Make the jump to your dream job a lot easier by looking beyond the salary
Looking beyond the salary when you hunt for your next career is something we should all be doing, as money alone does not equal happiness. This infographic looks at some of the things we should be considering when job hunting – including the opportunity to grow and the option of having flexible, remote working.
Job hunting is a fine art – weighing up career prospects, location and salary to find the perfect fit for you and your ambitions. Money might make the world go round, but the offer of a dream salary doesn’t mean that it’s your dream job. It’s easy to be wooed by a hefty paycheck, but it can lead to a lot of unhappiness and poor engagement down the road.
According to the new infographic from recruitment experts, Accounting Principals, you shouldn’t let a lower salary stop you from taking your dream job – company culture, career advancement opportunities and skills development all trump salary for job satisfaction.
And there are many non-salary benefits that you can negotiate at your interview. Combined, they can more than compensate for any reduction in salary and help make the jump to your dream job a lot easier. Even better, these benefits usually come at little to no cost to your company, so don’t be afraid to haggle. If you’re going to get the best deal from your new employer, you need to be confident in your negotiations – asking the right questions at your interview to find the best employer for your ideal job. Fortunately, for those of us who are polite to a fault, Accounting Principals have included a helpful insider guide for interviewees on which questions to ask recruiters and prospective employers.
The benefits offered by employers can vary, however. To help cut through the confusion, the infographic shows the top 6 benefits to look out for. These include location, opportunity to grow, company culture, wellness and health programs, voluntary benefits, flexible working and vacation time.
Opportunity to grow
Surveys of employee satisfaction by The Society of Human Resource Management show that 59% of feel that opportunities are advancement are vital to happiness at work. Your dream job will make the best use of your talents and reward good work with advancement opportunities.
A bigger company may offer training programs and development opportunities as part of the role. Conversely, you might find yourself becoming a small fish in a big pond. Smaller companies may mean require more responsibility and hands-on work, but they might also afford more opportunities to be part of key decision-making. Or, they may off little room for advancement, and narrow your prospects for further education and training.
Before signing on the dotted line, ask your prospective employer what training is offered with the job, and what assistance do they provide for training and qualifications.
Flexible working
Work to live, don’t live to work – any job that doesn’t understand the need for a work-life balance should be given a wide berth. Life doesn’t follow the traditional 9-5, so flexible working adapts the working day to accommodate other responsibilities.
Flexible working can mean working compressed or reduced hours, flexi-time and working part-time, or other arrangements like job sharing or working remotely. The large majority of companies now offer flexi-time, where employees work a contracted number of hours but set their own start and end times.
During your interview, be sure to find out what telecommuting and flexible working options are available for the role and how the company supports a healthy work-life balance.
For more advice on what you should look for in a job beyond the salary, be sure to check out the rest of the infographic.
