Our Compass Group Talent Acquisition Team is thrilled to share content and information to help job seekers find the company that best fits them. Here are the first five questions we encourage you to ask yourself BEFORE you interview with a company, including insightful links to other resources you might find helpful in your job search.

#1. Is this company a place where I want to start or continue my career?

Be careful, career trajectory can often depend on where and how you start. Choosing the right company that can adequately support and train you regardless of career stage is important. Getting an opportunity to improve your contribution will help you advance. The Harvard Business Review reports that a company’s culture matters in choosing a job in their recent article.

#2. Where do I want to work?

Do you want to work close to where you are from and where your family is located? Is there a specific industry you want to target for your first or second position? In the event you are looking to relocate for a job, you might find this Job Relocation To Do List helpful from Monster.com.

#3. What is it about this company that most attracts me to work there?

This is both a personal and professional choice. You should consider what is most important to you in choosing a place to work. Is it compensation? Looking for a fun, positive culture? Are you tied to a specific area of the country for your role? There is a lot to consider. Direct Consulting Associates shares the top five qualities candidates are looking for in a company via a recent blog post.

#4. Is the company stable?

The stability of the company you plan to join is extremely important. You should look to work for a company that gives that offers a competitive income, provides training, and offers an environment to build strong relationships. It is impossible to do those things with a company that closes its doors. In fact, according to a recent Washington Post Article, for the first time in a great while, there are more business closings than business formations in America.

#5. What is the recent financial performance of the company?

Is the company you’re interviewing with growing or in turnaround mode? If the company is publicly traded, then there is a lot more information available to make an informed decision. The Securities Exchange Commission provides a website to financially research publicly traded companies here.

We invite you to consider applying to one the hundreds of open positions with Compass Group via our careers website.