What to Look for in a Role
In my first few years of working full time, I have been able to reflect on things to look for in a role to stay excited and motivated over the years. When interviewing, it’s easy to think that you’re the only one being evaluated. Though, I like to think that you are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you. Here are some questions that I like to keep in mind when deciding if a role is right for you:
Will this person be a good manager?
Especially early in your career, it’s important to find a manager that will be a good mentor and support you. Over the years, I’ve had multiple managers and each one had a different style of management. Ones that have been most impactful for my career growth are ones that are able to provide critical feedback, opportunities for me to gain visibility with leadership, and someone who provides guidance, while still allowing me to maintain ownership of my work.
Are there growth opportunities here?
When going through the interview process, it’s important to understand what the scope of your role is and if there are opportunities for you to grow. Growth comes in a lot of different forms and some questions to ask yourself are:
Is this a place I can learn and develop my skills?
Is there opportunity for upwards mobility and leadership positions?
Is this a place that allows me to be creative and take risks?
Are there people in this organization that I look up to?
Aside from your manager, I think it’s important to find other people in the organization that you look up to. Imagine where you want to be in 5 years and are there people in the company that are where you want to be? This is important to look out for because these are people you can seek mentorship from and learn from.
Do my values align with the organization’s values?
We spend a lot of our time at work and it often becomes a part of our identity. It’s important to find a company that you are excited to work for and one you can stand behind. When you find an organization you align with, there’s often better collaboration and productivity because everyone you work with is striving towards a common goal.
I hope you found a piece of this helpful and it gives you things to consider when looking for a role. If you have any questions or want to chat more about careers, especially one in UX, I’d be happy to chat!
xo Kerstin