You're interviewing the company, too

In a tight job market it’s very easy to forget that not only is the company interviewing you, you’re interviewing the company.

Sure, you might need to be a little more flexible than normal, and there is no such thing as a perfect job/company. And yes, of course your personal situation might demand taking something less than ideal.

But it’s still important to at least remind yourself that you’re looking for something that fits you as much as you fit them. Naturally when you’ve been out of work for a while it’s tempting to look past potential red flags and conversations that might run counter to your values. But in the long run it’s far worse to take something misaligned and then find yourself resigning in six months. Trust me, I’ve done it — yeah you collect a paycheck, but net-net, it ends up sucking up more time and emotional energy than it’s worth.

Job hunting is highly emotional and the lows come often. I too sometimes think that getting any job at a certain point would be better than getting the right job. But if you can, try to take a step back here and there and remind yourself that finding what’s right for you is just as important as any other factor in your job hunt.