In my previous article, Choosing Your Next Company - Corporation, Medium, or Startup I talked about what to expect when you choose a startup vs. a small to medium vs. a corporation. Jean Paul has also written a good article on MVC vs. Small Company. Check them out.

In this article, I will cover good salary and benefits vs. good work.

When you think about joining a new company or changing your current job, you obviously have several questions on your mind.

Sometimes you ask your friends, co-workers and sometimes you do your own research and determine information about a company using an online website such as GlassDoors.

So, what type of company should be your next home? What makes a company good for you? How can you be sure that the next company you're going to join will do justice to you and more over you will be happy in your next venture.

Let's think about work for a moment.

You spend more than one-third of your life at your work. So, the first thing you want to ensure is that you'll be happy at work. If you're not happy at work then you will end up spending one-third of your life being miserable. This is a very important factor. Now happiness is different for everyone. For some, money is happiness. For some, good work excites them. For some, work culture and people surrounding them are happiness. Of course you want all of them but chances are very slim. Some company will have good benefits but work may not be exciting and vice versa. So, you need to ask yourself this one question. What is your happiness?

"You must be happy at work"

First Job Situation

When you're starting your first job or just graduating college, you may not have very many choices. That's fine. One advice I will give you is, you do not want to wait too long. Take that very first offer that sounds decent. If you do not like that job then keep looking for the next one but do not sit home waiting for that perfect job. Whatever job you decide to take, just keep one thing in mind; get a good learning opportunity. Get work in which you work with the latest technology.

"Your first job should be about learning, not earning"

You should be spending much of your time at work, more than anybody else, reading, learning, asking questions and just getting dirty. Your first couple of years of your career are the foundation of your remaining career life. And you want to make sure that the foundation is very strong.

Job Satisfaction

When we look for a new job, we often ignore the importance of job satisfaction and focus on the financial aspects of it. A survey published by Deloitte's Shift Index survey shows that 80% of people are dissatisfied with their jobs. Not only are employees dissatisfied but 25% of the employees say work is their main source of stress and 40% say their job is "very or extremely stressful", sources: Quality of Working Life' report.

80% of people are dissatisfied with their jobs.

Now, you need to ask yourself. Do you want to be one of those guys?

Let's take a quick look at Moslow's needs theory.

Moslows-Needs-Chart.jpg

As you can see from Moslow's needs diagram, a human not only has physiological and safety needs but also belonging, esteem, and self-actualization needs.

While most of the needs are very common and available, there are two things I want to focus on – Belonging and Esteem. You must feel like you belong to your workplace. Your work should also provide an environment where you can grow your confidence, earn achievements, respect others and get respect in return. You must also have opportunities to showcase your talents and creativity that will eventually boost your confidence and self-esteem.

Contentment

Once you have an experienced career, you need to look for contentment. Do you feel you have accomplished something at work? Do you feel satisfied with what you have done so far?

One Size Doesn't Fit All

Remember, a job is your personal choice. Just because I like Bananas that doesn't mean you should like Bananas. One size doesn't fit all. You need to measure your size and see what fits you the best.

Good luck and find happiness!