It’s very easy to take the first job that comes your way when you need a job. Perhaps you moved to a new country or a new city, or you simply just left/lost your job, and you’re in a rush to have that income. Unfortunately, the best thing for your mental and physical health can be not to take that job. I know it may not seem this way, but usually, there will always be another job opportunity that will come your way shortly after. I cannot stress enough the importance of taking a job that is right for you, whether that be in terms of money, hours per week, vacation time, work environment, and more. 

1. Ask All of the Questions

Do not be afraid to ask your potential new employer all the questions you have. Ask them why they work there, why they plan on staying with the company, and how you can move up in the company or move to other departments if that’s your goal. They shouldn’t be the only ones interviewing you, you should interview them as well. Don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions. We spend the majority of our days working. So the environment you’re going to spend your time in is so important. 

2. Interview Everyone At the Work Site

Building off of point number one, interview the people working there. Ask the secretary, the security guard, the cleaning staff, etc how they like working there. Don’t be too in your face about it. Just do it if you go to use the toilet or while you’re waiting for the job interview. If the people have worked there for multiple years, that usually means it’s a good work environment. 

3. Google the Company

Read up on Google about the company. Figure out what their values and mission are. If you ever want to live in a different city or country, see if they have locations in other places you can one day move to. See what their previous employees said about the company. Yes, it’s true that most of the time people only leave a review when they have something bad to say. But read those reviews and decide for yourself if they were just disgruntled employees or truly have a point. 

4. Check Out The Job Description/Scope of Work

Some companies are notorious for throwing several jobs into one. This is extremely stressful and unhealthy. If you don’t want to work a ton of hours a week, make sure that the work they are asking you to do is going to fit into the hours you want to work/are in the contract. In addition, most of the time you’ll have to take over when people go on vacation. That could mean you have extra work several times a year. Make sure your work and that work won’t be overwhelming. 

5. Make Sure It’s Right for You

Lastly, make sure the job is right for you and the company follows the law. That means they give you the minimum number of vacation days, etc. If you want more or fewer hours, vacation days, smaller/bigger workload, more flexibility, remote work possibility, increase in pay, and more, discuss it with the company before signing the contract. The job needs to be right for you because most companies, especially in the Netherlands, want you to stay there for a long time. And most importantly, you should love what you do.

If you’re looking for a job in the Netherlands, be sure to check out my blog post titled “Follow these 6 steps to find a job in the Netherlands.” Are you struggling with your CV/resume and cover letter, or need some coaching for an upcoming interview? I can help you with all of those and more. Check out my website and send me an email. I’d love to help make this process easier for you. 

Some Final Thoughts

I’ve worked for really horrible employers and really great employers. I turned down a job offer in April 2021 because it wasn’t right for me. No one should work at a company or in a position that doesn’t feel right if they can avoid it. I do understand that this isn’t always possible because of finances perhaps. But ultimately everyone should work towards doing what they love, whether that be working for your dream employer or working for yourself. 

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Why did you take your current job, and did you make the right decision?