Career advice articles spend a lot of time providing jobseekers with ways in which they can tailor their applications, and in essence themselves, to a company’s specifications and needs, all in service of landing that important job. The truth is however, that conducting a job search is more of a dialog, where both jobseeker and company find out if there is a good fit. In honour of that dialog, here are 3 things jobseekers are looking for from employers in their job search.
Financial and job security
Although it’s not something most jobseekers will admit to (and probably shouldn’t, especially in an interview environment), everyone values financial security when considering employment opportunities. This isn’t to say that all jobseekers are looking to become rich, but earning enough to cover your living expenses, and the odd luxury, will motivate many an individual. Add to that the potential for job security, wherein a jobseeker knows that the company providing the opportunity is not in a volatile situation, is unlikely to fire staff other than for failure to perform, and is looking to build an effective team long term, these are what make for an attractive employment opportunity. A happy workforce is a productive workforce, something which a lot of companies realise, and what many jobseekers are looking for in their job search.
Work-life balance
In addition to the financial and job security mentioned above, many jobseekers are seeking an employment opportunity with a company that will provide them with a good work-life balance. In other words, jobseekers want to know that by taking a job with any company the work won’t become all-consuming to the point where they can’t have any form of social life. This isn’t any indication of a lack of drive, dedication, or willingness to work on the part of the jobseekers, but simply, although their profession will form a large and important part of their lives, the ability to develop their lives on a personal level is also important. Companies that offer jobseekers a healthy work-life balance will in turn reap the benefits of a happier, more focused, and driven workforce, as the less problems they are having at home, the more productive they can be at work.
Opportunities to progress
One of the worst things an aspiring, dedicated, and driven professional can experience in the workplace is stagnation. Nobody want to find themselves in a dead-end role, where what you are doing now is what you will be doing for the rest of your life. As a result, when assessing prospective employers in their job search, jobseekers will be looking for a company where, even if they start at the bottom, they will have the opportunity to rise through the ranks, and progress. This is more than just in regards to salary increases, or new titles, but also additional responsibilities and challenges that will help them grow professionally. By providing jobseekers the opportunity to progress within the company, employers show that they are prepared to reward hard work, and as such, are likely to attract more high quality talent.
As a jobseeker it might seem a good idea to take any job opportunity that comes along. However, a better approach is to be more selective in your employer, and ensure that the company provides the environment, culture, and ecosystem that will help you thrive as an employee, and in return help push the company to new heights.
