Things To Take Into Consideration Before Accepting A Job Offer
“We’d like to offer you the job.”
These words make most job seekers sigh with relief. All your hours of fine-tuning resumes, researching companies and writing thank-you notes have finally paid off. But it’s not the time to relax just yet.
Now that you have an offer, it’s time to consider whether this is the right job – and the right compensation package – for you. Here are six things to consider when weighing your job offer:
Who will you be working with?
Sure, compensation matters. But when you accept a job offer, you are committing to spend several hours a day with your boss, your team and your co-workers in exchange for that money – so it’s important to make sure you feel comfortable with the people you met during your interviews and how they interacted with you and with each other.
Where will you be working?
Is the company a corporation, an agency, a nonprofit or a startup? How far is the workplace from your home, and how will you get there? When you visited, did you find the lighting, workspace setup and general “feel” of the building to be comfortable? If you don’t like the space you spend your day in, your work will suffer – so make sure the workspace works for you.
What are the benefits?
The salary number matters. But it’s only part of your total compensation package. Check out the details of the health plan to see if it covers things like dental and wellness care. What retirement options are offered? Also, what nontraditional benefits, like flextime or telecommuting options, are available?
How stable is the company right now?
In the past ten years, the U.S. economy has chugged along, fallen into a major recession and then shot back out at astronomical speeds. How did the company do during that time? If their operations were steady and many employees were able to stick around (check LinkedIn), the company is probably managed well and can handle challenges. If not, be careful; a bump in the road for the company might lead to a pink slip for you.
Is the salary acceptable?
What salary could you live with? What amount would make you take the job, no matter how awful the people, location, benefits or stability were? What are people with your level of expertise receiving from competing companies? (Sites like Glassdoor.com or Salary.com can help you measure this.) Use all of these numbers to help you decide if the salary offered is acceptable to you.
What do your instincts say?
Finally, take the time to listen to your internal feelings. If you’re feeling nothing but excitement and all the other factors line up, go for it. If you’re feeling uncertain, listen to your gut – and figure out if you can resolve the problem before you say yes.
At Burnett’s Staffing, our recruiters can help connect you to the best local jobs, help polish your resume and evaluate a job offer before you accept it. Contact us today to learn more about our employment opportunities in Dallas-Fort Worth!
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