Determining the Core Values of a Potential Employer

Companies have their own values and sense of purpose. Regardless of your career path, it is important for the benefit of job and career satisfaction that you find a company that aligns with your core values. The expression "different strokes for different folks" has a great deal of meaning and it is never quite so true as when trying to find the best work atmosphere. Here are a few ways that you can determine on the front-end if a company's values are aligned with your personal values.

Look at the Benefits Package

A company's employee benefits are often indicative of how they choose to support their employees. Companies that provide paid paternity leave, or leave for children's school events, show that they are highly supportive of families. A company offering reimbursement or compensation for college credit or other training shows support for continuing education. Certainly, the benefits package shows that a great deal of thought and financial resources have gone into certain priorities that the company values.

Available Facilities

You can determine a great deal about the values of a company by looking at the facilities they make available to their employees. Is there an exercise center? If there is, it shows that they value the personal health and overall wellness of their employees. Some companies provide gourmet coffee, pastries, and other food at no charge. This shows that they value the comfort of their employees.

Charitable Giving

Look closely at the charitable activities of a company to see how their core values align with your own. This includes where they donate their money, but also where they give their time. Allowing employees to volunteer a certain amount of time during working hours is also charitable giving. This also shows that they value what you value.

These are just some of the ways you can initially identify if a company has values that you also believe are important. Think very carefully about the company on the front-end because you can quickly determine if you are working somewhere where you will be happy or unhappy. Remember that your job satisfaction is highly important to your overall health and wellness.