The FlexJobs Podcast: Career Advice & Job Search Tips

Step 18 of 21: How to Research and Target Your Dream Companies to Find a Good Fit

FlexJobs Season 2 Episode 18

Step 18 of the job search challenge focuses on identifying your top 3-5 dream companies. We explore the reasons why researching and targeting specific companies is crucial, including finding a good fit for your lifestyle, personality, career goals, and personal values. The "Reverse Job Search" approach involves starting with companies you already know and love, considering industries of interest, and doing a deeper dive into different organizations within those industries. By visiting their websites and social media channels, you can gain valuable insights into their culture, mission, and values. Researching potential employers helps ensure you land a job at an organization you believe in and can be proud to represent.

Important Links:
• How to Choose a Company, and Then a Job: https://bit.ly/3rS84tn
• Research Companies by Awards & Accolades: https://bit.ly/44MXYsr
• How to Research Employers to Find Your Next Great Job: https://youtu.be/JMOByIIiCpY

FlexJobs is a subscription service for job seekers that features flexible and remote jobs. With an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and a 4.7 rating from over 10,000 reviews, FlexJobs ensures that customers have a safe and positive remote job searching experience - without the ads, scams and junk found on other job sites.

FlexJobs | Find A Better Way To Work

Welcome to step 18! Today’s topic is a fun one, picking your dream companies! Most of us have some certain companies that we have thought would be a dream to work for, but never really considered them as a possible employer. Often, we see these companies as a dream company because we’ve enjoyed their product or have had a great experience with the service that they provide. 
With the consistent rise in remote work opportunities and the expansion of remote work in many companies, these dream companies might not be out of reach! Ultimately, it is important that we find a job at an organization that we believe in and can be proud to represent. 
There are a number of reasons why honing in on and researching companies can be important to do, and many times even before searching for specific jobs. It’s important to know that the company you are applying to fits your lifestyle, personality, career goals, and personal values. Some things to consider are:
The industry 
Their company culture
Their mission, vision, values 
The benefits offered including retirement, education benefits, and career development opportunities
And, the “product” that the company represents 
As we just mentioned, a good place to start your list is to think about companies that you already know and love. Think about the products you consume, services you use, retailers you frequent, and consider if they have remote opportunities that would fit what you are seeking. 
Beginning with an industry can be a good idea. Identifying an industry that you are interested in or have experience with and then setting out to find jobs and companies within that industry will ensure that you are doing work that is appealing to you and aligns with your career goals. This can be especially helpful when you are making a career shift and want to find a commonality with your new career!
Once you’ve uncovered an industry that fits your interests and skills, begin to do a deeper dive into different companies within that industry. If you are seeking a specific type of company culture or mission, vision, and values you may want to research employer lists where organizations are recognized for specific qualities. 
Be sure to check out the FlexJobs Awards and Accolades page to research employers who have interests and values that align with your own. We’ve included a link to that page along with today’s video.
As you are researching specific companies, remember that you can learn a lot about a company by visiting their “About” and “Careers” pages on their company websites. In many cases, they will highlight what is important to them as an organization and reflect their culture through their “About” page. And, on the “Careers” page you can often find information about benefits and perks of the job. 
Another place you can learn and find information about a company is on the company social media channels. Social media will often reveal a casual side of an organization, will show how they handle customer service issues that arise, and much more. When you follow a company on LinkedIn you will likely see current employees posting about their experience at the company and this can provide some good insight as well.
Targeting companies in this way is often referred to as the “Reverse Job Search” and it can be a good strategy to add to your tool-belt. For more information on researching companies, check out the links in the description below!