What to Look For From an Employer
If you’re looking for your first job or training opportunity, these tips will help you know what to look for in an employer who cares about your needs.
Looking for a job can feel like a minefield at times, particularly if you are a young person with little or no prior experience of the world of work. How can you find the right jobs to apply for, and what should you look for when trying to decide if a job will be a good fit for you?
What makes a job right for you is a very individual question. You may have very different priorities from other people, and that is completely normal. However, there are some universal standards that you can look for to help you assess whether an organisation is likely to be a good employer. Here are a few of them to help you get started with your job search.
Youth-friendly employment practice
Has your prospective employer signed the Good Youth Employment Charter? If so, this is a fantastic green flag in their favour. Even if they haven’t, you can still use the five principles that make up the charter to identify good employers who really care about the early careers they offer.
For example:
- Does the organisation provide a range of quality opportunities for young people such as apprenticeships, graduate positions, or entry-level jobs?
- Does it place high importance on development, training, and progression for employees?
- Does it actively listen to young people and give them opportunities to have their voices heard?
Early careers hub
If an employer has a careers website, they should really have an early careers section, too. Employers who have signed the Charter above often go the extra mile to have early careers hubs on Youth Employment UK. This hub helps you see what they offer and why they care about your needs.
Even if an employer hasn’t signed the Charter, they should still put all their early careers in one place on their careers website, making it easy for you to see what they offer and what benefits you would get from applying for jobs with them.
Clear, honest job descriptions (clarity and specificity)
One way that employers get away with poor or unethical business practices is to be intentionally vague in their job descriptions and in the information they give you. This can catch you out if you do not know exactly which questions to ask to get the information you need.
Always look for clarity when you are considering applying for a job or accepting a role with a particular organisation.
The job location, working hours, salary, and main responsibilities should all be spelled out in clear and easy to understand language.
If you ask a clarifying question, you should receive a straight answer.
Be very wary if any of this information is missing or if you receive unclear answers to your questions.
Good communication during application, interview and hiring
Pay attention to how a prospective employer communicates with you during the application and hiring process.
Do they provide clear instructions and useful information, or is the hiring process confusing and stressful?
Do they contact you within the timeframe that was indicated, or do they leave you waiting without letting you know the status of your application?
When you hear from them, do they use polite and professional language?
Poor communication or too little communication during the hiring process is likely to indicate that you will have to deal with more of the same if you end up working for this organisation.
Compatible values
Most people are happiest when they work for an employer whose values align with theirs. Take the time to learn about the values of the organisation you are applying for and make sure that their mission is one you can get behind. For example, if you value giving back to the world around you, you might like to work for an employer with a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR.)
If you do not like what a company stands for, or cannot find any indication of its organisational values at all, you might not be happy working there.
Clear boundaries and work-life balance
Balancing your life and work isn’t just for older workers who might have families to care for. It matters to first jobbers and young people too!
A good work-life balance is essential for maintaining positive mental health and overall wellbeing. Good employers maintain clear boundaries between working time and personal time, and encourage their employees to do the same. You should look for an employer who will allow you to switch off and disconnect completely during your off hours.
If you receive emails from the organisation in the middle of the night, or if they telephone you at strange hours, this might be an indication that work-life balance is lacking and that you will be expected to be available above and beyond your contracted hours. Proceed with caution and ask a lot of questions if this is the case.
If you’re not sure, you can always ask questions like “what is the work-life balance like here?” or “how do you encourage employees to maintain clear boundaries between work and personal time?” during your interview.
Happy employees
How do current employees at the organisation typically feel about their experience? If you visit the office for an interview, you can often get a good sense of the overall level of employee happiness simply by paying attention. Is the general atmosphere upbeat and friendly, or do people seem stressed and burned out?
You can also reach out and ask current or recent employees about their experiences working for the organisation, if you like. LinkedIn is great for this. Bear in mind, though, that you may not receive entirely unbiased responses from current employees. So keep your eyes open and trust your gut as well as asking questions.
Professionalism
Any organisation, no matter how informal its culture, should ultimately be professional in its hiring practices and how it behaves towards you. As a young person or junior team member, you still have a right to be treated with respect and courtesy.
Professionalism involves treating everyone with courtesy and respect, operating with honesty and integrity, being reliable, and maintaining an attitude that is suitable for a place of work.
It also means operating in line with hiring and employment best practices including putting important information in writing, ensuring you have a contract that spells out your rights and responsibilities before you begin work, and following a structured process to give all applicants the best possible chance.
What to watch out for
If you would like to know more about what to avoid when looking for a job, check out our list of 7 red flags to look for in employers.
