Kindness
Take note of the way employees, including owners and leaders, interact with one another and with you. This includes the recruiter, human resources leaders, hiring manager, and administrative staff who schedule the interview and greet you upon arrival.
Look for clues about morale. Are people smiling? Do they interact with each other? If someone appears to be struggling to open a door or carry a box, does anyone offer to help? Do you hear people say please and thank you? Do they treat one another with respect? Do they seem to care if you’re there or not?
It’s especially important to note how employees treat one another, and not just how they treat you as a job seeker, because it’s easy to put on a front of kindness, inclusion, and positivity for a moment during an interview. It’s more difficult to maintain a positive rapport with your fellow day-to-day team members.
You Will Have Opportunities to Learn and Grow within the Organization
How to know if a job is right for you long term? Even if you love the job role you’re applying for, you’ll eventually outgrow it in some way. Will the employer encourage you to grow into a new role or provide avenues for professional development, training, and cross-training? If so, you may have found a great fit and opportunity for long-term employment.
“You should be earning or learning, but it’s best when you can do both,” encourages Heather Budreviciene, Editor-in-Chief at DailyCoin.
How to Know If a Job Is Right? Is There a Foolproof Way to Know?
Looking for these clues on how to know if a job is right for you is a good way to prevent poor fit and career regret. However, keep in mind that even the most strategic, mindful job seekers often find themselves working for employers who aren’t ideal.
“Unfortunately, sometimes you don’t know if the company or the hiring manager is going to be a right fit for you until you get into the role. You can ask all the right questions in the interview, but only time will tell if you are a fit. Carrie Corcoran described it once as ‘a swing and a miss.’ You can’t hit a home run if you don’t swing at the ball,” states Kerry Noone, Brand, Marketing, & Communications Lead at EY.
Be sure to increase your odds of finding a great fit by searching for jobs at Lensa.
Compare Employers Based on Employee Ratings
Explore this interactive chart that compares two companies side by side based on the most crucial aspects of employee satisfaction – work-life balance, benefits, salary, and opportunities for growth. Data is obtained from the ratings given by employees, allowing you to assess the working conditions, compensation, and advancement opportunities offered by these organizations based on the real experiences of the people who know them best – their employees.
Disclaimer: Updated until April 2023
