What things should a young person consider when choosing a workplace, and how should they prioritize those considerations?

The most important things you should consider when choosing a workplace are the benefits, the environment of the workplace, opportunities available, and how it affects your personal values.

Salary and Benefits:

When choosing a workplace, you need to consider what you will be getting in return for the work you put in. Although money is not everything, you really want to make sure that you are capable of surviving on what they are intending to pay you. Be knowledgeable about your options and make sure you are being equally compensated for the work you do. Also be aware of little things such as what benefits you get. These benefits can be time off, a retirement fund, and insurance options. You may not be able to live lavishly on your starting salary, but you should at least be able to take care of yourself and others that are financially dependent on you.

Environment:

The people you work with are who you are going to be around for extended periods of time throughout the day, and at times you may even see them more than you see your own family. When choosing a workplace, you want to make sure that you are in a positive environment where you are surrounded by people who inspire you and help you to be successful. You also want to consider the actual physical environment of the workplace. Is it noisy and cramped? Are you going to be stuck in a dreary gray cubicle your entire shift? Although the profession you choose may affect what kind of workplace you are in, you want to make sure that it is a space in which you are able to do your job effectively. When you know who you are and what you need to be successful, you will be able to recognize those qualities in others and in workplaces.

Opportunities and experiences:

When searching for a job it is crucial to ask yourself these questions: can I see an opportunity for a promotion somewhere down the road? Will the job offer me eventual growth and development? Or will I outgrow the position within a few years? It is important to ask yourself these questions, because with every new job you take, you should be growing and developing your skills as a professional. That is why opportunity and experience go hand in hand. You want to make sure you choose a workplace that will give you the opportunities you need, but you need to be aware that you will need experience to pursue those opportunities. Having prior experience shows future employers that you have the ability necessary to take on a higher level of responsibilities. Having the necessary skills to achieve more in your career will encourage employers to let you pursue more. 

Personal values:

Although you may not initially consider your values when choosing a workplace, it is something that may have a profound effect on your career later on in life. When you find a job that you truly love doing, the money should not change your decision at all. We all need money to live, and at times we may have to take a job just to get by, but you should never be sacrificing your own personal values for the sake of a paycheck. Your career and your time in the workplace will span almost the entirety of your life. Doing a job that does not fulfill you will only leave you feeling drained. Whatever it is that you value, religion, gender equality, fairness, family, maybe even money, work for someone who shares the same values as you. There is nothing worse than being in an environment that constantly causes you to abandon your morals.

This page was developed from interviews with:

Ana Caldwell, Karl Miller, Karen Ford, Julia Powell, Chris Lewis, Valerie Lowry, Grace Nabokov, Fred O'Connor, Vince Vonnegut, Bret Kipling, Andrea Roth, Earl Cheever