3 Things to Look For in a Company to Kickstart Your Career

1. Look for companies that share your values

Other than pay and benefits, 43% of potential job candidates say they are attracted to a new career because of meaningful work. By researching a company’s core mission, you’re not only ensuring they have clear goals, but ones that resonate with your interests and passions. If you value social causes, diversity initiatives or innovation, choose a company that aligns with these. Read reviews online from past and present employees covering areas like company culture, salary, job advancement and work/life balance.

2. Research employee benefits the company provides

To attract potential employees, companies often disclose healthcare benefits and other perks, including stock options, flexible work schedules, or unique onsite facilities that may include gyms or catered cafeterias. Research what other employees have said about benefits there along with conversations on the hiring and interview process and company culture.

3. Learn about the company’s business operations

How does the company make money? Who buys their products or services and are they highly rated? Is the company a start-up, or if it’s been in business for a while, how has it grown over time? What industry is this company in? The answers to these questions will give you an idea of how stable this business is, what some of their immediate concerns might be, and how you could play a part in their success.

For public companies, you can get this information from the company website as well as access certain financial information, office locations, and learn how the company is structured. Public companies typically post annual reports and other public financial documents online. You can also consult resources like Crunchbase to learn about funding, mergers and acquisitions, as well as the competitive landscape.

Look out for information that will help you answer questions about the industry and how the company you’re researching could pull ahead or maintain its lead.