I am a tad envious of the employees in Google. Ok, why? Well, all you have to do is look at the Employee Benefits page. According to Google CEO Eric Schmidt, “The goal is to strip away everything that gets in our employees’ way. We provide a standard package of fringe benefits, but on top of that are first-class dining facilities, gyms, laundry rooms, massage rooms, haircuts, car washes, dry cleaning, commuting buses – just about anything a hard working employee might want.” Reading a CBS Money Watch.com post written by Amy Levin-Epstein, these are 10 other really good reasons for working at Google:
1. If you have a favourite charity, Google will match your contributions, up to $12,000 a year.
2. Pop a tire on your bike on your way to work? The on-site bike repair specialist is happy to help.
3. Between the rock climbing wall, lap pool and billiards tables, who needs a fancy gym?
4. In 2010, Google celebrated improving numbers by handing out across the board 10 percent raises.
5. Google has been praised by human rights groups for recognizing domestic partners when it comes to benefits like health insurance and bereavement leave.
6. Two words: free lunch.
7. One employee quoted on Google’s website says she was surprised by “The number of people who wear Google T-shirts to work! It’s like being at a college campus that has tons of school spirit.”
8. If rock climbing sounds a little crazy (or you wore a skirt to work), you can blow off some steam with a frenzied foosball match.
9. It may not be a dog’s life at Google — but canine companions are welcome.
10. And rounding out number 10: Free beer. Cheers!
See the list of the top 20 Dream Employers in 2011
Ok, you might think the perks are there just for Google to be able to retain their employees. Ultimately, people like you and I will apply to Google for the opportunity to work on popular worldwide products, projects and that special opportunity of working with SMEs.
Wondering where I am going with this? Who’s your dream employer and why? Well, one thing that we all have in common when it comes to our career is a list of companies where we’d like to work if a position came up matching our skills and experience. This is regardless of whether we are currently employed or seeking employment. In a perfect world, we would also have great contacts at every company we want to work for. Whenever we felt like moving jobs, we’d ring that particular contact up and they would introduce us to the right people.
So, do you want to work for a really big company with a powerful brand and big budgets? Or would you rather be a part of an up and coming company or start-up?
The job market is tough and the best route to a job in a company of our choice is to get introduced to the company by someone credible – someone the company trusts and someone either working for the company already, they could also be a supplier, consultant or a competitor.
First, it is important that you know why you want to work in a particular company. If you ask me, I think target company research is an area of the job search that is sometimes greatly neglected by job seekers and the employed. A typical job interview question asked is to find out how much company research you have conducted, this question is “What do you know about this company?”
You can overcome this question by researching the company and looking out for the:
– Company core values so as to assess your own values and your organizational fit
See Why Core Values Are Important To Your Organisation
– Recent news regarding mergers, take-overs, major changes, acquisitions, new products, services etc so that you can have an intelligent conversation about the company, this will further show your interest in working and being part of the company.
– Financial information to make sure you are not joining a company on the verge of bankruptcy or one that will render you jobless as soon as you join them.
– People you know. Knowing someone that work for your target company, you will get a leg in. The best way to strike up these acquaintances would be for you to attend conferences, industry events, networking events and by becoming an avid social media user. These will get you closer to the right people. Networking takes time and a great deal of effort. However, what you put into it is what you gain from it. Don’t expect results overnight and remember that being effective at networking is all about helping others and this way they will return the favour one day.
See the Art of Career and Job-Search Networking
– Company Blog, according to Alison Doyle, a well respected job search and employment expert, company blogs provide a voice for a company that educates and informs website visitors. They tell potential employees about the company’s culture. There are also blogs written by employees and ex-employees. They can give even more insight into issues that the company may, or may not, want to share.
– Recruiters will allow you to leverage your network and contacts to get the new position. Some recruiters have great gift of the gab and can smooth talk your targeted company into interviewing you. Taking this route is quick and effective; the only downside is that it will cost the company of your choice some money to hire you. When you attach a price tag to yourself, you better be on top of your game.
– Social Media has opened the door for all professionals to be able to follow any companies of their choice. If you are on Linked In, Facebook or Twitter, follow the companies, partake in their dialogues, comment on their forums, like their products, and get as much information as necessary.
Become a fan on Facebook, Join their Linkedin Group and Follow them on Twitter. Set up Google Alerts to follow news about the company. The alert will send you news as soon as they become available.
See Social Media and the Hiring Process
Frankly, the list above is by no means a full one; you need to know and do much more than this in order to get your dream job in a company of your choice!
Everyone looking for a job should have a list of target companies. Start with the ones nearest to where you leave and be prepared to relocate if necessary. Shrink the list based on a few criteria like company size, brand, revenue, culture, industry sector, services and products.
Tell us about a company of your choice and why.
So, who is your dream employer and why?
I am my own dream employer but the time is not right yet. I want to own my own business.