7 things to look for in a new job.

Some people wonder through life aimlessly, jumping from one job to another in the hopes of landing the ‘perfect’ job. Others may be stuck in a stagnant role, unable to move due to complacency or fear of the unknown. 

How about you?

Do you know what you want in a job?
Are you aware of what brings you joy in the work that you do?
Do you ever think about what would it take for you to jump from your current role?

Here are 7 things to look for in a new job, even when you are not actively looking for a new opportunity.

#1 The job title AND responsibilities

Job titles are important, to a certain extent, for potential future career growth. However, don’t let the title limit your options as some roles can be misleading. These days, some companies also try to be different and come up with unique positions and titles, such as Social Media Ninja or Happiness Hero. As exciting as these new titles may sound, it may not also be as obvious about what the role entails, which may hinder your career progression in the future.

Ensure that the role that you are applying for and the responsibilities that come along with it are aligned. You do not want to be applying for an administrative executive role, but finding out later on that you are also the HR, marketing, AND accounting go-to person in the company. And, yes, these positions tend to happen a lot in smaller companies, where they tend to hire one person to do multiple roles at the same time.

#2 Location and working hours

Before you start applying for any jobs, make sure you know how far you are willing to travel to a new job. Take into consideration potential drive time (inclusive of morning traffic) or public transportation options. If you are willing to relocate to a new place, have some ideas in mind. You don’t want to accept a new job offer, only to realize after that you would need to spend 2 hours on the road to get to work.

Depending on the role that you are applying to, you may have to work outside the normal 9-5. This may include retail hours, or weekend hours, or even following international hours (for those working with clients/team members abroad). Be sure that you are aware of your own personal responsibility outside of work (family, etc) before you commit to any non-usual working hours.

#3 The company’s values

You want to ensure that the company’s values align with your own personal values. For instance, if you are a Muslim, you may not want to work with companies that are involved in gambling or liquor. For others, it may be on how the company are reacting to certain environmental or societal issues.

If you feel strongly about a certain area (i.e. environmental, refugees, education, diversity, community, etc), you want to make sure that the company’s values do not go against your own values. This may cause you to feel uneasy at work, or lead to further resentment in the future.

If the company is involved with the community or charity work, it may also be an opportunity for you to take part in something larger than your actual work itself. This way, you get to work while also contributing to a better world.

#4 Salary and benefits

Let’s admit it – we all want to be fairly compensated for our work. But sometimes, it’s not as easy as it seems.

There are a lot of resources out there to help you in researching the industry’s average salaries, such as the JobStreet Salary Report. You can also use social media, like the MalaysianPayGap, to hear from other people. When you think about what is your expected salary, your answer needs to be based on research and industry average, as well as the skills and experiences that you bring to the table.

But do not limit yourself just based on the salary itself. You also have to look at the overall benefits and compensation package that they offer. This includes things like medical insurance, annual/medical leaves, education/training grants, flexibility, and employee discounts. Some companies may offer higher-than-usual EPF contribution or medical and dental coverage for both employees and family members, which can be useful. So have a look at the overall compensation package before you decide based on the salary alone.

#5 Your own interests and passion

There’s a saying that goes, ‘Find a work that you love and you will never work a day in your life‘. This saying is true to a certain extent, as not all passion can lead to a sustainable career. But you do need to have an interest in the work that you do. After all, you will be spending around 1/3 of your day at work, which is a huge chunk of your life. You need more than just money on the table to motivate you to work, especially when things get hard at work.

In a real job, you may not like everything about the job. There will definitely be some parts that you dislike, which is a part of life. You just need to find a balance between what you enjoy doing and what can bring food to the table.

#6 Future growth opportunities

If you are looking to grow your career, ensure that you ask about growth opportunities. See if they offer any opportunities to attend professional development programs or trainings, either internally or externally. You may also ask about opportunities within the company itself, as some may allow you to transfer inter-departmentally or rotate around different teams.

This is where you need to think ahead 5, 10, or even 30 years into the future. Where do you see yourself at? What skills would you need to develop? What areas do you want to explore? You can then think about how the next opportunity you take can help tick off some of these boxes.

#7 Your future manager and colleague(s)

Who you will be working with will be important, as these are the people that you will be seeing on a daily basis. Not only do you have to click with them, but also be able to openly communicate with them. One thing that we usually recommend to our coaching clients is to ask the future manager about their leadership/management style during the interview. You can tend see if this would suit well with how you work best.

Some people perform better when given the freedom and flexibility to do things at their own pace. Some may need more hands-on guidance than others. And some other people may need a mentor to help them get accustomed in the first couple of months. So, don’t be afraid to ask about what is important to you, and take the time to interview your potential manager as well. You will be working alongside them for quite some time, so you need to be comfortable with them!

Having clarity can ease the process.

When you know exactly what things to look for in a new job, it can help make the whole job searching process easier. You can shortlist companies and jobs upfront, which saves up valuable time. You can also do extra research by conducting informational interviews or start networking with potential colleagues to learn more about different industries.

Need help to find your clarity in your career journey? Schedule a coaching call with us and let us help you!