Right now, the job market is not easy. If a candidate is going to seek a new job, it's best to make sure they really want the job, and that means learning everything you can about the potential new employer.
Lifehacker shares the basic steps to prepare.
Mission statement
First (and perhaps easiest), check the company's mission statement. Even if it's “just a job” and you're not looking for a role that aligns with your personal values, it's a good idea to learn about the company culture. Most often, this specific information is available on the official website.
If you can't find any kind of mission statement, that in itself says something about the company and whether it will do well there (or not).
Shareholder evaluations
If you want to know what it's like to work in a particular place, get that information directly from someone with that experience. Checking reviews from current and former employees on sites like Glassdoor can give you a solid overview of the internal culture and day-to-day work experience. It can also provide information about the interview process, which will help you decide whether or not to move forward.
Position history
One important metric to consider when researching a company is turnover rate. How many professionals hold the same position you are applying for? If the company hired four people for this role in the last year, or if a large number of employees leave after a short period, this does not bode well. On sites like Indeed and Glassdoor, it's possible to see expired job listings, which can give an idea of how often a company needs to go on the job market.
Looking at company reviews on these sites can help here as well. If several previous employees didn't get the job you're applying for, it may indicate a toxic culture, lack of support, or unrealistic expectations.
benefits
Often times, when it comes to a new job, the focus is more on the salary, and although it represents the largest part of the pay, it is not the only part. Benefits package is also part of it.
Knowing the total value of what you will get, if you decide to accept a job, is an essential aspect of decision-making, so research topics such as vacation, retirement plan, life and health insurance, bonuses and all benefits such as parking spaces, fresh food in the cafeteria, gym, etc. Everything has a monetary value that you can roughly calculate and get a more definitive idea of whether the pay is adequate or not.
C level stability
Depending on the job you're applying for, you may never directly interact with senior executives (CEO, COO, IT Director, etc.), but that doesn't mean they don't have influence over your business. Most companies publish information about their top executives directly on their websites. A quick Google search will also make this information available.
The most important thing is to know how stable the executive group is, so look for previous press releases for new hires. If a company has four CEOs in three years, that's not a good sign, for example.
The overall picture
Finally, do a simple Google search. Look for news of any kind (obviously ignore articles on company blogs or brand websites). Are you involved in legal proceedings (especially those involving former employees) or disputes with unions? This type of information can give an idea about the reality of work.
It's also a good idea to search the company's social media. If it is outdated or has not been active for several months, this may indicate that you do not care about your image and customers or that you do not know how to navigate the digital world. If the dialect used on social media seems strange to you for some reason, there may be a culture clash that is best avoided.
Accepting a job offer is an important step. The candidate should know as much about the company as he does about the future employee. Only then will smart decisions be made.
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