Do You Know If This Job Is Right for You?
Nov. 2023
By NTI
Sometimes it can be hard to know if a job is the right fit for you. It can be helpful to go into a job search with a clear understanding of what you are looking for in a position.
“This is a good opportunity, to be honest with yourself and what you want out of a job, professionally, and personally,” said Alan Hubbard, NTI’s Chief Operations Officer.
Here are some things to consider.
Salary: You should have a clear understanding what salary range you need to cover your finances. Knowing this information will make it easier to know if accepting a position will require a lifestyle change.
Job Skills: Do you want a job were you will learn new things? What type of tasks do you enjoy? What type of tasks do you dislike? Thinking about these questions will help you to determine what type of job will make you the happiest. If you want to be challenged, you won’t be happy in a job where you won’t do new things or learn new skills.
The Person in Charge: What type of management style works best for you? Do you want a hands-on boss or a more independent work environment? You want to ask the manager about their management style during the interview and make sure it will allow you to succeed.
What is the company’s culture and reputation? You should ask yourself what kind of place do you want to work at? Is it important for you to work for a company that is well-established in the industry or are you OK with being with a company, that is new or is trying to rebuild its reputation?
“You also want to be sure you are a fit with the culture of the company,” said Hubbard. “Are you the type of person who likes a formal atmosphere and the company is very casual? That is going to be a problem for you.”
“Are you someone who wants to work 40 hours and practice life-work balance? If the people at the company are working 60 hours, then that’s not the place for you. You are going to quickly feel the pressure of working more than 40 hours if you are the only person leaving after eight hours.”
Job Security: Are you looking for a place where you will gain new skills, build your portfolio and then move on? In that case, you aren’t going to be looking for a company as a long-term home. On the other hand, you might be looking to stay at a company for many years.
“You want to look at the financial health of the company,” said Hubbard. “If you want security, then you aren’t going to take a job with a company influx. You also want to look at the track record of the people in the company. Is this a job that is open every six months? If that’s the case, you might prefer to wait until they have established themselves.”
Location: How I am going to get there? What is the commute going to be like? Is it accessible for Americans with disabilities? Would working from home be easier? Could you maintain a quiet and private home office?
If you are looking at a long commute and that’s something you don’t want, then this isn’t the right job for you.
If you have any questions about the commute, a good idea is to go to the business during the time you would be going on a normal business day. That will be the best indicator of the time you are expected to be at work in the morning.
“Good advice is not to take the job if you have any major concerns,” said Hubbard. “We don’t want to rush into a position and hope that things will work out. It is much better to wait for the next job to come along that is right for you.”
By thinking about what makes the perfect job in advance, you will be able to better identify the jobs to apply for and which job to accept at the end of your job search.
NTI helps Americans with disabilities and their caregivers find at-home employment with free training and job placement services. You can register at www.nticentral.org.