How to research a company in your job search

Finding long-term happiness in a job can start with knowing how to research a company and employers during the job search.

Think about an escape room. The ultimate goal to is free yourself before time runs out, but solving the puzzle involves more than finding a single key to unlock the door. It involves multiple components, and the solution is only obtained by learning several individual insights that lead to the right answer.

Unlocking the mystery of where you’ll enjoy practicing medicine also requires finding the right information. As you start your job search, take note of these six aspects of companies to help make your next move the right one.

Culture and mission

A practice’s mission and desired culture should indicate how it perceives its role in medicine and dictate guiding principles. Knowing these aspects can help you gauge how well you might fit with the organization, but it also requires looking internally to know what type of practice you want to join – and what you are and aren’t willing to support.

Company leadership

In addition to mission and culture, it’s important to understand who is setting those goals and guiding staff in that direction. Take time to learn about the practice’s leadership. In hospitals and other larger organizations, this includes both the leadership team and the department in which you’d work.

Also be sure to get to know the organization’s recruitment team. Establishing a relationship with them can be an early opportunity to show you’d be a great addition to the team – and it may help you stand out from other candidates in a stack of CVs.

News coverage

Search online and on social media for the latest happenings at the organization. Note what areas may receive regular coverage and how involved they are in the community. Do they sponsor local events or have any community outreach programs? Are they expanding services?

Not all coverage may be positive, but seeing how organizations respond to issues can also be a valuable insight.

Awards

Awards exist for everything from community involvement to medical innovation – and they can range in size and scope from local readers’ choice recognition to international prizes. Learning about an organization’s recognition can give you an idea of where its focus lies and where it excels.

Ratings and reviews

Another way to see where organizations shine or are challenged can be rating and review sites. Several exist that allow patients to review individual providers, while popular sites like Yelp include ratings for practices.

People who have a bad experience might be more likely to leave a review than those with a satisfactory or positive one. Still, reading several reviews can potentially reveal trends in the quality of patient care and experience.

Employee pay and benefits

While compensation shouldn’t be the only deciding factor, it is an important part of the conversation when considering living comfortably vs. financial obligations like student loans.

Any information you can obtain on pay range and benefits – along with a location’s cost of living – can help you understand if an opportunity’s earnings are compatible with your needs. If they’re not, it might be a sign to drop the opportunity from consideration and spend the time and effort pursuing ones that are a better overall fit.