Where & What Type of Work

Where & What Type of Work

Finding the Right Organisation to Work For

Excellent career opportunities are awaiting graduates right now. So how do you choose which organisation to work for? Often the only aspect that sets each organisation apart is company or firm culture. Deloitte HR Director, Laurie Finlayson, offers some sound advice for finding a professional services environment to suit your working style.

There’s no doubt about it … for grads seeking a career in the field of business advisory, professional services firms offer excellent career opportunities. What’s more, many professional services firms also offer the prospect of international travel, secondments and a global client base. This is all pretty exciting, especially if you’ve studied hard, and you want to start carving out your career in a chosen field.

However, one of the most important aspects of your working life – and one that is all too often overlooked – is partnering with the right firm. An organisation’s culture will have a major impact on your working life. A poor culture can lead to resentment and low productivity. It can lead to dissatisfaction and disillusionment. On the other hand, a supportive and fun working environment can ensure that you are constantly challenged with interesting opportunities that help you to learn while you work, and enable you to advance your career at your own pace.

In your search for a firm with a culture that suits you and the way you like to work, be sure to investigate your options thoroughly. While it’s not always easy to gauge an organisation’s culture in one or two interviews, you can assess the organisation on some simple points such as:

• Does the organisation have aspirations that I can relate to? 'How to Choose an Ethical Employer' checklist, developed by Rosemary Sainty from the University of Sydney, is an excellent resource to help you in this area.
  
• Are the people approachable?
• Does the firm have appropriate support and peer-networks for me?
• Are there people who will coach and mentor me?
• Who are the firm’s clients?
• Do I want to work with these clients?

There are also some pertinent questions you can ask, to help you to gain a better understanding of the way an organisation operates, such as:

• How will I be assisted to achieve the performance expectations for my role?
• How are performance reviews conducted?
• What are the opportunities for learning and development?
• What are the options for study leave/family leave and annual leave?
• Where do people progress to from my role?

These questions will help you to understand the organisation’s processes and whether or not it will suit your working style, and more importantly your career aspirations.