Lately, I have written mostly about what it takes to land an interview: great resume and cover letter, proper phone etiquette, and powerful interviewing skills - the works. I have covered very little, however, on what to do when you receive a job offer. Often, especially in this economy, people are so relieved to have a job opportunity that they do not take the time to really consider things from all sides. Below is a compilation of several things to take into consideration. Each of these recommendations came from respected sources, including U.S. News and World Report, Levo League, and Forbes.
1. You accept the job requirements,
expectations, and challenges
There is
nothing worse than walking in on your first day than discovering that you were
hired to do a completely different job than you imagined. Ideally, it is best
to be aware of the expectations of a role during the interview. As outlined by U.S. World & News Report, “make sure
you've probed deeply into exactly how you'll spend your time and what your most
important responsibilities will be.” Do not be scared or too ashamed to admit
to your recruiter or hiring manager, however, that you still have questions
after the interview. Most people will be more than happy to speak with you
again, especially if they want to hire you.
2. You appreciate and feel as though
you can develop under your future bosses management style
Most
often, your future boss is one of the people you will meet during the interview
process. Make sure that you take the time to understand how your boss thinks,
works, and communicates. Sometimes, however, you will not have the opportunity
to meet with your soon-to-be boss prior to starting work. Levo League, a career resource website
recommends, that you “find out as much as you can about him/her before
accepting your offer, as s/he will determine the major factors, which will
affect your job satisfaction.”
3. You fully understand and accept
your salary and benefits
As much
as we hate to admit it, money talks. How much you’re earning can play a huge
factor in whether or not you accept the position. Make sure you take the time
to weigh the pros and the cons of what you will earn. The same goes for
benefits. Many people focus on the actual money they will bring home and very
little on how much coverage they will receive or how much it costs. These are
crucial factors to consider. Forbes
recommends asking for information on the benefits before accepting an offer.
This enables you to fully understand all sides of your compensation.
4. You see opportunities for growth
It is
very important to not only see yourself happy in this job, but also see
yourself growing with the company. Promotions, pay increases, skills training,
and overall happiness within the company are all encompassed under the term
growth. In addition, U.S. News &
World Report recommends making sure that the job is in line with your
career path. This especially relates to first time job seekers whom may be
willing to settle just because they received an offer. This is fine, they
report, however, “you want to make sure you're doing that deliberately and
strategically, not without realizing it.”
5. You are okay with the commute
Sometimes,
the best jobs are not always close to home. Or they require excessive travel.
Take time to think about how much of your day will be spent simply getting to
work and whether or not this is okay to you. If you do not like the commute, Forbes reports that it will “eventually
erode your job satisfaction.”
What other things do you take into
consideration before officially accepting a job offer? Comment below!
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