The Houston job market remains one of the strongest in the US with many openings, which begs the question: What is the best company to work for? With an abundance of choices, it can often cause anxiety amongst candidates, especially when multiple offers are presented to you. Everyone is different, just like each company, and finding a great fit is what a good recruiter should focus on. There will never be a clear answer to “What is the best company to work for”, instead the question should be “What is the best company for me to work for?” To answer this question, you should always consider the following:
A Strong Fit
In reality, there is no such thing as a “perfect fit” for anyone, but you can get pretty close. A good recruiter will only send you to interviews at companies whose personality, goals, environment, and team mesh well with your own. The goal of any good recruiter is always to minimize the number of interviews to only strong fits to ensure both the client and candidate are not wasting time on poor matches. How do they do this? Recruiters have their finger on the pulse of the market and their clients. They use their connections and experience to gather deep insight into various companies’ individual culture, goals, and overall personality.
The best recruiters are also great at reading people, and they often know quickly how your personality and goals will fit within a certain organization. However, you can help speed up the process by putting together a list of what you are looking for in a perfect role and company and share it with your recruiter. Similar to buying a home, outline your “must-haves” and “wish-lists?” What are the top 5 things that are most important to you? Where do you see yourself in 1, 5 or 10 years?
Lastly, a good recruiter will provide insight prior to sending your resume to any company – meaning you will have “the good, the bad, and the ugly” as to how this opportunity matches your wish list. Again, this is not 100 companies, it’s the short-list of organizations that match your goals, personality, and experience.
Steer Clear of Bad Companies
Recruiters are plugged into the job market, which means that even though Houston is large, word travels fast if a company has a poor reputation. Bottom line: recruiters should not be sending you on interviews to companies with poor reputations unless they have disclosed ALL of the negatives and you decide that you wish to pursue it.
Aside from the ethical reasons, sending a candidate to a mismatched company is a waste of time for everyone involved. The best recruiters care deeply about both parties (candidate and client), because their own reputation is everything in this line of work. If your recruiter is sending you to interviews that are clearly not a fit, they may be trying to score a quick commission and you should move on to someone who focuses only on what you and the hiring manager want.
Off-The-Menu Selection
Similar to the most exclusive restaurants in town, a good recruiter has relationships with many companies “off the menu” that don’t have a well-known name or don’t routinely publish their job openings. Many of these companies are “diamonds in the rough” who have a spectacular culture and offer a compelling career path. Always remember that there are more opportunities out there than you think—don’t limit yourself to only those companies you have heard of.
Check Your Assumptions
Focus more on the things that are important to you in your next role – your own personal “hot buttons.” These can include things like career growth, challenge, culture, work/life balance, stability, and compensation. Don’t limit your options by thinking that these can only be found in a company that is large/small, public/private, or in a certain industry. You owe it to yourself and to your career to test assumptions like these. For example, many people who thought they only wanted to work at a large, public, well-known company are very pleasantly surprised to find that a smaller company can offer faster growth opportunities and high visibility with executive management. Similarly, many who were originally focused on one particular industry accepted a role that satisfied all of their “hot buttons” in a completely different industry.
The right company is out there, and you have to open yourself up to not only exploring options but providing honest answers to what you want. You have every right to be selective. Even though you might not check every box on your list, a good recruiter should be able to get you closer to that perfect role in a company that fits your goals.
If you have any further questions about working with recruiters or anything about the recruiting process, give us a call at 713-357-9565. We want to give unbiased answers to your questions, whether you choose to engage our help or not.
Happy Hunting!
