A job search is a lot like real estate. In a seller’s market, you can show your house with your kids’ dirty socks on the floor and still get a great offer. In a buyer’s market, you’d better stage it well, play music and have cookies in the oven.
In spite of a doom-and-gloom economy and a shockingly high unemployment rate, recruiting has lately been getting tougher. Candidates have more choices.
They are getting counter offers. They are choosier, because they can be.
That means for job seekers, it’s your lucky day. The prospective employee gets to call the shots, more or less. Your talent is in demand, but you should be sure to pick the right company. Here are five things that job seekers should think about as they search for the right company:
Examine the company’s hiring process. Is it streamlined? Is everyone on the same page? Are they organized? Did they act like you should be grateful to talk to them, or like the valuable talent you actually are?
Don’t buy a ticket for the Titanic: How is the company doing financially? Is it solvent? Is it willing to pay you what you’re realistically worth?
Select a company you like. Is the company a culture fit? If not, what are you doing? Look at other companies. Life is short, the workday is long and you have options. Check the vacillation index. How fast did they make a decision? Did you have to wait for an eternity while they shopped for other candidates or twiddled their thumbs?
Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. Changing jobs is always the best time to navigate the turbulent waters of salary. Know what a job is worth, and then ask for it.
What have you got to lose? It’s a buyer’s market right now. Your dream job is waiting
