What Do You Look For In An Employer?

[dgridley]

When you're looking for or choosing a job, what qualities do you hope to find for the perfect employer or job?

[dgridley]

Flexible hours are one thing I value.. not good with early morning, for one, or deadlines, for another.

Benefits are nice as well.. health insurance, these days, can be a real prize...

[Latina]

Compensation of course. The $ has to be right for what is expected of me.

Health and Dental insurance... which I lack now

Atmosphere - I wouldn't leave a job high & dry due to a bad atmosphere, but I'd spend all my spare time looking for a new job if I was unhappy with my surroundings, so it's key to know I will be happy in the environment before I take the job.

Paid time off.. do I have to wait a year or do I get vacation/sick time right away? I haven't had to wait for vacation time since the late 90's when I was still working factories, not sure I'd take a job that made me wait an entire year now.

Growth opportunities... No point in starting a job where I will feel stuck after a while.

Job security/stabililty - I'd hate to start a job & shortly after feel as if i am disposable. I work too hard and give my all, to always be worried that today may be my last day with the company.

[Blue Baboon]

There are lots of things I look for in an employer.

I never got a paid sick day in my life, so I don't know what that is like. Lots of places don't offer that.

I'd like paid vacation and holidays, which I don't get now since I'm only part time and I don't think full time gets that either, but most of us are part time there.

I don't get any insurance so thank goodness for my husband's.

I'd look at what hours are worked. I will only work first shift and no weekends other than occasional overtime on a Sat. It's a good thing my industry is mainly office hours. I've worked first shift my whole life. My husband and I try to work about the same hours and have weekends off, but now he's stuck on Sat. He HATES it.

Will I get raises or decent pay? I look for that. Right now I can't be too picky since the job market is crappy.

How far I have to drive, because winter weather sucks. I can't be too picky there right now, but I would like closer to home. I drive 50 minutes to work one way. That's the best I could find. Again, crappy economy and I live in hooterville.

I look for job security and that's hard to find. I just hope that I don't get laid off ever. I've been through it too many times and it's someone else's turn. Tired of part time, temp jobs, and being laid off.

I have to look for something in my field, so I look at job duties and does it come close to fitting my needs. I'd like something more creative now, but I had to take whatever I could get. Thanks, crappy economy!

I look at condition of equipment and cleanliness. I worked in a dumpy print shop for my first design job and it drove me nuts. Is the equipment outdated? If I'm on the computer all day, I want a decent size monitor to work on and a computer that's not a slug. Is the software fairly recent? I need that too if I have to get my work done. The place must be clean and organized. They need to look like they know what they are doing, not just flying by the seat of their pants.

When interviewed observe the people working there. Are they happy and organized? Do they seem to get along and work as if they are relaxed? That last thing you need is to be working with grouchy people and feeling constantly rushed because they can't hire enough workers or keep things organized. Sometimes job ads state that they want you to multitask. Do they mean do the work of 3 people? Are the deadlines reasonable or do they expect the impossible? When people are rushed mistakes and injuries happen, plus tempers flare up. You don't need that kind of mess in a workplace.

[Blue Baboon]

I can't do a job that requires standing for long periods. I'm ok with some standing, but not more than 4 hours at a time. I look at that, but since I work on a computer, I'd be sitting a lot anyway.

I will no longer do jobs that are physically demanding. I've done that in my younger days, but I can't do that anymore. I prefer not to get dirty or even get my hands dirty at work. I've done way too much of that in my factory days and prefer to stay clean and not get sweaty at work. Leave that for the youngins.

[Blue Baboon]

I want an employer that isn't a crab and doesn't yell or belittle me. It's so much easier when they treat you well. I notice the workers are happier and a lot less mistakes are made because people are treated with respect. Treat me well and I'll give you good work. Although even when I worked for crappy bosses, I've given good work, but you know what I mean about the morale of employees.

[dgridley]

Looking for an employer can be likened to buying a new computer in some respects.. if I go to buy a computer, I first have a sense of what I will use it for most often and thus get an idea of what I need to buy. Same way with an employer.. make a list of what you're looking for and why, then find an employer that matches your needs.

Not all of us want full-time or $100k a year..

[Blue Baboon]

Originally Posted by dgridley

Not all of us want full-time or $100k a year..

I'd like both.

Not likely to ever make that in my lifetime as jobs in my field don't pay that well. I'd still settle for a reasonable wage.

[dgridley]

I used to make as much as $50/hr doing consulting back in the early 2000's.. and I've turned down literally $1000's in web work writing articles.

I'm fine with enough money to get by and maybe a bit extra.