5 Things to Consider Before Applying for a Job

Mona Abdel-Halim is the co-founder of Resunate.com, a job application tool that tailors and optimizes your resume for a specific job. You can find Mona and Resunate on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Your skills and experience certainly lend themselves to certain types of jobs, but they aren’t the only things you should consider when applying for a new position. Your satisfaction in a new job goes beyond simply being able to utilize your skills each day — you also need to consider who you’ll be working with, what the company is like and if you’ll be happy in the job, should you land it.

So what else is important, you ask? Here are a few other aspects of a new job you need to consider before applying:

1. Type of Management: Everyone thrives in a different type of work environment, and much of that environment is about how you’re managed on a day-to-day basis. Do you need a manager who allows you to work independently? Or do you prefer someone checking in with you on a daily basis? If you’ll be working remotely most of the time, are you able to successfully self-manage?

Think back to what worked and what did not work in your last position. Who is your ideal manager? What type of work environment will they encourage each day?

2. Corporate Culture: What is the office environment like? What values are important to the company? Do you agree with them? How do they affect the day-to-day environment at the organization? You can investigate these aspects of an organization by visiting its website. You can also gain additional insight by browsing employee reviews on Glassdoor and Vault.

Another aspect of the culture is the leadership. Do you admire and respect the top management at the organization? Do they make you want to work there? If you don’t, you may want to rethink your decision to apply at the company.

3. Your Personality Type: There are many things you can learn about your work style from discovering your personality type. Do you have a preference for extraversion or introversion? Do you require a quiet working environment or do you thrive in a bustling environment with more distractions? How your personality type will mesh with colleagues and supervisors plays a part in job satisfaction, too.

4. Work/Life Balance: What type of balance do you require? Will you be working significantly more hours than you did at your last job? What will your commute to this new job be like? Will the new position require frequent business traveling or overtime hours? These factors can affect your home life and may introduce more stress if you don’t consider them before applying. Know your limits to ensure your next position is the right fit for you and your life outside of work.

5. Company Stability: In this economy, it never hurts to dig a little deeper on company growth and financial stability. This can help you determine whether or not you’ll be looking for a new job in the near future, due to the company cutting back its workforce or shutting down altogether.

Additionally, it pays to research the industry in order to figure out if it’s healthy. Is it expected to be around in the next 10 to 15 years, or is it on the decline?

Are there other things job seekers need to consider before applying for a new position? Let us know in the comments.








































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