Choosing the right company for you continued

In continuation to the last blog, there are many factors that need to be considered when looking for that perfect company for you – and again yes, IT professionals are in demand so you can be picky about the company you choose to work for. So in addition consider some of these factors when choosing your next position.

Growth

When looking at Small and medium sized companies it is important to look at their growth (head count and client base) over the last few years (where possible). Joining a company that is experiencing an accelerated growth can be very beneficial to your career in the long term.
On the flip side a company that is losing customers and shrinking its business may not have room for you in the long run. Look for companies that lead in their industry and are performing well, acquiring new clients and retaining the business and loyalties of old ones.

Reputation of the company and its staff

Do some research; try understand the image a company holds in the industry. Working for a company synonymous for quality and delivery will be seen as a very positive reflection of your abilities and attitude on your CV.

Culture and values

The company culture and company values are very important to your happiness and growth within the company. Ask about the company culture, the team structure and try to ensure that the ethics, values, team dynamics, management style and atmosphere are in-line with what you would like.

Finer details

In the interview try get a better understanding of exactly what your day to day job entails. This normally happens within larger companies, where developers are pigeon holed into certain components of a project or within certain internally developed frameworks. Make sure you know what type of development work you are committing to. Make sure you are acquiring transferable skills. Will you be working on challenging new development or are you going to be confined to maintenance work?

Management team

Management teams and styles vary from company to company. In my opinion a development manager/team lead/project manager is most effective if he/she has worked their way up from developer or analyst and therefore understands the interests/dynamics/intricacies of all parties and components as well as the business motives behind the decision he/she makes.

Employee turnover

It is generally accepted that developers, analyst, project manager etc. are in high demand and will move between companies in the search for better career opportunities. So resignations in an IT company or division are natural and organic but be weary of companies with higher than normal employee turnover. Generally companies with this effect have underlying issues that may not be easily seen. Try ascertaining what the management’s attitude is toward employee development and retention before making this important decision in your career.

These are not blanket rules and there are exceptions in every case but hopefully they have given you a better basis to make a decision on your next career move.