Source: Venus de Micro
Here's the formula anyone should follow in planning her next move.
1. Identify your next big career goal
2. Assess the skill gaps between here and there
3. Look for companies that need what you already know and will give you the experience you need.
You can find information about companies via: corporate career sites, corporate bloggers, LinkedIn, conference presentations, networking, user group meetings, alumni meetings, recruiters.
Location
Short list a number of places that you would move to for the right position. Think about cost of living, weather, lifestyle, schools, social networks. Online tools like homefair.com provide comparisons of cities.
The Work Environment
The people you work with will the biggest impact on your job satisfaction but it's hard to find out much about this in advance of working with them. Some questions about the team can be answered in an interview but remember this: selling is lying. So says The Funny Banker and in an interview with an attractive candidate a company is trying to make a good impression and you only see what the company chooses to show you.
You might find references to the corporate culture, especially in larger companies, in articles and discussion groups. You might be able to access some information via social networks. But it's hard to find out if you're going to be working with a micromanager or a cheapskate or a bunch of dorks.
Here, however, are some questions you should ask yourself.
- What kind of environment is going to make you want to show up every day?
- Where have you enjoyed working most?
- What types of people do you want to surround yourself with?
- Who can you learn from?
- What kind of peers and managers help you do your best?
Career Progress In One Company
You might be able to work through much of your career progress within one firm. Look at the company’s career site to see if they have the types of roles you need for your career progress. See if you can find profiles of people working at the company (on LinkedIn, for instance) and see if the person has moved through a number of roles in the firm. You might approach employees and past employees you identify online for this kind of information. Note, however, that future employers might see your exposure to only one company as a limitation.
Compensation
It's not enough to know the base compensation. You have to take the benefits that are important to you into consideration. Consider things like child care reimbursement, medical deductibles/co-pays/flex spending accounts, transportation assistance (bus passes, car pools), reimbursement for cell phone or Internet, corporate discounts, levels of coverage for medical/dental/vision, legal assistance programs, paid holidays and vacation time, tuition assistance, health programs (weight management, smoking cessation).
Networking
You can't build a social network in a moment. To have access to a group of people you can call upon for insider information about a company or an industry, you have to make business friends whenever the opportunity is offered and maintain relations with them on a regular basis. And you have to help them in order to make them willing to help you.
The Key Idea
If you figure out what is important to you and think about it every now and then you won't be caught in the headhlights when a recruiter calls. You will know what you are looking for and will be able to ask the right questions to see if this opportunity might deliver it.
