What to look for in an employer

Posted on: 13 May 2025 by Richard Finch in Hints, tips and advice

Recent graduate, Joshua Tang, shares his honest take on what he looked for in an employer—from values and culture to growth opportunities and hybrid working.

When you were job-hunting, what were the top three things you looked for in an employer?

The top three things I looked out for in an employer were: the company’s values & culture, growth & development opportunities and work-life balance.

How important were company values or culture in your decision-making?

Both the company values and company culture are highly important for me, as I would like to work in a safe and inclusive environment whilst knowing that my company has a strong moral compass

Did you look for companies with a strong commitment to diversity, sustainability, or other social issues?

Yes, a company practicing EDI is a great indication of a great modern company, companies which helps the local community is a bonus.

How did you assess whether a company would be a good cultural fit for you?

Visiting the company’s offices and sites and speaking to employees that work there was a great experience to gain an insight on whether I could see myself working there.

What would be a deal breaker for you when considering an employer?

A deal breaker for me when looking at the employers would be a lack of growth within the company as well a lack of self-development opportunities.

Do you work in a hybrid way? If so, do you think this works well for recent graduates, or would you recommend being on-site full-time at first?

I think it would depend on the individual graduate and their needs, however generally I would prefer working half of the week from home and the other days in office, just to balance commuting costs as well as gain invaluable experience and resources when in office. As well as being able to reach out to colleagues swiftly

How important is salary for graduates—would you say it outweighs company values, or vice versa?

Salary is very important to all graduates; a lot of newer graduates are living away from home and depend on their income to survive. I would say that the graduate’s well-being comes before salary as happiness shouldn’t be sacrificed for money.



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