Job hunting can be challenging at the best of times, but especially at the moment in light of record inflation rates and the rising cost of living, finding the right job becomes much more important. When you are spending 40 hours a week in a workplace, it needs to be somewhere where you feel safe, competent and a valued part of the team. When you find the right job, your workmates become an extension of your family and work is fun.

If you find yourself in the wrong job, even the simplest of tasks can feel unachievable and nobody enjoys working in an oppressive environment. This is why when you are job hunting, you should look for an employer that offers a welcoming company culture with opportunities for career progression.

When deciding which employers to apply to, we recommend considerable the following five points:

1. Company Culture

You can usually make a reasonable judgement about what a company would be like to work for based on their reputation and the way in which they communicate. A company with a healthy culture will have a good reputation to uphold, friendly and approachable branding and public communications, and a clear desire to do the best that they can for their employees and customers. A company that not only makes statements about inclusivity, but demonstrates this through its actions, is likely to offer a welcoming environment. Likewise, a company that is frequently advertising for new staff in the same roles may have employee retention issues which could be indicative of a poor culture.

2. Investment in Employees

By reviewing the company's website and social media feeds, you can begin to develop an understanding of their employee offering. Look for internal progression opportunities, employee training programmes and willingness to offer staff volunteering opportunities outside of the company to develop leadership and communication skills. Consider whether the company's public-facing media outlets feature existing staff testimonials and if you know any existing employees of the company, ask them about their work life balance. A good company to work for is one that recognises that developing and enabling its staff to live well and progress is beneficial for both the individual and the organisation.

3. Professional development

Understanding your current level of experience and qualifications and where you would like to get to will help you to determine which organisations to target in your job hunt. If you know that you wish to develop your skills in a particular environment, it is important to select an employer who will support you in doing so. Ideally, look for a company that offers professional development opportunities as part of its HR package and where internal promotions are commonplace. You will soon begin to understand which organisations offer these opportunities by reviewing the company's job listings history - if the majority of advertised vacancies were for entry grade or lower management positions, the chances are that the higher paid positions are being filled internally and new recruits are brought in to backfill.

4. Compensation and benefits are competitive

You should know what you are worth based on your skills, qualifications and experience, but it is always important to look beyond the annual salary figure to understand the company's full offering. It is also essential, when you are job hunting, to recognise that what is important to you needs to align with what is important to the company, so if your primary objective is to find an organisation that offers job security and opportunities for career progression, it can be worthwhile considering a company with a slightly lower annual salary figure but benefits such as a company pension, group life insurance, funded training and development opportunities and the potential for internal progression and promotion. Compare the offerings of similar companies to determine which best aligns with your own values and needs.

5. Communication

Open, honest communication is absolutely vital to build trust, engagement and a sense of belonging. Working for a company which does not communicate well with its staff can present a motivational challenge, drive uncertainty and issues are likely to arise from a lack of direction. These issues can result in a poor workplace culture, lower outputs and employee retention challenges. If you speak to different people within the organisation during the application process, look for common messaging as a company with clear leadership and good communication will reflect in all staff delivering a consistent message and working together to achieve a group aim.

If you need support in finding the best job for your skills, experience and aspirations, Cento can help. We are a market leader in resourcing talent for the building services market. We can help you to understand the intricacies of the HR process and have a deep involvement in information, communication and technology industries. We can support you in tailoring your CV, identifying suitable job opportunities and building the necessary contacts to enable you to pursue a long and fruitful career in your chosen field.

Contact info: Phone: 01509 615290