Do you really know what you want from a job?

If forums & social networks are to be believed, most recruiters don’t really care about what you want as a candidate.

I disagree with that.

This is why I think it’s important to help you really think about what’s important to you.

Looking for a job is like dating. You are both assessing each other for compatibility.

Like dating, you won’t find a company that’s perfect in every single way, so concessions need to be made.

It’s important to really think of the key things that matter to you.

Areas to consider

• Size and reliability of the company.
• Location, length of commute and fuel costs per year.
• What industry does the company work in? What types of clients do they have?
• Company culture, values, and corporate responsibility.
• Social events and team events.
• What’s the hiring manager’s background? (Hands-on? Corporate?)
• What’s their management style?
• What’s the team size, structure and what methodologies do they use?
• Projects. (Greenfield? New Functions? Improvements? Legacy?)
• Do they use modern technologies, methodologies and architectures?
• What you will learn here?
• What’s the seniority of the role? What responsibilities will that entail?
• Opportunities for progression. (Technical or management routes)
• How seriously do they take training and development?
• Is the salary level fair?
• Benefits. (Pension? Bonus? Flexible hrs? Homeworking? Car Allowance? Days holiday? Healthcare? Other?)

Are there any other things that you consider when assessing a potential employer?