As we approach graduation season, you may be looking for your first job. But when considering which roles to apply for, how can you tell if a company will truly fit with your personality and goals? First of all, it's important to understand what makes up a company's culture, understanding everything from their values and mission statements, to their day-to-day operations (and everything in between).
Though you may not have thought too much about it before, the culture within your future workplace will affect your work experience in a number of ways.
Job satisfaction: A company that has a positive working culture will make you feel like part of the team and help you feel comfortable with co-workers from all walks of life.
Career growth: Companies with great cultures tend to invest in their employees, so they're more likely to provide opportunities for growth and advancement.
Performance: The right culture makes it easier for everyone to succeed at their jobs, whatever their working or learning style, because they won't be held back by obstacles that don't fit everyone's needs equally well.
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A great way to learn more about a company's culture is for you is to talk with other employees who've been there for a while. Don't just ask their opinion - ask them what they like most and least about working at this particular organisation; what they think could be improved upon; whether there are any aspects of working at this business that are unique compared with similar companies (and why). To learn more about employee experiences, you could also read its employee reviews on Glassdoor which, as well as helping you understand more about salary benchmarks for your role, also give a great insight into what life at a company is truly like.
Mission and vision statements and brand values are another great way to get an idea of what a company sees as important. A mission statement describes the purpose of a company, while a vision statement describes where it wants to be in the future.
The values a company chooses to highlight are also a great indication of the behaviors it encourages within the workplace. For example, we ask our employees to work as a team, not just internally but with our clients too, so collaboration is one of our core values.
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Next up, think about what kind of perks and benefits would be most important to you. If you're an early riser and the office is always buzzing with activity when you get in, consider working somewhere where flexible work hours are offered. On the other hand, if staying late at night is more appealing because it means fewer distractions and less noise around your desk, then it might be worth looking at companies who offer flexible schedules or unlimited annual leave so that you can take advantage of those perks without worrying about missing out on anything important. Some employers also offer free snacks and drinks, gym memberships or equipment for employees - and sometimes these are even open to family members as well!
After all this, you might be wondering what our own company culture looks like! We encourage our people to work together as a team, supporting and motivating each other to do well, developing them to progress to the next stage of their career. This expands to outside office hours too, with a full calendar of social events and activities so you can really get to know those people you spend so much time with every weekday!
Does this sound like a match for you? We're currently looking for ambitious graduates to join us as Recruitment Consultants in our London, Birmingham and Leicester offices! To learn more check out our Careers page or contact our Talent Acquisition team at talent@jarsolutions.co.uk, attaching your current CV.
