Presumptuous titles aside, we've decided to compile a brief list of what we think you really would like from a prospective employer - even if you don't yet know it!
1. Honesty
Wishy-washy it may sound, but from recruitment to employment it really does benefit if a company does exactly what it says on the tin. If you find your duties matching up to the ad and managers who deliver on initial promises, well, things couldn't be rosier really. Questions should be answered efficiently and honestly as you progress through the application process - whether the answers are good or bad. To put it simply, evasive behaviour should signal a few alarm bells.
2. Security
This isn't always a guarantee - given certain contracts and the economy - but an employer should either provide certain reassurances about your position or else openly acknowledge the realities of redundancy (see point 1).
3. Pay and perks
This seems obvious... because it is. You need an employer who is willing to pay well for the job you are asked to do. Make sure to enter the application process with an awareness of what competitors are offering for equivalent positions. If there is a significant disparity you need to find out why. This isn't the end of it though, either. How, if at all, do the company go beyond the basic salary? Aside from the perks in themselves, the extras available also provide an indicator of how the company perceive their employees.
4. Environment
Ask yourself: is this somewhere you can work? More to the point, is it somewhere you can work to the best of your abilities? A big factor on your wish list has to job satisfaction. There is literally no point in earning a bazillion pounds per hour if the work isn't conducted in an environment that a) meets your expectations or requirements and b) doesn't match up to that promised by the company (see point 1, again). A caveat here: ignore this if you are happy earning a bazillion pounds per hour no matter the cost.
5. Legality
Last but certainly not least, is it legal? Successive governments (for all their faults/providence praise them - delete as applicable based on political view) have introduced a lot of laws concerning jobs and it is your company's obligation to ensure they are upheld. I could take you through the lowdown, but you may as well get it direct at gov.uk/browse/working. You have rights and an awareness of these will help you find the right employer for you, i.e. one that doesn't try and exploit you.
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