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When you receive an offer for a job that you really want, it is a fantastic feeling. However, how do you get to that point and how can you ensure that the job you are offered is going to be the right one for you?

Always do your homework…
It is important to do a good amount of research before applying for any job; else you may find that you are successful in your application, only to discover that the job is less than ideal for a multitude of reasons, varying from disliking the company itself, not getting along with your new colleagues, not receiving a pay increase as they promised or a lack of training and so on…

Know what’s in store…
You must also ensure that you really are aware of what the actual job will entail; for instance, if any travel is included, the number of responsibilities you will have and the number of hours you will be expected to work. All of these things can have an effect on your personal life, so you need to make sure that you will be happy taking on everything that is expected of you if you are successful in your application.

Use social media to find out more…
There are a number of ways that you can find out about the companies that you are applying for jobs with; such as online sites like LinkedIn. With a network like LinkedIn, you will be able to find out about an organisation’s current, as well as previous, employees where you can read their profiles to see how they have progressed within a specific organisation, thus gaining an idea of what development opportunities there are.

You can also informally contact ex-employees and ask them telling questions about the company; such as, why they left, although consider who you approach very carefully as they might still be in touch with their old employer and you wouldn’t want anything to affect your application.

Crowd source your info…
Many online recruitment sites will have areas on their site where you can see ratings based on the best employers to work for, so this can give you an idea of who you should be applying to. There are also a range of employer rating sites, where you can see comparisons of employer versus employer against criteria such as salaries, working hours, work versus social side as well as read current and ex-employee feedback.

It’s a very good idea to do some research on Facebook and twitter as well and see what the organisation’s social side is like, which will help you work out if you share the same interests as the people who work there and can see yourself fitting into the company.

Be well prepared for your interview
If you are lucky enough to get an interview for a job that you believe you want and are offered a tour around the office after the interview, make sure that you take it, as you will gain great insight into the running of the office, seeing how people interact with one another and overall, the general atmosphere which will help you work out if you think you’ll like working there or not.

You need to keep in mind that whilst employers need to make sure that you fit their requirements, they also need to fit yours. You will be spending the majority of your adult life working, so you need to make sure that you are going to be happy and find, not only the right role for yourself but the right company too.

Tom Leavesly is an experienced recruitment specialist. He writes for SayNoToUnemployment and is a director at online recruitement website, easyvacancy. He’s also a proud owner of a very pampered pooch.