Consider More than Salary
By Elijah Thomas
If finding a higher salary is your driving force when searching for a new position, you may be limiting your opportunities.
While a livable wage is certainly a consideration, it’s also wise to ensure the work offers growth, benefits and a long-term outlook to remain relevant. Here are some other factors to seek when making a career change or entering the workforce.
Health Insurance
According to the Society for Human Resource Management, the annual premiums for employer-sponsored family health coverage reached $21,342 in 2020. Workers were responsible for paying about $5,588 of the cost out of pocket. Finding an employer who covers most of the premium can result in significant savings while protecting you and your family’s health.
However, suppose you will be switching health care providers by accepting a new position. In that case, you should ensure it’s comparable with your current coverage.
In some instances, plans only allow a specific network of doctors and facilities to oversee your medical needs. Another factor is that if you have chronic health conditions and only have access to a high-deductible plan, the costs could be considerable.
Advancement Opportunities
During an interview, you should be clear about your expectations regarding advancing within the company and asking if there are potential opportunities. Find out if the operation mostly fills empty job openings from within by promoting current employees.
If so, it can bolster your motivation to excel in a position and move up the ladder. Even if the entry-level position isn’t ideal, the potential to further your role into more engaging jobs may lead to higher salaries and significant perks.
Asking about advancement opportunities is also an efficient strategy to show your hiring manager that you are committed to exceeding expectations. Your dedication to excelling may be the determining factor toward you getting the offer rather than another candidate.
Work-Life Balance
Even if you are passionate about your career, it’s easy to become exhausted after burning through overtime, working holidays and missing out on family functions.
Find a position that provides you with enough time to work on personal relationships and health while achieving a work-life balance. The free time you spend on your personal life can re-energize your workplace performance.
Company Culture
When you’re scheduling interviews for a potential career change, research the company to ensure your mindsets are similar. You can easily find extensive knowledge about the businesses’ culture by reviewing their website. Find out if they are passionate about donating to charities that you support or if they are proactive when providing for their community and team members.
Check out the social media pages of company leaders to discover CEOs and managerial groups’ public personas. Find that your views aren’t compatible? You should consider if the advantages of the jobs outweigh the negative aspects.
Colleagues
Since you will spend a significant amount of time in your work environment, it’s essential to mesh with your co-workers. Ask about the atmosphere regarding colleagues. Will you mostly be working together and be given a chance to create a professional relationship? Or does the occupation require a level of competition, where getting along may be troublesome?
HOT JOB PROFILE
FIRE INSPECTORS
Number of jobs in 2019: 16,400
Job outlook, 2019-29: 8% (Much faster than average) – Employment change, 2019-29: 1,400
The role: Fire inspectors examine buildings in order to detect fire hazards and ensure that federal, state and local fire codes are met.
Education required: Fire inspectors and investigators, as well as forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists, typically have previous work experience as a firefighter. These workers need at least a high school diploma or equivalent and receive on-the-job-training in inspection and investigation.
Job outlook: Jobseekers should expect strong competition for the limited number of available positions.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
