The following post is courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap:
From: Lorraine Russo
What type of company are you targeting in your job search? Do you prefer large organizations, start-ups, or something in between?
What characteristics do you look for in a company, such as its reputation for family-friendliness, eco-friendliness, a progressive culture, or health & wellness benefits? And how do you determine the true character of a company? In the old days, we relied on the "good word" of HR or the hiring manager that a company was a great place to work—only to find that it was, in reality, a nightmare. (How many times have you said after leaving one job and starting another: “Yikes…what have I done?” )
If you know the type of company you prefer—or if you’re still searching for that elusive 'best' employer—give this site a look. Start making a list of what I call the LTCs – Leading Traits and Characteristics – of the companies you would like to work for. Then do your research.
Questions to consider: What is a company’s reputation in the marketplace and with its customers? Are they involved in any lawsuits ? What is the nature of their business? What are the bloggers and networking sites saying about a company?
Be sure to read comments from both current and past employees and look for patterns—both positive and negative—that may help to clarify for you a company’s culture and the products they sell. For example, Indeed.com has a forum link under each job listing. While these comments may hold a grain of truth, it's safe to assume they are from disgruntled current or former employees, so do with them what you will.
What this exercise boils down to is what is important to you (other than a paycheck, which is VITAL) and the type of company you want to work for. Here's how you make that determination: At random, I picked a site from the best companies link above: The American Association of Retired Persons Best Companies to Work for Over Age 50. From there, I selected the first one on the list: SC Johnson.
On the SC Johnson site http://www.scjohnson.com/careers/, a number of quotes are displayed – I assume from real employees – who wax poetic about what a great place SC Johnson is to work.
"At SC Johnson, people work hard and play hard with a true work-life balance."
Hmmm…sounds magnificent, doesn’t it? Perhaps I’ll apply there….but before I do, I think I’ll jog over to Twitter to see what the twits have to say about this company. Oh-oh…hold on....check out these tweets:
- SC Johnson Co uses Methane Gas produced frm landfills 2 power their factory. That is awesome 2 reduce Global Warming.
- Google "Off insect repellent" and see that SC Johnson uses West Nile virus to sell you chemicals. Marketing research says fear sells!
Huh?? How can that be?? Well, just because they (allegedly) make poisonous chemicals doesn’t mean it isn’t a great place to work, right? Let me go back to their site for a sec – they have an environmental statement somewhere….oh, here it is: “…at SC Johnson we are committed to being a good neighbor and contributing to the well-being of the countries and the communities where we conduct business.”
Whew! That makes me feel a whole lot better. For a minute I thought they were making some really bad stuff. Well, technically they’re not…anymore.
The point of this post is to help you figure out what a company is all about...and to craft your approach to working for a company in light of who they really are and what current issues or crises they may be dealing with. Getting your hands on behind-the-scenes information will help you determine your approach to applying for openings-- or creating a unique opportunity. Keep in mind what President Obama said recently: "A crisis offers great opportunity."
NOTE: I have no beef with the SC Johnson company. They make products that I and many people use, including Ziploc bags, Glade air freshener, and so on. Unfortunately, they were randomly-selected for this post. In fact, they have 9,500 employees worldwide Operations in over 65 countries, and brands marketed in over 100 countries, so they seem to be a large employer. So go visit their career site. If you see anything you want to apply for -- or someone you want to contact -- run this Google search first and find the people who can help you join their organization.
Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
Comments