Research is key to a successful job hunt today
Q: I wanted to get your advice about researching employers. Last year was a good one for me, but my employer wants everyone to return to the office more days, and I want a flexible schedule. I have started to search and discovered numerous jobs available closer to my home. How important is it to spend time gathering information about an employer without an interview? I am trying to make my job search effective without spending extra time.
A: A couple of years ago, working from home was often considered a perk rather than a permanent shift in the workplace. Most employers are aware that employees find remote work beneficial to them. To help retain talent, employers appear more willing to have conversations around a flexible work schedule. If you like your job, it could be worthy of a discussion before leaving.
Your research question is an area that job candidates often set aside without spending too much time until an employer shows interest. The challenge with that approach is that you may not like the work culture or match the leadership values.
Learning how to manage your career will pay off in the long run. Knowing what you are looking for in a new employer is part of an effective job search and is your map to a fulfilling career pathway.
As a job candidate, you may have more opportunities now than in the past. However, from a career strategy point of view — an abundance of jobs does not always equal a good career decision. Job-Hunt and partner site FlexJobs conducted a recent survey of more than 2,200 people aimed at job seeker’s perspectives in the fastchanging jobs landscape. The report found that 69% of respondents believe that looking at photos or videos of a workplace or team is not that important when evaluating a job.
More than half of the respondents did not look at the work culture of an employer when considering working there. This type of belief is a mistake that could be avoided by taking time to conduct research. Accepting a position only to leave it a few months later is not a good career plan.
Researching employers before an interview is beneficial to you in several ways. It adds to your confidence in knowing their products and the company’s mission and gives you talking points when building rapport with decision-makers.
But one of the greatest benefits of research is determining if the business culture matches your interests. When you consider moving to a new job, there is more to your decision than the technical aspects of performing the job.
Working with an approachable team combined with a good working atmosphere adds immeasurable satisfaction. The time spent researching is always a good plan and will help you prevent mistakes instead of making one that could cost you.