When looking for a new job online, there are a few important steps you should consider before applying. Doing even a small amount of research can be hugely beneficial in terms of helping you make up your mind about whether or not a particular job role is suitable for you.
Simple things like the financial health of a company, as well as more detailed information about the nature of the business, are available online and while company websites can be a good place to start, there are other options for you to consider during this initial research stage.
A company website may be clear and easy to navigate, but more often than not you’ll find yourself wading through pages and pages of information that simply isn’t relevant to the position you’re applying for.
Concentrate on the sections that deal with careers and employment information. These may be incorporated into a bespoke job search system and application process guidelines, or they may simply point you in the direction of their HR department or recruiting agency. Be sure to clarify any particular requirements, as well as the application process for each opening and rule out any that aren’t applicable to you.
Using companies house data to obtain more detailed insight into a business is also a good idea at this stage. Get if for free from Duedil.com, which is the world’s largest companies database, a website that sources and aggregates this information for easy analysis.
You can search company accounts going back 20 years, and find useful data such as corporate structures, director timelines and health and safety accreditation. While a lot of this information is available on sources all over the web, Duedil puts it together so that it’s easy to cross-check and come to your own conclusions, without spending time mining through pages and pages of complex information.
Remember that if you obtain an interview with any particular company, this is as much a chance for you to interview them as it is for them to interview you. Make sure you are prepared to raise any potential issues as soon as possible and don’t be afraid to demonstrate the fact that you’ve don’t your research – it indicates your eagerness to take up the position and ability to successfully track down reliable information.
Choosing which company to work for is a crucial decision not only because you spend such a large portion of your time and energy at work, but because it can impact your future career.
The above methods should make up an important part of your decision making process but it’s also good to follow your instincts as well. You may feel that on balance, despite being perfect on paper, the role you are presented with simply isn’t for you. In this case, all that research has still brought you one step closer to making the right decision and that’s definitely a valuable lesson to learn.
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