For many candidates, finding a new job that comes with room to grow is a priority. When a company supports your development, it’s typically easier to acquire skills and experience that help you advance. Plus, it keeps the work engaging, which can lead to greater job satisfaction.
Fortunately, it’s possible to tell if there will be room for growth before you accept a new role. Here’s how.
Ask the Right Questions During the Interview
During an interview, you usually get a chance to ask the hiring manager some questions near the end of the meeting. As a result, it’s the perfect time to find out whether the company provides you with room to grow.
One option is to ask why the position ended up being available. While this doesn’t directly dig into whether there’s room for growth, the hiring manager’s response could give you the answer anyway. For example, if the hiring manager states the job opened up after the last employee in it was promoted, that shows growth opportunities are potentially available. Plus, it’s a sign that the company is open to promoting from within, which is also positive.
Another path is to ask about training and development programs. Going this route is often safer than explicitly asking whether there’s room for growth, an approach that could leave the hiring manager concerned that you’re looking to move into a new job in short order. By asking about training and development programs, it comes across as you wanting to know if you can develop critical skills relating to the role. However, a well-developed program typically signals room for growth, albeit indirectly.
Research the Company Online
In some cases, you can find out whether there’s room for growth at a company with a bit of online research. Reading reviews from current and past employees is potentially revealing. However, you need to take that information with a grain of salt, as not everyone is completely honest when writing reviews.
Another place to find information is the company’s website. Many openly discuss their professional development programs on their career pages, so those are excellent resources. You can also check social media for announcements tied to employee advancement, as those often signal a solid professional development program and room for growth.
Finally, you can see if any employees in the section have public profiles on LinkedIn. By heading there, you can see if they’ve had multiple positions at the company, which is typically discussed in their work history. If so, that’s a sign that there’s room to grow.
Reach Out to Members of Your Network
Another great option for finding out if a company offers room to grow is to tap your network. If you’re connected to any current or former employees, you can potentially ask them about growth opportunities directly. Just make sure that the relationship is strong enough that they’d be comfortable discussing that information.
Alternatively, if a member of your network is connected to a current or past employee, you could request an introduction. After that, you could see if the person is comfortable participating in an informational interview about their experience, giving you a chance to learn about how the company treats professional development.
Contact the Advance Group Today
Ultimately, each of the options above allows you to tell if there is room for growth before you accept a job offer, allowing you to make better career decisions. If you’d like to learn more or are looking for a new job, The Advance Group wants to hear from you. Contact us today.
