Episode 16

Last updated Jun 5, 2023 Edit Source

Topic 1 – Reasons not to Pursue a Career Opportunity (Pre-Application Stage), Part 1 of 2 

We’re highlighting some content from a Manager Tools 10-part podcast series on choosing a company to work for 

3:29  Choosing A Company To Work For - Chapter 1 - Factors To Consider Part 1 

• Compensation 

  • Dig into the entire compensation package (or as much as you can in this stage) 

  • Consider the risks of combination stock / cash 

  • Use tools like Glassdoor to help 

  • Difficult to rule something out without looking at the numbers 

  • People make assumptions on how much of a pay bump would merit leaving 

• Values 

  • Deeper dive later 

• Industry Stability 

  • We lack a crystal ball and can rely on educational guesses 

• Reputation 

  • The company’s reputation affects your reputation, whether good or bad, so consider industry perception. 

  • Validation by a well-known organization can be a “short cut” to be validated by other organizations 

  • The “shine” and the “stink” can go with you to a new job 

• Opportunities 

  • Deeper dive later 

• Locations 

  • Review Tom Delicati’s strategy for choosing company location from  Nerd Journey 013: The Sniper Approach to Job Hunting with Tom Delicati 

  • Nick and John talk through strategies for analyzing commute times and weighing the cost 

  • If you’re relocating for a job, is there financial assistance? 

• Financials 

  • This can easily be an area of oversight for many candidates 

  • Financials for public companies published quarterly 

    • Learn to read a 10-K 

• Customer Base 

  • Is the customer base growing / shrinking? 

• Additional Items 

  • Some research before applying is helpful, but don’t go overboard. 

  • Check the job postings on the company site  

  • John gives an example of tracking changes in number of open positions at a company to get an idea of corporate health 

  • John mentions his list of open VMware positions:  http://bit.ly/vmware-all-positions 

22:18  Choosing A Company To Work For - Chapter 3 - Values 

• Choose your Values 

  • Do you know what your values are?  Introspection is required before continuing.   

• Decide which ones apply to work 

  • Companies publish their values online 

  • Use those when considering companies 

  • A value mismatch can rule out an opportunity on the spot 

  • Is the company acting in line with its stated values? 

27:13 Company Culture is Complimentary to Values 

• Choosing A Company To Work For - Chapter 7 - Questions 

• John speaks to how this episode came to be 

• Consider  Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs 

  • Physiological -> Safety -> Love/belonging -> Esteem -> Self-actualization 

  • After achieving economic breathing room, one can start to consider higher-order concerns 

  • Self-examination is required 

  • Who am I and what does my job reflect about me? 

  • How does this position mesh with my values? 

  • How does this position fit with my future plans? 

• Questions from Manager Tools 

  • Is there anything else that’s important to me? 

    • John wanted to work with smart people who disagreed with him and who were smart in different ways from him 

  • What have I liked/disliked about jobs in the past? 

    • Nick talks about choosing his own adventure 

    • Flexible schedule / start time 

  • What conditions bring out the best in me? 

    • Nick shares the lunch time hack for productivity 

  • What experience/relationships do I want to cultivate? 

    • John speaks to the variety of roles available and the desire to work with people in these roles 

    • Nick cites being part of a large team as a great learning experience 

• See also  Nerd Journey 004: Company Culture and Resume Writing.  Did we say similar things in this episode?  Tweet at us! 

37:41  Choosing A Company To Work For - Chapter 6 - Opportunities (Part 1) 

• Seemed to be focused on relationship of company to the marketplace 

• Common Indicators 

  • Cash/debt ratios 

  • Place Of The Product In The Market Place 

  • Consider longevity 

  • Company Reports 

  • Multiple sources of info on health of the company 

  • Perks 

• Look for more Subtle Indicators 

  • Institutionalized development 

    • See also  Nerd Journey 012: Effective 1-on-1 Meetings with your Manager and Gracefully Leaving an Organziation 

    • Next week we can discuss how to inquire about this 

  • Regular Advancement of Good People 

    • What would employees say about this? 

    • Do interviewers give the same response? 

  • Steady, Successful Growth