How to choose the right company before applying

How to choose the right company before applying

When choosing the company to send your application to, you need to make sure to choose well and pick the company that is right for you. That being the case, today on the 30 Days To Get a Job Challenge, we have invited Viktoria Galitsi, a personal career coach, to shed some light on the process of making the right decision for a good company fit. If you already worked in a place you didn’t truly belong, you already realise the importance of today’s topic and it’s time to head back and find what you aspire and become a part of it! Let’s get on it!

 

The Starting Point: Self-Reflection 

I always recommend starting with your values and what is important to you. You want to look for the companies whose values are similar or are the same as yours.

It is important for two reasons. First, you will feel in the right place and can truly connect to the company - their vision and mission, and their values will come naturally to you, so the working environment will be just right for you. At the end of the day, the companies don't hire the most qualified or the most experienced candidate, they hire a candidate who is the right fit - who really understands them and gets what they are doing, their bigger vision, and what they stand for. So really, connecting with the company at that level will not only make it a great place for you to work at, but will also help you to really stand out from other candidates and will make the whole interview process much easier.

The second reason is that if the company values and your values are aligned, the work that you are doing will be bringing you more fulfilment and happinessI'll give you an example. Let's say sustainability is very important to you, you really believe in leaving our planet a better place, sustainable fashion and so on. Le's say your position is in digital marketing, but you work for a big oil or pharma company, and while you do like your job and what you do, but there is this feeling that something is not quite right, that something is missing. You don't feel that the job is bringing you the satisfaction you want, you might not feel that you are making the impact you would like to. And that often is because of the misalignment between your values and between what the company believes in, what it's doing and its values.

So, how do you make sure you chose the right company for you?

 

viktoriya galitsi career coach

 

The 4 Step Process  

1. Get to know your personal preferences

The first thing is to get to know yourself, your personality, and get clear on what you believe in and what your values are. Start by figuring out what kind of person you are, what you don't like, what your strengths and talents are, how you work best - alone or in a team, in the office or at home. Your personality type will give you clues on what kind of work environment you will thrive in and what kind of environment will do quite the opposite for you.

 

2. Figure out what you want your life to look like

The next thing you need to do is to get clear on what you want your life to look like. And this is a starting point for everything. Think about in as many details as you can;  what your ideal day would look like, where you would wake up, at what time, what do you see around you, what work do you do, in what setting - is it a big company or a corner office in your home, or maybe it’s a beach somewhere in Asia!

Really allow yourself to imagine your ideal life, because at the end of the day, it is you who creates your own reality. But it all starts with a dream. And if you are struggling with imagination or you need any prompts, download my FREE Clarity workbook - it will give you some prompts and questions to answer.

 

3. Understand what success means to you

The next thing you need to do is to think about what success means to you. What does it feel like for you? And how do you achieve it? 

Success means different things to different people and more often than not, it is really quite difficult to identify. However, knowing what success means to you will guide you to make the right choices and decisions in your career. It can mean money, status, or power, but it can also be linked to the expression of creativity or altruism. It can also mean freedom and flexibility, or it can mean happy relationships.

The reason why this is important to do in the very beginning - before you even start your search, and especially before you start applying for roles in different companies, is that it will give you a better insight into what kind of environment you will thrive in.

For example, if you envision yourself travelling and living the laptop lifestyle or even just having flexibility and freedom, then any company that will require you to stay in the office from 9-5, is probably not going to be the best fit.

jobs abroad

4. Consider a different work environment

I have created a table for you illustrating what different work environments look like. This is an overview of key features and it is not an exhaustive list of what to expect. And, of course, not all the companies will exactly fit this description, but the majority will.

This table gives a good outline of what the work environments look like in different size companies, both private and public sector, who these types of environments suit best, what type of experience and skills are useful, and also performance and career management culture in any particular type of the environment. So make sure to download it!
 

 

Right Before You Apply 

Now that we have talked a bit about how to choose the company, I would also like to quickly touch upon what exactly you need to look for before sending your application.

Of course, do your research and try to go as deep as you can. Don't stop on just looking at the company's website, but look at everything you can find on the internet  - any articles, any mentions, any reviews - anything there is concerning this company. Try and find out not only their mission, vision, and values, but also their product, their services, who their clients are, what their positioning is, how they are doing in the current market situation, have there been any events that have influenced the performance or the structure of the company - like mergers or acquisitions.

The more you know about the company, the more you understand what kind of impact your role has on the success of the company, the better you can highlight your relevant skills and experiences to showcase that you are the right candidate. The current job market is tough - it's a company-driven market with lots of competition. It is important to stand out and show that you are going to add value and help the company succeed.

 

 

 

viktoria galitsi career coach

 

If you'd like any more help with anything career-related - I am inviting you to join our Design a Career you Love community on Facebook - I am giving lots of valuable content there and lots of free trainings and masterclasses.  And in fact, next Wednesday and Thursday 28th and 29th October I will be holding a 2-day intensive on 6 Steps to Find and Land Your Dream Job. The masterclass is going to be packed with value, it is going to give you so much information and resources and I would love to see you all there.

I wish you all the best of luck on your journey and hope to see you in our community and masterclass, and, if you have any questions - feel free to reach out to me via email – [email protected] or on social - @viktoriagalitsi.

Tomorrow we are changing the direction and moving on with 8 Hiring Tips from an Expert Recruiter. Monica Senin, an HR Specialist and Recruiter will give you the answers to the questions all job seekers are uncertain about. With her advice, you will look at the hiring process from the recruiter’s point of view which will help you understand what is really important to make the right impression and stand out!