Why you should do a background check on potential employers

A job is made up of several components, but it’s a partnership at its most elemental level. You need to align with your employer to have a happy and productive relationship. Yet, a lot of people apply to jobs without knowing much about their potential partners.

The key is to learn about a company before getting too far into the relationship to make sure you’re compatible. 

“If you don’t do that, you’ll be looking for another job in 6 to 9 months because what you thought was a dream job is really a nightmare,” said Ebony Joyce, who is a career coach and consultant. 

Learning about a company is so important that Joyce told me that she creates a decision-making framework and a scorecard to help her clients learn which companies would be the best employers for their wants and needs.

“Job seekers need to look at it from a business mindset,” she said. “It’s very important for you to investigate the company. Be sure the company is going to investigate you. It’s important that you do your research and due diligence as well.”

Ideally, you should do this as part of a comprehensive job search strategy that helps focus on the quality of your applications over the quantity. “It’s really about having a job search strategy,” said Joyce.

Identify your target companies

A good place to start in your job search is knowing which companies are your target employers. Those companies can be small firms you admire, employers you’ve heard good things about from friends and family, large regional companies or any place that piques your interest. 

“Identify those target companies,” said Joyce. “It doesn’t have to be the LinkedIns and the Googles. What company really fits in with your moral compass and values?”

Once you have a list of companies, she said it’s almost time to move into the investigation phase of the process — using internet searches and informational interviews. But first, you need to learn about yourself.

Evaluate your values

Before investigating your target employers, Joyce said you need to figure out what is important to you and what you value in an employer.

“It is different for everyone and this is where your values come into play. What do you value?”

A person who cares deeply about spending time with their family would likely want to find an employer that allowed its workers to unplug outside the workday or to have consistent working hours, for example. Another person may prefer a team-like atmosphere above time off or other factors. 

If you’re looking for more guidance when evaluating companies, Joyce recommends the IDEAL as a framework.

• Interest - Are you interested in doing your job in that industry?
• Development - What are the opportunities to grow at that employer?
• Environment - Do you like that type of work environment?
• Acknowledgment - Will they acknowledge your hard work in the way you want?
• Leadership - Who makes up the company’s leadership?

Investigate your targets

Once you understand what’s important to you, it’s time to see how your target companies align with those values.

Joyce said you can start by looking online for information about the companies. For example, what are people saying about them on LinkedIn and a number of other websites? Be careful not to let a few bad comments sour you on a company, though. “Take it with a grain of salt, because we don’t know what perspective those comments are written in. That’s why I like to consider that as part of the investigation but not the whole investigation.”

Also, you should follow the companies on social media to see what they’re posting.

Then, it’s time to ask for informational interviews to learn more about the companies. You can reach out to former employees, current employees and anyone who would have knowledge about a company as an employer. However, you should go into these conversations understanding that they are only informational interviews — not job interviews or an opportunity to ask for a referral.

“It can lead to other things of course, but that’s not the reason to go into them,” said Joyce.

The informational interview is an opportunity to learn whether you’re likely to enjoy working for a company. You can ask the questions that are most important to you and anything you couldn’t find out about online.

“It’s an opportunity to really gain information,” said Joyce, who added that you should also ask the people you’re talking to if they know of anyone else you should reach out to for more insight into the company.

You can then use what you learn from your investigations to narrow down your target list of companies to those who align with your values.

If you eventually get an interview with one of your target companies, you can then use what you learned from your investigation to wow the recruiters and hiring manager with your knowledge about the employer. Also, you’ll be well-prepared when they ask if you have any questions for them.

Use these strategies reactively, too

Opportunities may arise outside your traditional job search. Recruiters may reach out to you with opportunities, for example.

In any of those cases, it’s important to use the investigation techniques listed above to learn about those opportunities. “You want recruiters and hiring managers to reach out to you, but you still want to make sure it’s a good fit.”

Being diligent about the offers popping up in your inboxes is also a good way to decrease the risk of falling for fraudulent offers. A recruiter or hiring manager should be able to offer answers and evidence for your questions about the company. If not, it may be a sign that the offer is too good to be true.

How have you been investigating companies before submitting your applications? Join the conversation.

? Want even more #GetHired?

I go live each Friday at 12:00 p.m. ET from the LinkedIn News page to discuss important issues affecting job seekers and answer your questions about looking for work. I spoke with Melanie L. Denny, who is an award-winning resume expert, on the most recent episode. You can watch it by clicking here.

Coming up...

Click here or the image above to RSVP for the next #GetHired Live. You just need to click the "Remind Me" button below the post.

? Want to work at a Top Startup?

We recently unveiled LinkedIn’s fourth annual Top Startups list. While my colleague Jessi Hempel debuted the U.S. list, I took a look at what you should know before applying to or accepting a job from a startup. You can read my piece by clicking here. You can also see Top Startup lists from around the world by clicking here.

? The follow-up

Motivation is often in short supply during a job search. In addition to either being unemployed or in a job you don’t like, a normal job search is often filled with rejection and obstacles. Losing motivation can result in a vicious cycle that prolongs your job search. We discussed steps you can take to maintain and regain your motivation in the last edition of #GetHired. LinkedIn members suggested focusing on your physical and mental health as a first and crucial step. You should take breaks when needed. A solid job search strategy will also keep you focused and feeling accomplished. Of course, you should also set reasonable goals and celebrate small wins to help feed your motivation. Here is what people are saying about the advice.

? Other news to help you #GetHired:

The pandemic hit the global economy — hard. About US$3.5 trillion in working hours was lost in the first three quarters of 2020, compared to the same time period in 2019, according to the International Labour Organization. The organization’s analysis suggests the economic fallout was worse than expected. Lost working hours in the second quarter of 2020 equated to 495 million full-time jobs, compared to their earlier estimate of a loss equating to 400 million jobs. The economic pain is expected to continue into 2020’s fourth quarter. Here is what people are saying about the results.

What’s the deal with remote work? The coronavirus pandemic resulted in a mass work-from-home experiment for millions of people around the globe. After the better part of a year has passed, CEOs and business leaders are giving the work format negative or lackluster reviews. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings told The Wall Street Journal that it’s been a “pure negative.” Specifically, he said it’s tough not being able to get together in person. Other CEOs, such as JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Apple CEO Tim Cook also pointed to negative aspects of remote work. Regardless of their reviews of the situation, they all expect the pandemic to change how and where people work. Here’s what people are saying about their opinions.

Here’s who’s hiring right now. As I’ve said before, we’re doing our best to connect you with companies that are still hiring during these troubled economic times. Part of that effort is a regularly updated list of companies we know to be hiring. Some of those include Amazon, Walmart and CVS Health. Click here to see more.

? Up next:

One of the most highly coveted prizes of a job search is an employee referral at one of your target companies. An employee referral is essentially a person at a company pushing your resume and application toward the top of the pile of applicants with their endorsement. We’ll talk about these pieces of a job search in the next edition of #GetHired. What has been your experience with employee referrals? Tell me by answering and commenting on this LinkedIn poll.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to reach out to me if you have ideas on topics or questions I should address in future editions of #GetHired. You can also email me at GetHired[at]LinkedIn.com.