Who could I work for?

As the election campaign gathers momentum and old foes are now suddenly the best of friends (I still can’t see Fianna Fail getting into bed with Fine Gael or vice versa, can you?). Have you ever thought about who to go in to coalition with?

(Not from a personal point of view, I’m not an agony aunt!) but what about from a work point of view and the type of company you would like to work for.

With increased economic confidence and more opportunities, this election campaign gave me food for thought on who to go in to coalition with. It is important when/ if you are going to look at the marketplace to ask yourself- who should I work for?

Who could I work for? Who should I go into coalition with?

There are several aspects to consider when looking  at the marketplace- and here are some below

Do I share the same values as the potential employer?

When going in to coalition; a pertinent question to ask yourself is do I share the same values as the company you are looking at. You may be attracted to an opportunity because of the package on offer; the location; the work-life balance but have you/ will you ask yourself do the company share the same values as you? I have spoken to many candidates who felt they were making the right move at the time; sometimes for the above reasons; only for the opportunity not to be as it was portrayed or indeed the company’s values not to match their own.  I recruit in the Sales and Marketing. In sales it is important to pause and think how does a potential employer sell their products? Is it ethical? Is it a sale at any cost approach as opposed to building a long term relationship with the client? So my advice is to make sure to do your comprehensive research beforehand. For example, would it be possible to speak to a team member? How about checking in with their current client base if that was possible? Even networking and using your contacts; even speaking to ex-employees to get their opinion.

Will there be stability in your relationship?

I’m sure Enda Kenny/ Michael Martin are continually thinking to themselves “who could we form the next government with?”, with a healthy sceptical view of the various combinations, no doubt! From a work point of view, it is important to make sure that when you looking to move; especially to a smaller organisation/ company; will this be the right move for you? I spoke to one candidate recently who moved jobs as he felt it would be the right move for him. He was relatively happy in his current role at the time but when the company approached him they sold him a fantastic opportunity; the company vision combined with big plans for future investment.

The candidate made the move but within six months he was looking at the job market again. The opportunity and role did not match what was sold to him in the interview process; promises made never materialised and the investment never happened either. Hence it is important to ask yourself is the company in a good place and will there be stability in the relationship. At the end of day; you don’t want to make a move and find yourself looking at the market again within a short space of time. Making a move will always involve an element of risk so in the interview process, it is just as important for you to ask questions of them; their current activity; their plans; the challenges they face.. it is imperative that you get all the answers to any concerns/ questions you have that will help you form your decision.

Are you culturally compatible?

When making a move it is important to see it as an investment; getting married, buying a house and moving jobs can all be life changing events so although the opportunity can look good on paper there are several aspects to consider. Being a culture fit for the team and assessing whether you will click with team members is really important. I spoke to one candidate who made the wise decision to ask the Head of Marketing at the final round of the interview would it be possible to meet with the other Marketing Manager who she would be working very closely with on a daily basis and indeed on upcoming projects.

This person went for a coffee with the Marketing Manager and was delighted that she pushed for a meeting! She found the Marketing Manager in the prospective company rude; arrogant and didn’t listen to anything that she had to say so she decided that this job was not for her. It is much better to find that out now rather than a week into the role? So when moving jobs it can be stressful; indeed if you are working in a small office with other people it’s important that you get on / click with the other team members, as you can spend as much time with them as you will with your life partner! (sounds scary but it can be true with some companies) I know it can be hard to judge from an interview process but it is better to know the culture going in to a company rather than find it out later! Are they approachable; are they personable; do people genuinely listen to one another?

So when moving jobs or even when you are contemplating moving; these are just some aspects to consider before deciding who should I go in to coalition with? As mentioned above, there will always be an element of risk and with that comes nerves; excitement and a sense of having to prove yourself again but my advice is to do your research and ask as many questions of a potential employer as they would ask of you.

Talk to one of our specialist consultants who will offer leading edge advice and connect you with the best employers by discipline, industry or location.

A post by Denis Mac Sweeney.

Talk to one of our specialist consultants who will offer leading edge advice and connect you with the best employers by discipline, industry or location.

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