I have had the good Fortune of consulting with companies that are on a very exclusive list or want the wherewithal to get on that exclusive list. What am I talking about? The recent Fortune 100 Best Companies to work for list. Just released in February, it contains a goldmine of great information if you’re a savvy job hunter. You’ll find companies from the Old and New Economies, from manufacturing to hospitals to finance to high tech, well known and hidden from view, in every part of the country. Companies like Starbucks, Granite Rock, Marriott, and R.J. Reynolds tobacco have made the list, representing industries that aren’t thought to be very exciting. W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc., the goretex fabric company, and TD Industries, commercial builders, have been on the list since inception. Both Continental and Southwest airlines are winners as well as Wegman’s and Publix grocery stores. Even Harley Davidson and Pella Windows are long time honorees.

As I’ve worked with these Fortune 100 Best or wannabees, one thing has struck me about each of these 100 . . . how well they use the Internet as a recruiting and retention tool. So, if you’re in the market for a new job or career, consider looking for a job in one of these preferred employers. Here are some of the bennies that they have to offer:

Low Turnover. Most of these firms have much lower than industry average Turnover rates, which says that there is a lot of camaraderie and esprit de corps of being on their payrolls.

Quality of Employees. Winners tend to attract winners, which means that you’ll probably be with colleagues who are bright and dedicated. Since teamwork is such an important part of these 100 Best’s success, you’ll also find mentoring opportunities and referrals to additional opportunities in other parts of the company once you’re on board.

HR prowess. One of the area’s where each of the 100 Best are particularly astute is in the quality of the information that is provided about benefits, company functions, the corporate culture, and ease of recruiting through online applicant tracking systems. That means that you’ll be able to size up the company fairly accurately from the website. It also means that you need to be sophisticated in developing an electronic resume that is superior — because better companies tend to generate lots of interest and resumes.

Innovation. Most of these companies are noted for their extensive and creative benefits. They all tend to value continuous learning, which is reflected in the hours that they give for training and skills upgrading. You’ll also find that they are community spirited, often volunteering thousands of hours in community-based projects. On top of this, the career ladders are spelled out. And they tend to be leaders in organizing flexible work arrangements, which is becoming a requirement regardless of your age, gender, or family status.

Branding. Once you’re on board, you’ll find that the Fortune 100 Best label will buoy your stature. Being attached to a great organization often translates into increased opportunities in your professional organization because the Fortune 100 Best directly associates with better quality of people. And it impresses the heck out of your neighbors!

Handling recessionary times. As a job hunter, you may want to check on the companies that continually do well on this list is an excellent way of identifying how firms continually improve. For example, Cisco, Charles Schwab, and Qualcomm all received excellent ratings this year – even after the completion of layoffs. It turns out that by laying off people in a classy and respectful manner, you can actually have a positive impact on your ratings.

The once and former. This 100 Best has been out for close to twenty years so there are many companies who made it one year or for several years but dropped out of the competition. Check out a company’s previous experience on the list and ask at the interview why they are no longer a Fortune 100 Best. Their answers may guide you away from them or may give you pause about furthering your application. Examples of companies that were on this Fortune 100 Best list that no longer make the grade include Enron as probably the most notorious but there are lots of other examples, such as Kinko’s and Hewlett-Packard. And some companies, like Great Plains software, are now part of the Microsoft empire — partly chosen because they had been on the List!

What Are the Best Lists?

There are four basic kinds of lists. General business lists, industry specific lists, and business lists that are unique to certain metropolitan areas and states. Here are some of the better known lists to check out:

"100 Best Companies to Work For" (Fortune)

"100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" (Working Mother)

"50 Best Companies For Minorities" (Fortune)

"The 100 Best Places To Work In IT" (Computer World)

"The World's Most Respected Companies" (Financial Times)

"World's Best Managed Companies" (Industry Week)

"2002 North America and Europe’s Best Plants" lists (Industry Week)

"10 Worst Corporations" (Mother Jones)

"Global Most Admired Companies" (Fortune)

"America's Most Admired Companies" (Fortune)

"Best Companies for Women" (Fortune)

"Best Companies for Minorities" (Fortune)

"Family Friendly Companies" (Working Mother)

"Utah’s 10 top family friendly companies"

"Telecommuting and flex friendly companies"

Hoover’s list of lists of award winning companies

Vault’s electronic water cooler to get the behind the scenes lowdown on these award winning companies

So take a look at the February 4, 2002 special issue of Fortune magazine and delve into any one of these 100 Best. You’re sure to find a winner and become one of the most Fortunate job holder cookies!

Next month we’ll take a look at new and unusual career resources for graduating high school and college seniors. In the meantime, I can be reached at jlommel@WorkforceAssociates.com Have a happy St. Patrick’s Day and happy job search!

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