5 signs of a good employer

A job search is an exciting and important process. The desire to change jobs is most often reinforced by the search for better conditions, a friendlier team, more interesting tasks, and, of course, a more promising employer.

There are a huge number of employers in the labor market, starting with startups and ending with international giants in various industries. The easiest way to get into a good place is to sign up for vacancies at a proven and large corporation, waiting for a vacant place. However, being big and famous does not always imply being good. And sometimes, in a startup, salaries are higher and colleagues are more attentive. It's worth making a reservation right away; there are no ideal companies or employees. In any case, being among people, business goals, and finances, you can find minuses and shortcomings. But, for your own peace of mind, the ability to separate reliable companies from potential problems is useful. Let's talk together about the signs of a good employer; we counted as many as five!

Good and varied reviews about an employer

The very first thing to do before signing an offer is to read reviews about a future employer. Thanks to the variety of responses, it will not be a problem to identify the key pros and cons of the company based on the experience of other employees. We advise you to carefully study the reviews. 

This coin has two sides:

• Positive feedback from the company itself. Reputation is the reputation of a business that often uses its own resources (or an agency) to maintain a positive image of the company. It is not always easy to distinguish an honest review from one written by an employee of the company. But a picture in which an employer has 500 good reviews of the same type and two bad ones can inspire such thoughts.

• Negative words are written on emotions. Unfortunately, former dismissed employees are not always objective. A company can get into a situation where negative reviews contain more emotional passion than a competent and helpful analysis of the facts. A salary delay or a toxic team is one thing, but not passing the probation period and subsequent dismissal is quite another. Try to distinguish emotional negativity from an objective assessment.

We also advise you to pay attention to the direction given by former employees, whether there is a positive or negative bias. A simple example: a manufacturing and trading company has three branches: an office, a production facility, and a retail outlet. If you see entirely positive reviews in the office and at work and a mess is going on at the point of sale, then this indicates a clear disregard for the employees of commerce. Of course, such a question is more moral and rhetorical, but who said that this attitude would not pass to you sooner or later?

Human attitude toward applicants

The interview is conducted by people, and none of us is immune from bad days, a bad mood, a reprimand from the boss, or just a fuss in the workplace. But one of the main tasks of an HR manager is to win over the applicant and show him, already at the initial stage, that it will be easy and comfortable for him to be part of the team. If at the interview you are faced with a dismissive attitude, unprofessional questions, or rudeness, then this is a loud warning to run away from such an employer.

There is an opinion that it is impossible to draw a conclusion about the entire company from an HR manager alone, but this is not quite a true statement. It is this employee who is the first contact person for the employer, and you simply cannot physically draw a conclusion about the entire team. And if a company does not pay due attention to its first impression among applicants, then it is likely that it may also be inattentive in other matters.

The human attitude can include honesty, responsiveness, understanding, and empathy. The manager should be open to dialogue and not treat you down — this is especially strange when many companies dream of becoming a "turquoise organization". Respect for yourself and your time will definitely filter out a boorish and toxic team in a pleasant environment.

Transparent payment system

The most delicate, sensitive, and inconvenient issue is the remuneration system. If you still feel such emotions when moving to this stage of the interview, then we hasten to reassure you. The question of payment is as important as discussing conditions, schedules, and professional skills. No one works for an idea or praise, and discussing your earnings at the start is the best thing you can do both for yourself and for the employer.

A lot of companies prescribe salaries in the "salary + bonus" format, and this is not the most convenient option for understanding their future earnings. Even with the most successful positioning and high profits, the bonus is always at the discretion of the employer. Open almost any employment contract, and you will 100% come across this wording. And this means only one thing: the bonus is an additional source of income within the company but not the fundamental earnings of an employee. Always look at the salary part — it should correspond to the amount announced at the interview. If they are trying to convince you that the bonus is paid consistently and has always been indicated as total income, then we advise you to think: you risk worrying about the size of your salary every month,  quarter, or half a year.

Adequate test task

The most "favorite" stage for any applicant is checking professional skills as part of a test assignment. And here you can accurately check the adequacy of your future employer. Of course, such tasks clearly and well convey the skills and abilities of a future employee, but the format of the test should be convenient not only for the employer but also for the applicant.

Very often, companies are asked to do a specific task as part of a test assignment: write a text, prepare a presentation, voice promotion ideas, or even offer to make a media plan. All this is a bad example of test tasks. Why? The answer is simple: such work takes a lot of time and requires payment. And no, if the applicant refers to these reasons, it does not mean that he is not ready to work for his dream company. This only shows that he values and respects his skills and his time. 

The employer always has other options to check the professionalism of the applicant:

• A task in the form of a test. There may be both correct answers in advance and variations showing the applicant's way of thinking.

• Portfolio. An ideal indicator of the number of views, experience, and closed tasks in the applicant's career.

• Paid test task. So the employer will get not only an idea of the skills but also, at the same time, an archive with successful works (banners, texts, etc.).

Pay attention to the employer's approach to checking their knowledge; they must remain within the framework of adequacy and respect. Otherwise, you will probably encounter overwork, unpaid work weekends, and other surprises.

Personnel adaptation system

The completed interview is only half of the success of working for a new company. After this stage, another, no less complex and exciting, process of adaptation begins. And it is here that the applicant tests his skills, initiative, and ability to join the team. Unfortunately, it is impossible to do all this solely on charisma and desire; the HR department should have an understandable and adequate system for adapting to newcomers.

Most often, it includes an introductory training course, acquaintance with employees, excursions around the office and retail outlets, meetings with the head, and sometimes friendly gatherings to reduce the distance in the team. If you are thrown into open swimming without additional instructions, then most likely you will have a lot of nerves and a difficult time yourself. The argument that adults should be able to cope on their own does not work here; in extreme situations (such as a job change), we all need help.