Do you feel like looking for the right job or internship is a bit like searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack?  Maybe you have a few positions in mind, but you don't know which one is really the 'best' choice: which job pays the best?  What do the people who've worked that job think about it?  Are the employees in the company generally happy?

The website Glassdoor.com is an invaluable tool for anyone with questions like this.  For full access, you will be required to submit salary information for a previous job you've worked as well as a review, but it is worth the effort.

 Hypothetical: Let's say you're graduating next year and you have it set in your mind on being a financial analyst.  You've gone through the usual routine of typing in 'Financial Analyst' and 'Minneapolis' into the usual online job search engines and you find three positions that interest you.  All three positions descriptions sound about the same. 

1. Company A - A regional company that has a strong presence on your campus and is headquartered in the area.  There is even a stadium named after this company on campus.  This company really seems to be growing.
2. Company B - A national company that is headquartered in the area.  Everyone knows this company and they are a perennial Fortune 100 company.
3. Company C - A national company that is not headquartered in the area.  They are not a Fortune 100 company and you honestly don't know much about them.

This is the point where most people stop.  You know that these three companies are hiring.  And you know what you and your friends know about them (in the case of company C, not much).  But how do you decide which one you should pursue the most?  Most people would choose Company B in this situation, simply because you know that they are an established national brand and that since their headquarters are in the area, it wouldn't be too hard to network with them.  But, by snooping a little bit through Glassdoor.com, we can make a more informed decision.

Salary Comparison For Financial Analyst Positions

By doing a little research, we've discovered that our preconception of Company B being a better choice simply because of its reputation as a Fortune 100 company is likely false.  While Company B may offer a higher initial salary, it looks like Company C offers both a better workplace experience and better career development and growth opportunities.  

So our choice is Company C.