Job hunting, resume building, networking and multiple interviews paid off, but now you’re torn about which job offer to accept. If this is the situation you’re in, consider yourself lucky!
Between salary, benefits, company culture and career advancement possibilities, there’s a lot to consider.
What should you be comparing? What makes one better than the other? If you’re debating between two or more offers, here are a few tips to help you make your decision.
1. Determine what is most important to you.
First, you need to consider what is important to you, what is going to make you happy – how well each job would accommodate what you want now and in the future. Is a higher salary more important than life insurance? Is a longer commute a big deal to you? Is moving up the corporate ladder important? Are the duties and responsibilities on the top of the list?
In other words, don’t just consider the pay. Review each offer as a whole package in terms of location, salary, benefits, 401(k), medical insurance cost/coverage, bonuses, incentives, company culture and whether the company empowers you to grow professionally.
A little overwhelming? It doesn’t have to be. Start by making a list and don’t accept any offer that doesn’t offer you the top two items on your list.
2. Research the potential workplace.
The company culture and type of people you work with will affect your day-to-day and long-term job satisfaction. How happy you’ll be overall is the single most important factor to consider.
Before accepting an offer consider the interviewing process. Did the company communicate professionally? Did they follow up like promised? Did the associates you interacted with seem happy?
Check the company’s website. What is their mission? What are their values? How long has the company been in business? Use resources like LinkedIn to see the longevity of associates, check to see if they have a Facebook page, read the reviews.
The best resource of all is your own intuition. That’s an excellent internal barometer to consider in these situations. If there’s something you’re unsure about, ask questions and see how they answer. You should be interviewing the company as they are interviewing you.
3. Decide within a reasonable time frame.
Although the phone call notifying you of a job offer may seem urgent and intimidating, don’t feel pressured to say yes or no one the spot. You also don’t want to leave an employer in limbo for too long. I recommend that candidates who have received a job offer decline or accept within two business days.
From experience, if a candidate takes longer than that, the prospective employer starts sensing red flags in their decision making.
Plus, if the prospective employer reacts impatiently to waiting two days for a decision, that is a reflection of the company’s office culture, and you should take that into consideration while making your decision.
There is no wrong decision, just one that is best for you.