Working for the best companies is like getting into the hardest college, fraternity/sorority, or country club. It isn’t easy. For example, Southwest Airlines, one of the best companies for which to work accepts only 5,000 people out of 150,000 applications each year. What separates those accepted from the also-rans is a sense of humor.
What makes a company a good place to work? Money? Freedom? Fun? Opportunities? Perks? Challenges? It often all of these. Well Fortune Magazine yearly surveys the ‘100 Best Companies to Work for in America. Southwest Airlines, the #1 employer in 1987, seems to be in the top ten every year. Why? Workers say it’s a fun place to work and it’s empowering.
The best companies go to extraordinary lengths to attract the right Brand U’s that fit into the particular organizational culture. The screening is extensive and intensive. An applicant may go through a dozen interviews, provide ten references, get voted in by team members, take tests, and even tell a joke.