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A decent salary isn’t the only thing we’re looking for during job hunts these days. 

While it’s great to be paid well, we’re all looking for the ‘whole package’ from potential employers — and that means working in a positive environment, the prospect of personal development, and of course, perks.

‘Perks’ can refer to a number of things, but they’re essentially pleasant additions to your standard salary and mandatory employee benefits. These can vary hugely from company to company, so it’s worth knowing what is out there that you could benefit from. 

Before you start applying for the jobs that are appealing to you, you will want to consider creating a resume that will blow the employer away and secure you that dream job. Using a resume writing service such as https://www.arcresumes.com/local/california/ can be the perfect one-stop-shop to do just that; build a resume to attract future employers attention and you can ensure the perks are for you!

5 Perks To Look For In Your Next Job Hunt

With that in mind, here are five amazing perks that you should be on the lookout for during your next job hunt:

    1. Commuting perks

Commuting can make or break a job, sometimes. Spending hours in your car stuck in gridlocked traffic, cramming yourself onto a busy, sweaty bus, or cycling through the pouring rain to get to work; it’s not usually a part of our day that we enjoy. 

That’s why commuting perks can make all the difference — and why it’s definitely something to look for in your next job hunt.

Anything that can make your commute easier is worth its weight in gold, whether that’s your company covering your commuting costs or offering flexitime so that you can avoid rush-hour (which can easily halve your commuting time sometimes).

If your new job will involve a lot of driving as either part of your everyday work or your commute, then a perk like a fuel card can save you — and your employer — time and money. You can visit iCompario to find out more about fuel cards, but essentially they cut down admin time going through expense forms by allowing your employer to easily pay for your fuel.

Look out for green travel perks too; eco-conscious employers might offer a ‘cycle to work’ scheme to encourage staff to bike into work, simultaneously saving the planet and keeping fit.

  2. Health & fitness perks

It’s definitely worth looking out for health and fitness perks the next time you’re on the hunt for a job.

We’re all hyper-aware of how important staying fit and healthy is, and that we need to make healthy lifestyle changes to maintain our health. 

Work plays a big part in this; keeping fit is hard when you’re working an office job and you’re slumped in your chair for eight hours a day. This can cause you to feel sluggish and put on weight, damage your back, and can contribute to workplace stress and fatigue.

It’s something that lots of employers didn’t really think about ten or so years ago, but these days, companies recognise that being healthy is at the top of many people’s priority lists and they’re acting accordingly.

Look out for perks that will help you to stay fit, such as discounted or subsidised gym membership, or an onsite gym at your place of work. Some workplaces will also offer healthy lunch options or a free fruit bowl, stopping you from heading out for expensive, high-calorie lunch and gorging on carby desk snacks.

  3. Mental health & wellbeing perks

It’s not just your physical health that your prospective employers can help with — lots of companies now offer mental health and wellbeing perks. 

Gone are the days (well, nearly) when we suffered from stress in high-powered jobs because that’s just what you did — fuelling yourself on coffee, cigarettes and the bragging rights of going home at 10 pm because you had a deadline due.

Nowadays, we’re a bit more savvy about how important mental health is and how to look after ours. 

Having an employer that cares about your mental wellbeing and offers subsequent perks is definitely something to aim for. It’s a good sign that the company you’re applying to is progressive, caring and has strong core values.

Mental health perks can vary enormously, but some employers will offer free access to counselling and therapy if or when you need it. Others will help you to get a grip on workplace stress by putting on resilience or stress management training courses. Others may offer more general wellbeing perks, such as free monthly massages onsite or meditation spaces.

  4. Holiday perks

What’s the point in earning a decent salary if you don’t have any time off to treat yourself and spend some of that hard-earned money?!

Of course, it’s totally up to you what you spend your cash on (it doesn’t have to be holidays), but having access to some solid holiday perks is something well worth keeping your eye on during the job hunt.

Of course, all employers have to offer a minimum holiday allowance, but some companies will offer more than your average. Even better, some will also be more flexible when it comes to holiday, offering holiday rewards or giving you the chance to either ‘buy’ more holiday or take unpaid leave (which you’ll appreciate if you run out of days — it’s all too easy to do!). 

Depending on the type of company you work for, they may even offer hotel or transport discounts so that your trip works out even cheaper. Airbnb offers employees $2000 (£1413) travel credit to stay in any Airbnb listing across the globe. 

It might be that you can get related perks, such as airport parking for your trips abroad and likewise. These are also worth looking out for. And you know you’ve really hit the jackpot when your company offers all-expenses-paid work trips to their Alpine ski lodge or on their superyacht…

4. Family life perks

If you’re thinking of starting a family at any point (or you have kids already), then you’ll want to look out for family perks during your next job hunt.

As with holiday perks, employers will offer the maternity/paternity leave you’re legally entitled to, but what you’re really looking for is the employers who are will to go the extra mile with parental leave, offering you more time off or better pay while you’re away.

And when your little one is a bit older, additional perks such as childcare support or an onsite creche or nursery are extremely useful to have. Even having the flexibility to work from home or to adjust your hours to fit childcare or school hours better will make a huge difference to your life.

There are many possible perks that you could benefit from, so it’s worth knowing that these are options available to you when you’re next job-hunting.

Keep these perks in mind, prioritise what is important to you, and don’t be afraid to ask if it’s not obvious — your prospective employer may be more than happy to include this in your job offer.