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Enioluwa Adeoluwa: 10 Things to Consider When Looking For a New Job

Being passionate about your job will help you feel fulfilled and make it easier to get up and go to work each and every day. Make sure that your role is meaningful to you and that the company inspires you to do your very best.

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When it comes to finding the perfect job or deciding on whether a new job is right for you, it’s important to look past the paycheck. Although salary is important, it doesn’t always spell happiness.

Whether you’re just kick-starting your career or you’re hoping to move up the career ladder, making sure you have passion for your new role is vital. Weighing up your potential employer’s company culture is also essential in figuring out if you’d be a good fit for the role.

Here are ten things to consider while weighing the pros and cons of that new job:

Benefits

Remember that your base salary is just one part of your compensation package. Insurance, retirement contribution, paid time off, equity, bonuses, and more should all be considered and negotiated before signing on the dotted line. It’s important to also ask your potential employer about the perks the company offers. Look for a company that invests in the growth of its people and provides opportunities to develop skills that will help you progress to a more senior role, start your own company or whatever your long-time goal might be.

Office Culture

Getting a handle on the job’s official (and even unofficial) hours can be your window into one of the most elusive decision-making factors: the company’s office culture. Are the employees happy? Do they enjoy working for the company – and with one another – and do they feel like their work is valued?

Maintaining work-life balance is not only important for your personal health, wellbeing, and relationships, but it can also improve the efficiency of your work performance.

Working Hours

Not every office job is 9 to 5. Before committing to a job change, reach an understanding with your potential employer of expectations for regular working hours. Beyond the usual official time, try to find out if you’ll be working outside the office and how many hours, outside the office hours, is considered normal. When considering a job with different hours from what you’re used to (such as a weekend schedule, evening hours, or an early-morning shift) make a list of how this change will impact your life – you might not be much of a morning person as you thought.

Passion

Being passionate about your job will help you feel fulfilled and make it easier to get up and go to work each and every day. Make sure that your role is meaningful to you and that the company inspires you to do your very best. This will come naturally if you identify with the company’s mission statement and the work they do day in, day out.

Growth Opportunities

During the interview process, be sure to ask about advancement opportunities within the company. Doing so will not only help paint a better picture of what the future with that employer may look like, but it will also show the hiring manager that you are looking to invest your time and talents in the company, long-term. It’s also worth perusing the social media pages of employees at your potential organization. Look for things such as how long they stay in the same position.

The Team

Full-time workers will spend a big chunk of their lives at work, so it’s vital to ensure that the people you’re working with are the right fit for you. Having a good support network at work will keep you motivated each day. Because human beings are naturally social creatures, work friendships and positive interactions will increase happiness and productivity both inside and outside the office.

Nothing influences office culture as much as your co-workers, which is why it’s a good idea to meet as many as you can during the interview process. It’s also important to take a look at the type of people who are at the top.

Educational Opportunities

You definitely want to work for an organization that supports and encourages your growth and sometimes, in order to grow, you will require additional education. Make inquiries on if the company provides stipends for continuing side courses or professional degrees and if employees are encouraged to take advantage of these resources.

Company History and Stability

It can’t be stressed enough that you need to do a bit of research on your potential employer before making anything official. Do they have a track record of layoffs and cutbacks? Are they making headlines for the right reasons – such as reaching new audience milestones or expanding the business? Or ones that raise red flags – legal issues, financial troubles? While joining a startup can be exciting, it’s also a huge risk. Be realistic about whether it’s a good time for you to take one.

Location

Commuting can add many hours and lots of stress to the workday, which is something a lot of people can’t bear. Yet for some workplaces, a stressful commute is unavoidable. Distance is definitely one of the most important things to check and consider when scouring for a new role.

Recognition

Whether you have your eye on a hefty bonus or you’re simply content in receiving verbal appraise, it’s nice for our hard work to be recognized and rewarded. For this reason, weighing up a company’s appraisal format is essential.

The most important is your peace and comfort; ensure that you like the place and the ideas of it. Ask questions about the organization before signing in. Put yourself first.

Enioluwa is a Growth Analyst at Bamboo, and Curator of #Dear20Something, he graduated with Summa cum laude in Media and Theatre Arts. He works to inspire young adults to achieve whatever they set their mind to do, as well as breaking the rules that may have bound them.

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