This guest post is part of our “5 Things” series, it was written by Michelle Rebecca.

When starting a job search there are certain things you should focus on. Money is a given, but to ensure that you find something enjoyable, try looking in these five categories and find a job that is right for you.

{photo source: EladeManu flickr}

1. Something That Interests You

Finding a job that means something makes the work more enjoyable. Spending all day doing something uninteresting or meaningless makes the day drag on and can make life feel unfulfilling. Working in a career field that you care about can change your attitude toward work and enrich your life. If writing is something of interest to focus, make sure that is a key element in the job to ensure time in this job is spent using your most valuable skills.

2. Room to Grow

Look for a job that provides opportunities for promotions and raises. Working at a job where there are promotions can motivate the urge to work harder; an opportunity for advancement helps you set goals and prevents feelings of settling. It is important to set goals for yourself in a career to strive to achieve advancement in the company.

Make sure to ask the employer where he or she sees their staff in three years. That may give you a sign of employee turnover or advancement.

3. Company Success

Look for a job with a company that is successful. Fortune 500 Companies are a great place to start and may provide an added bonus of job security. It can be beneficial to work for a well-known, successful company especially if in the future the opportunity arises to switch careers or find a new job. Having a Fortune 500 company on your resume can only help with the search.

Before applying for a job, make sure they are credible. A good company will have a great testimonial page, which will give you insight to how others view the company and their services. This can help provide information on the company and help you decide if it’s a good fit.

4. Benefits

When job searching, it is important to look for benefits like health insurance. When it is included in your benefit package it can save you money and companies usually offer more than one option so there is a plan suitable for you. Look for jobs that provide a 401k and match contributions. Benefits can also include vacation time, sick days and paid holidays. Make sure to ask about how sick days are accumulated. Are they provided all at once at the beginning of the year or are hours earned at each pay period?

5. Location

Location can refer to where the job is located or where you are in relation to where the job is. If the job is in a city, it may be cheaper to live outside of the city and commute each day. If the job is in a suburban area, it may be a low cost of living to be closer to the job. Some people like the morning commute, so a city job may be what they’re looking for. Others may enjoy a shorter commute and cheaper housing, so they may want to look for jobs in an area with a lower cost of living. Considering moving? See, 5 things to know when interning in another city.

When looking for a job, find out if they would pay for you to move or help you to find another job within the company if you’d like to relocate. Some companies post job openings on company websites so it is easily searchable for employees.

There are many other factors you should look into when applying – and definitely before accepting – a job. Salary may seem like the most important thing, but ultimately being unhappy all day, every day won’t be worth a good paycheck.

More resources:

• See Michelle’s first post on Genpink: Home Decor Tips for Your First Post-College Apartment.
• 7 Things You Could Do Besides Pimping a Resume – guest post by David Spinks
• Gen Y: Waking Up Unemployed
• 10 Things You Should Quit Putting on your Resume