If your workplace is the first thing that jumps to mind when you see this photo, you may be needing a new job.
When most people decide they need a new job, they start looking for jobs. This may not surprise you, but it should.
Most of us have had that friend who just wanted a date. Any date. They weren’t looking for a relationship, just a date. But, surprise! They ended up in a relationship with someone who wasn’t very good for them. Eventually, they realized it and ended the relationship amid much drama and heartbreak. Unfortunately, many times, they start the cycle all over again by looking for a date, any date, because they don’t really want a relationship, just a date.
Job hunting is the same. Most of us go looking for a job. Maybe not just any job, but at any company.
The trouble is, most of us don’t leave a job because we hate our job. We leave a job because we hate the company, or our boss, or our coworkers. Many times, this is information we can have BEFORE we accept the position.
I have worked for two red-faced, screaming, phone-throwing control freaks. That was on a good day. Their reputation preceded them; I just didn’t listen. I left one job specifically because of the employer’s actions. The other job I left because of the culture of fear the employer promoted to allow his temper tantrums to continue. In other words, he was growing other tyrants around him.
The point is, you will not learn this type of information from a job posting. I guarantee you will never read a job description that says:
“Work for the cheapest company on the planet. We will work you to death, take away your lunch hour, and weasel our way out of paying overtime. We will hire the most incompetent employees to work alongside you and when they can’t learn the job, we will promote them to management so they have the power to make you miserable even more hours of the day.”
Job postings are not exhaustive job descriptions. They are advertisements. You need to know more about the job than the information in the posting BEFORE you apply. Do not wait for the interview to find out what the job is about. It’s a waste of your precious job search time.
Instead, research and analyze the company FIRST:
- Look at their Web page. Do they look professional? Current? Do they look like they care about excellence? Is there anything missing?
- Look them up on LinkedIn.com and find out who works there. Do you know any of the employees? Are you connected to any of them through other people? Ask their friends what they say about their job.
- Look up the company on Glassdoor.com. What kind of reputation do they have?
- Google the company. Is the press good? Is there controversy?
- Google the members of the executive team, especially any you would be working for directly. Notice what comes up. A community volunteer award is information. So is a DUI conviction. Is this a person you would enjoy working for?
Especially if you’re getting rid of the worst job in the world or the tyrant of the century, break the cycle. Don’t move into another job so quickly that you haven’t had time to understand the culture and players, including yourself.
If your most recent job has left you shuddering to think what the next one will be like, consider partnering with me for your next job search. I can guide you through the job search jungle, help you avoid the bad boss bog, and get your work mojo working again. Contact me today to see if this direction would be a good fit for your career move.
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