Am I Safe?
In this current landscape of economic chaos, one needs to ask the question; is my employer financially sound? It’s no wonder today’s job seeker is leery about the future of the companies with whom he or she’s interviewing. Yesterday’s big company millionaire wannabes are pounding the pavement in search of stability and other job hunters are skittish about the prospects of accepting a new job, only to find out three weeks later their new company is being bought out or going under.
Before signing on with a new employer, it would serve you well to do a little undercover work. Doing some research in the days before a job interview can save some major headaches down the road. But where to begin?
If you know someone who works at a company that interests you, talk to them about what they see as its future. Have they heard any rumblings about layoffs or buyouts? An even better resource is a company’s former employee. They’re more likely to fill you in on all the hidden negatives within a company. They might even have left a company that interests you because they know that the organization is heading into troubled financial times.
Go to the Internet and review their Web Page. Is it up to date? Can you follow a strategic vision? How long has the CEO been there? What’s his or her track record? Can you see evidence of company performance?
Very few people think to take these steps, but those who do take them can find a lot of information about a company.
When interviewing, sometimes prospective employees don’t understand that they’re in the driver’s seat. It is widely perceived by employers that the best candidates challenge and ask questions from a seat of confidence. Ask really good questions about the business. People who do that are looked on as being really sharp.
Of paramount importance, because it’s now so hard to predict which companies will be strong in two years and which will be gone, a strategic career plan is essential.
Job security today is not defined the way it was twenty years ago. Few people are going to stay thirty years with a company. It’s critical that workers focus on the best strategic moves to further their career. The best security anyone has is to excel at being the best of the best and to build an impressive resume that makes good progressive sense. That no matter who the interview is with, you will be offered the job.
Barbara Jackson
Brava Reporter
