What is Your Dream Job?
Do you have an ideal job that you dream about on your hardest days at work or in the middle of a grueling job search?
Do you know if your dream job exists? Do you know of any companies where you could actually work at this position? If so, what specific information do you know about them that could help you land a job there?
Similar to online dating profiles, there can be a lot of information to sift through to get to the good stuff. The following list should help you narrow down your focus and shorten your time spent when your research companies.
What To Look For When You Research Companies You Want To Work For
Once you find an ideal company to work for, keep in mind that even if they do not currently have a job opening that interests you, you can still submit your resume without a job posting.
#1. Where is the company located? 
It doesn’t really matter how fabulous a company is if you aren’t willing to (or can’t ) live where it is located. If relocation is not an option, or you have specific needs for how far and where you able to move to, check where the company is before you go any further in your research.
#2. Company History
There are a few reasons to familiarize yourself with a company’s history. First, you might be asked questions in an interview about how much you know. Second, and more important to your initial research, is to find out the dirt on the company. Google them. Dig around into their social media platforms. What are other companies and people saying about them? Have they ever been sued? What about bankruptcy, layoffs, or scandals? The more you know, the better decisions you can make.
#3. Corporate Culture and Community
What kind of environment do you want to spend your days in? What kind of people do you want to work with?
A companies culture is what sets it apart from competition and it is really important that is works with your personality. A millennial start-up with lots of young, energetic go-gettters starting their careers will be a very different place to work than a long-standing corporation with tenured employees, mentors and several corner offices.
Some great ways to get a sense of a company’s culture are:
- read employee reviews
- check out social media
- talk to people who have worked there
- study the company’s branding
#4. Know the Competition
Knowing who the company’s competitors are will tell you a lot about the company, the industry, and the potential sustainability of the market. How do they fall in the rank of market mindshare and visibility?
#5. Benefits and Perks
This is the nitty gritty details of working someplace, and often the items that come into play when negotiating a job offer. By asking around, conducting comparative searches, reading job postings and doing some digging, you should be able to find out the following:
- Paid vacation and sick leave policies
- Paid holidays
- Health Care Coverage (for you and your family)
- Maternity/Paternity Leave
- Continuing education opportunities
- Options to work remotely
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