Your Ideal Next Career: How to Find the Right Company and Position for You

Creating the Criteria for Your Ideal Company

Before diving into job listings, take time to define the kind of company you want to work for. This step is critical for ensuring you’re aiming for roles that match your long-term career goals and values.

What should you consider?

Company Culture and Values:

• Do you thrive in a collaborative environment, or do you prefer autonomy?
• Are there specific values that are important to you, such as diversity, innovation, or work-life balance?
• Tools like Glassdoor, Comparably, and Blind can provide insights into what employees say about company culture. Use these platforms to evaluate how companies align with your values.

Company Size and Structure:

• Are you more comfortable in a startup environment where roles are flexible, or do you prefer a more structured corporate setting?
• Startups might offer more responsibility and room for growth, while established companies can provide stability and clearly defined roles.

Industry Focus:

• Identify industries that excite you. Consider your passion, skill set, and long-term career aspirations. If you’re passionate about tech, healthcare, finance, or sustainability, these will inform your target companies.
• Use LinkedIn’s Industry Filter to search for companies and opportunities within your desired sectors.

Remote vs. In-Office Work:

• Decide what type of work environment is best for you. Some people perform best working from home, while others prefer the camaraderie of an office setting.
• Sites like We Work Remotely and Remote.co can help you find remote-friendly companies, while local job boards will provide more in-office options.

Company Mission and Impact:

• What kind of impact do you want to make in your career? Do you want to work for a company that is mission-driven and contributes to a greater cause?
• Read the company’s mission statement and research their community impact. Look at the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to see if they align with your goals.

Pro Tip:
Use a spreadsheet or document to create a list of “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves” for your ideal company. This will help you evaluate potential employers and keep you focused during your job search.

Identifying the Skills and Experience for Your Ideal Position

Once you’ve identified your ideal company type, it’s time to focus on the position itself. The key here is to balance your current skills and experience with the growth opportunities you’re looking for in your next role.

How do you do this?

Assess Your Strengths and Skills:

• Start by listing your core competencies. These might include leadership, project management, technical skills, or communication abilities.
• Tools like SkillSurvey and Skills Matcher can help you evaluate your current skill set and identify areas for improvement.
• You can also conduct a skills gap analysis by comparing your current skills with job descriptions for roles you’re interested in. This will show you what additional skills you may need to develop.

Understand What the Role Requires:

• Use job descriptions to find common themes in the positions you’re aiming for. Make a list of the most frequent qualifications, skills, and experiences that companies are looking for.
• Pay special attention to the "requirements" vs. "preferred qualifications" sections of job postings. Meeting the required qualifications is crucial, while preferred qualifications offer insight into areas where you can stretch and grow.
• LinkedIn Premium or Jobscan can help you analyze job descriptions and identify keywords to optimize your resume for specific roles.

Build Experience Where You’re Lacking:

• If you notice gaps in your qualifications, don’t worry. There are several ways to build the skills you need.
• Take online courses through Coursera, Udemy, or LinkedIn Learning to develop expertise in areas where you may be less experienced.
• Volunteer for projects or organizations that allow you to gain practical experience and demonstrate your new skills.
• Attend industry-specific conferences, webinars, or networking events to expand your knowledge and connections in your target field.

Tailor Your Resume for the Job You Want:

• Once you’ve zeroed in on the type of role you want, it’s important to tailor your resume to reflect your skills and experience in a way that aligns with that position.
• Use action-oriented language to showcase your accomplishments and quantify your results in a PAR (problem, action, result) or STAR (situation, task, action, result) format
• Highlight any transferable skills you have that apply to the role. For example, if you’re moving from sales to operations, emphasize your project management, communication, and organizational skills.

Pro Tip:
Keep multiple versions of your resume tailored for different types of roles. Copy and paste 10-20 jobs per title into ChatGPT to help you identify the most common keywords, skills, role requirements, and phrases for each role.

Use Your Network to Uncover Opportunities

Your network is one of your most valuable tools when looking for your next career move.

How to leverage your network:

• Start by connecting with people in your target industries and companies on LinkedIn.
• Reach out to mentors, former colleagues, and industry peers to let them know you’re looking for new opportunities.
• Use your network to get informational interviews with people in roles you’re interested in. This will help you better understand the skills and experience needed for your ideal position.
• Join professional organizations or online communities in your field. These can help you find local or virtual networking events.

Pro Tip:
Stay active on LinkedIn by engaging with content related to your target industries. Share your own insights, comment on industry news, and connect with thought leaders in your field. This will help keep you top-of-mind when opportunities arise.

How This Prepares You for Common Interview Questions

When you’re searching for your ideal next career, it’s important to be prepared for interview questions that explore both your skills and your fit for the company. By following the steps to define your ideal company and identify your skills, you’ll be in a strong position to answer these key questions:

“Why do you want to work here?”
By defining the criteria for your ideal company, you’ve already done deep research into what matters most to you. Use this information in your interview to explain how the company aligns with your values, career goals, and preferred work environment. This shows that you’re intentional about where you want to work and why the company is a great fit for you.

“What makes you a good fit for this position?”
Having taken the time to match your skills with the requirements of your ideal position, you’ll be able to confidently answer this question. Highlight specific skills, experiences, and accomplishments that directly tie into the role. Show that you understand the demands of the position and how your background makes you the ideal candidate.

“Can you walk me through your resume?”
Since you’ve tailored your resume to match the job, you’ll be well-prepared to guide the interviewer through your relevant experience. Reference specific roles, projects, and achievements that are highlighted on your resume and tie them back to the requirements of the job.

“What are your long-term career goals?”
Defining your ideal next career goes hand in hand with planning for the future. In your interview, share your vision for your career and how this role aligns with your goals. Whether it’s gaining new skills, taking on leadership opportunities, or contributing to a mission you care about, articulate how this position fits into your broader career trajectory.

“What can you bring to our company?”
Your preparation in assessing your strengths and areas for growth will serve you well here. Lean on the specific examples of your accomplishments and how they’ve made an impact in previous roles. Show how these strengths can translate into success in the new role, especially in areas where the company is looking to grow or solve problems.