When it comes to accepting a job offer, there is a very important question you should ask yourself: will this position be a good fit for me and my desired personal growth? Job satisfaction, performance and happiness in a job, determine how long you stay with a company and to what degree it helps you progress in your career. If you pay close attention to a few details when you are applying or interviewing for a job, you can actually tell whether the job is worth going after. Here’s how:
Job Reviews - Websites such as Indeed and Glassdoor have reviews of certain positions, which can help you decide whether a job is a good fit for you. Not only do they show what type of people are hired and what job culture entails, but they can also reveal potential pitfalls. For example, if you are excited about applying for a customer representative position, you might expect a job where you are supposed to deal with customers, resolve problems and exercise data entry. Job reviews might show that the position is all about making sales. If you are not a salesperson, this job might not be what you expected.
Interview Process - This one is more subtle but it can also reveal a lot about the company you are about to join. For example, during an interview you can figure out what the expectations are for somebody who lands the job. Are they realistic? Another important sign is whether the interview is structured. An unstructured interview might indicate that the job is not vital to the bottom line, or that there is a high turnover so the interviewer does not put much effort into the interview. In a company that cares who it hires, the interview would more likely be structured since there would be minimum requirements for each candidate.
Initiative-taking - Taking initiative is great. This is what helps you seize opportunities, show self-confidence and get equipped with the experience you need. So how can a job with too little or too much initiative-taking impact your whole work experience? When a job has too few opportunities to take initiative, there is no room for growth. If there is no room for growth you will likely soon get bored. If you take so much initiative that creating a job for yourself becomes your full-time job, you might soon find yourself exhausted or drained to a point where your performance plunges.
Taking small steps to observe the work environment can play a tremendous role in your future job satisfaction and performance. They can either further support your desire to join the company or change your views on it. Pay close attention to details, and good luck with your career aspirations!
