If you're seriously considering a change of industry, company or profession this year, then one of the most important (and possibly quite counterintuitive) piece of advice, we can give you is to be fussy!
The economy is looking up and that means that businesses are plunging into a fresh new era of growth.
They’ll be searching for employees just like you, so there’s really no need to CV blast every job board and career site you might find!
Instead, relax, give yourself some time and make sure that the opportunity is right for you, before sending off an application.
This will also give you a chance to personalise your CV and cover letter for each and every position, giving you a much better chance of finding and getting a great job quicker.
Recruiter Top Tips:
- Don’t panic-apply to every job you come across.
- Personalise your CV and cover letter for every application you send.
- Thoroughly read the job ad, for relevance to your skills and preferences.
- Research the role, company and industry
- Complete a background check!
How should you be researching a company?
The job ad and company website are obviously your first ports of call, but remember, they’ll only reveal information that your potential employers want revealed!
Luckily, the internet provides a whole host of resources that you could use to identify positives, negatives and downright deal-breakers, helping you to answer questions like…
How do the company treat their staff?
What benefits do they offer?
Will they give you freedom to truly express yourself and spread your wings?
Is there visible opportunity for progression?
Company review sites like Glassdoor and The Job crowd are perfect tools for savvy jobseekers, offering a chance to discover insider secrets, before even attending the interview.
Glassdoor have even released a list of the top 25 best places to work in 2015 (UK) just to give you that extra little nudge in the right direction…
Below we've highlighted the 20 top, most efficient employee engagement experts, as voted by (real) current employees, along with a rundown of their most celebrated benefits.
It should be a pretty great starting point for you, on your journey to a new and fantastic job!
1. Google
Unsurprisingly reaching number 1, the internet giants have a fantastic reputation for keeping their staff happy with both weird and wonderful perks; they've won over fifty awards for employee satisfaction over the years!
If you're looking for an energetic, yet demanding work environment, Google's your choice, however, job positions are incredibly competitive and it can take weeks for them to make a decision.
Benefit Highlights:
- Paid time off for voluntary work
- Onsite fitness centres
- Quirky offices
- Free lunch and limitless snacks
- Superior maternity and paternity leave schemes
- Fantastic employee discounts
- Health Insurance
- Retirement Plan
- Paid Time off
(And those are just some of the many, many benefits that Google employee benefits best places to work 2015 offer to their lucky employees!)
Employee Comments:
"The best place I've worked and also the most demanding," "Moving at the speed of light, burn out is inevitable," "Great balance between big-company security and fun, fast-moving projects"
(Check out some of Google's more wacky employee perks on our latest "Friday Funny" blog the 20 weirdest and most wonderful employee perks)
2. John Lewis (the Great!)
A truly 'great' company with a real committed to making their employees feel loved!
Benefit Highlights:
- Sick pay
- Pension
- Great staff discounts and ticket subsidies
- Extended leave
- Dining facilities
- Holiday and leisure facilities
- Clubs and societies
- Bursary for the pursuit of excellence
- Working for a charity
- Special help in a time of need
Employee Comments:
"Great company," "Great place to work," "Great employer to work for that actually care about their employees with real benefits that are very useful!"
3. Microsoft
Employees love working at Microsoft for a variety of fantastic reasons, including the culture, team and company in general, however, there does seem to be general consensus that the business are a little stuck in their ways. Never mind, the happiness ratings speak for themselves!
Benefit Highlights:
- Health insurance
- Employee discounts
- Retirement plans
- Work from home scheme
- Adoption assistance
- Fertility assistance
- Bereavement leave
- Employee stock purchase plan
- Paid holidays and time off
Employee Comments:
"Surrounded by smart, hard working, type A people," "Great fun a real blast. Stifled by own size and total stuck in the mud culture," "An amazing company but really hard to get a new role," "Trying to modernize, but still 'old school.'''
4. Accenture
A challenging environment that is constantly changing, if you're up for working hard and being rewarded for doing so, Accenture could be the company for you!
Benefit Highlights:
- Health insurance
- Maternity and paternity leave
- Retirement plan
- Work from home
- Employee discounts
- Employee stock purchase plan
- Performance bonuses
- Company social events
- Job training
Employee Comments:
"Challenging, dynamic consulting," "too varied for one sentence - changes with each project," "great learning opportunity and exciting opportunities."
5. Jaguar Land Rover
You've got to take the good with the bad sometimes and it seems that, according to employees, Jaguar is a fabulous place to work, if you fit in well with the culture and (for certain roles) you are willing to sacrifice some of your free time!
Benefit Highlights:
- Sick pay
- Performance bonus
- Privilege car purchase scheme
- Pension scheme
- Holiday entitlement
- Indoor and outdoor leisure facilities on site.
- A range of training opportunities
- Relocation support
- Maternity and paternity leave
Employee Comments:
"Growing organisation with strong brand," "Growing too fast," "Fast-paced demanding environment, poor work-life balance for some roles"
6. JP Morgan
In general, comments about JP Morgan seem to imply that it's a fantastic place to start (or end) your career and many employees compliment the great 'experience' that they've had.
Benefit Highlights:
- Paid holidays
- Health insurance
- Pension plan
- Maternity and paternity leave
- Employee discounts
- Employee assistance program
- Bereavement leave
- Job training
- Tuition assistance
Employee Comments:
"Opportunity to learn new things," "Good job for a young person or someone near retirement," "Fabulous career experience at a global financial institution."
7. Three
Culture is a key positive that crops up time and time again, in discussions about Three, so if getting on with your colleagues is at the top of your wishlist, it's certainly worth checking out their career page!
Benefit Highlights:
- Sick Pay
- Competitions
- Pension plan
- Life insurance
- Discounts
- Childcare vouchers
- Private healthcare scheme
- Option to buy and sell holidays
- Free phone and dongle
- Performance related bonus
Employee Comments:
"Great people, good culture, positive environment," "Great Company, Brand and Culture," "A great, empowering, progressive & customer focused company."
8. Cisco Systems
Another truly 'great' company, with a 'great' culture, providing 'great' experience for those who work for them.
Benefit Highlights:
- Health Insurance
- Paid holidays
- Employee discount
- Work from home
- Accidental death and dismemberment insurance
- Tuition reimbursement
- Employee assistance program
- Employee stock purchase plan
- Adoption Assistance
- Fertility Assistance
Employee Comments:
"Great company who wants to make a difference," "Great company to work for," "Great Experience."
9. Deloitte UK
Personal development is a particularly celebrated perk when working for Deloitte...employees cite the company as a great way to gain experience and skills at the start of your career.
Benefit Highlights:
- Health insurance
- Maternity and paternity leave
- Pension plan
- Retirement plan
- Work from home
- Paid holidays
- Employee discounts
- Job training
- Personal development and tuition assistance
Employee Comments:
"Great place to work if you like working with the best," "Great firm to work for, I have always been able to develop my professional skills," "Good place to start your career; benefit wanes unless you are in it for the long run."
10. PwC
PwC are particularly praised for their superior health benefits (a healthy body is a healthy mind...)
Benefit Highlights:
- Life insurance
- Disability insurance
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Mental health care
- Maternity and paternity
- Paid holidays
- Retirement plan
- Employee discounts
Employee Comments:
"A good platform to learn about business," "amazing atmosphere and steep learning curve," "good employer, expect long hours".
11. PA Consulting
If I'm honest, there were mixed reviews on what it's like to work for PA Consulting, but the stats speak for themselves and, amongst the happy comments, the overriding opinion seemed to be that it's a great place to learn, progress and grow.
Benefit Highlights:
- Health insurance
- Training opportunities
- Share ownership
- Performance bonus
Employee Comments:
"Great internship, great introduction to science and tech consulting,"stepping stone,"Excellent in every aspect except pay level and management."
12. Harrods
Like PA Consulting, you'll also find mixed reviews about working for Harrods. It appears that part-time workers and temps seemed to enjoy the experience...full-time employees were not quite as positive.
Benefit Highlights:
- Staff discounts
- Pension plan
- Performance bonus
- Flexible working
- Maternity and paternity leave
- Sabbatical
- Sick pay
- Work from home
- Volunteer time off
- Season ticket loan
Employee Comments:
"It was a lovely temp experience," "if high-end retail is for you, you're in the right place," "decent part time job."
13. Rolls-Royce
Amongst both the negative and positive comments about Rolls-Royce, one overriding positive was mentioned time and time again; the team.
Benefit Highlights:
- Pension scheme
- Health insurance
- Paid holidays
- Professional development
- Employee discounts
- Share options
- Season ticket loans
- Childcare vouchers
- Subsidised food
Employee Comments:
"Lots of good projects to work on and a real opportunity to get involved in the company," "great people to work with," "great company, great people, some poor management".
14. Hays PLC
The recruitment sector has a fairly bad reputation for being a little bit ruthless (for those working in it) but Hays have clearly been doing something right making it to Glassdoor's number 14.
But, obviously not as great a place to work as Coburg banks!
Benefit Highlights:
- Sick pay
- Uncapped commission
- Health insurance
- Pension plan
- Save as you earn
- Share incentive plan
- Maternity and paternity
- Family medical leave
- Childcare vouchers
- Bike to work scheme
Employee Comments:
"An amazing journey!" "Stable job if you want stability rather than big pay checks!" "Probably one of the better recruitment firms to work for, but at with all recruitment can be cut throat!"
15. BP
The overriding sense is that BP is a great place to work...however there are occasionally gripes and moans to do with management and process efficiency.
Benefit Highlights:
- Sick pay
- Flexible working
- Share options
- Pension scheme
- Subsidised gym membership
- Health insurance
- Critical illness cover
- Save as you earn
- Childcare vouchers
- Employee discounts
Employee Comments:
"Great opportunities and excellent environment," "Treated well as employee, great team experience," "The work environment is fairly relaxed in most cases and the work life balance is decent."
16. EY
Working at EY sounds exciting and innovative. If you're really keen to get involved in a variety of projects with the help of some great colleagues, this could be the company for you!
Benefit Highlights:
- Health Insurance
- Maternity and paternity leave
- Pension scheme
- Employee discounts
- Paid holidays
- Retirement plan
- Work from home
- Diversity program
- Legal assistance
Employee Comments:
"Great experience in short time," "Challenging, interesting work, great colleagues, your career is in your hands at EY," "Always projects and opportunities to work on!"
17. HSBC Holdings
HSBC is yet another of Glassdoor's top 20 who've been described as having a fantastic culture, yet no work-life balance! Work hard...work hard?
Benefit Highlights:
- Sick pay
- Pension plan
- Health insurance
- Share options
- Employee discounts
- Save as you earn
- Flexible working
- Paid holidays
- Performance bonuses
- Gym membership
Employee Comments:
"Friendly and supportive environment," "Good people, international nature," "Fantastic environment, team and management - complete lack of structure with awarding variable pay"
18. GlaxoSmithKline
A great company to work for, with great leaders, people and development opportunities but unfortunately it seems there is a lack of stability (according to current employees.)
Benefit Highlights:
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Retirement plan
- Pension plan
- Performance bonus
- Work from home
- Employee discounts
- Company car
- Gym memberships
Employee Comments:
"Excellent company to work for. Plenty of benefits and promotional opportunities," "Great history. Fantastic strategy. Poor execution," "Great company with great values."
19. American Express
It seems that the atmosphere at American Express is a lot more slow-moving and less competitive, which is great for some employees, frustrating for others.
Benefit Highlights:
- Health insurance
- AD&D insurance and disability coverage
- Family paid leave
- Pension plan
- Flexible working
- Sick pay
- Professional development
- Tuition reimbursement
- Public transport reimbursement
- Onsite gym
Employee Comments:
"Good company to work for, good work life balance, good locations, good people, I enjoyed my time at Amex," "One of the 'good corporates, lots more positives than negatives and a lot of really great people," "Great employer, job opportunities declining as company grows through cost-cutting."
20. Morgan Stanley
There appear to be a variety of opinions about the working culture at Morgan Stanley. Some feel that it's too challenging, other's that it's too easy, some feel that the culture is lacking and others disagree, stating that management are a problem...it just goes to show, you can't please everyone, all the time!
Benefit Highlights:
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Retirement plan
- Share options
- Performance bonuses
- Work from home
- Gym membership
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discounts
Employee Comments:
"Great corporate culture," "Hours can be long, need self discipline to limit hours," "Comfortable, not super challenging"
Summary
Of course, the winner was always going to be Google!
Tech companies, perhaps unsurprisingly, feature highly in the Top 20 list (Microsoft, Cisco Systems and Three all making the top 10) so it’s definitely an employee engagement-driven industry.
There is still space for tradition though! John Lewis, a supposedly traditional retailer comes in nicely at number 2 and it's good to see Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls-Royce and Harrods up there amongst Britain's best employers.
Whether or not you do decide to follow up on job opportunities with these fantastic potential employers, remember, above all else – be fussy!
