Find Your Perfect Fit: How to Choose the Right Company for Your Career

I had a big decision in front of me. Stick with what seemed like a sure thing: a secure job at a growing company. Or take a risk and join a digital agency, which was smaller and not quite as established. 

Somehow I knew this metaphorical fork in the road was going to be a career-defining decision. 

On the one hand, I was working at a tech company that was growing fast. But I didn’t feel like I was learning as much as I could in the marketing department, and they didn’t value me on a level I thought I had proved myself on. 

On the other hand, the agency that had offered me a job was also growing, and I knew they had pivoted in ways that catapulted that growth, which showed they would do what it took to thrive. They seemed to prioritize employee work-life balance, and I could enter as a big fish in a small pond. All of those things appealed to me. 

Ultimately, I ended up choosing the company I felt I could make the biggest contribution to. Over 10 years, I helped the company grow 62 percent. This accomplishment helps me feel like I made the right decision. 

The company you choose to work for can shape your entire career trajectory. It’s not just about landing any job—it’s about finding the right fit for your goals and values.

How can you do the same?

6 Questions to Ensure You Choose the Right Company to Work For

Here’s the thing: no matter how good you are at your job, if the company you work for does not align with the life you want to build for yourself, you will never feel successful. 

To kick off your career, the best thing you can do for yourself is to choose a company you believe in to work for. Not just their deliverables, while that is important, too. You want to believe in the product or service being sold, of course, but you also want to be on board with the way they treat their employees and customers. 

Here are a few things to consider when you are choosing a company to start your career with. 

• Do I believe in this company? Are they making the world a better place by being in business? Do their deliverables align with your beliefs? For example, if you are a vegan, you likely do not want to work for a company that produces frozen meals for people on the carnivore diet, even if you are simply working in the human resources department.
  
  
• Do I see room for growth? If a company has been stagnant for years with little to no innovation, they likely are not growing. And if the company is not growing, it will be difficult for you to grow within it. At this point in your career, you should be looking for every way possible to grow your skills and opportunities.
  
  

• How do they treat their employees? Of course, you should seek out a role where your value will be rewarded. That goes without saying. But will you be expected to work nights? Weekends? If yes, is this what you want for yourself? Can you find a company that prioritizes employee mental health and refrains from contacting you outside of working hours?
  
  

• What are the perks if I choose this company? Everyone knows to look for a competitive salary. Make sure you are getting what you deserve. But there are so many perks that go beyond just money. For example, look at how much paid time off is included. A lot of companies offer unlimited paid time off now. Determine what you are entitled to and what actual expectations are. Meaning, if you get unlimited PTO, will you be penalized if you take a three-week trip to Bali?
  
  

• What does this look like long-term? There is a very good chance you will not stay at the same company for the entirety of your career. And that is OK—even recommended in many scenarios. But if you find a dream of a company and stay for a handful (or more) of years, are there rewards for doing so? Do you get equity in the business?
  
  I have been lucky enough to land at a company that became employee-owned. That means a lot of complex things, but the bottom line is that the profits are shared with every employee, every year. They go into a retirement account that I am watching grow every year I work here. This is in addition to my 401k match. AMAZING! Find what you think is fair.
  
  
• Would you feel good waking up each morning to go work there? This is a combination of all the above: Do you believe in what your company does? Do you feel like you have room to learn and grow? Is your value being rewarded? What is the culture like? If you can answer confidently that you feel good on all these fronts, you are in the right place. 

There are, of course, realistic exceptions that must be made. Not every entry-level position is going to be a high-paying job you dreamed up in a fantasy. But there are nonnegotiables for everyone that you should take into account for yourself. 

Out of college, for example, I was willing to take a lower paying job ($30,000 a year in NYC…omg!) to snag my dream job at a magazine headquartered in the city I wanted to live in since I was 8 years old. I wasn’t paid much, but I loved the mission of the company, the work was not rigorous, and I knew there were opportunities for growth. Plus, I got free tickets to see Broadway shows! 

Those things aligned for me, at the time. Determine what makes you feel like you are living your life in alignment, and don’t forget those things when it comes time to choose your first job. 

For more tips for your first job interview, check out The Ultimate Checklist: Preparing for Your First Job Interview available here.