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Should You Take the Job Offer?

There’s so much to consider when searching and interviewing for just the right job. And when you get offered the job, what kind of factors should you consider to decide whether or not to take the job? For instance, do you take the job just because you need money sooner than later, or do you hold off finding a job that will fulfill your career? Especially in this current career economy, deciding to take or not take a job offer can be a weighted decision. Below, we take a closer look at what to consider when given the predicament of a job offer.

1.  The Company: Though you most probably are already enthusiastic about working for the particular      company that seeks to hire you, you may not have evaluated everything about your potential employer to      ensure it is a good match. In order to best ascertain whether to take a position or not, you must consider      what kind of company it is, how they work, and what the work environment is like. You’ll want to make sure      all of these factors are in keeping with how you work best.

2.  Growth Opportunities: Second on the list of evaluating if this position is right for you and your career is                                                                  what are the characteristics of their growth opportunities. For                                                                  example, did the potential employer mention anything about whether                                                                  or not they hire from within, what the promotion scale is, and what                                                                  sort of measurables they may use to evaluate their employees?                                                                  Depending on your goals for this position-of a short or long term                                                                  nature-you should be able to ask all of these questions to see if you                                                                  will be able to have a long and lasting successful future with this                                                                  company or just use it to pay the bills for now.

                                                                 3.  Position Details: Another good piece of advice to use when                                                                       deciding to take the job or not is to review the original                                                                       advertisement for the specific position details and parameters.                                                                       From this, ask yourself if you can really handle this range of                                                                       duties, will you be challenged, and does it suit your goals? All of                                                                       these aspects are important to a happy short or long term future                                                                       with this company in this particular job position.


                                                                 4.  Last Employee: A very valid question to ask of your potential                                                                       employer as you get closer to a job offer is why the person who previously filled the position you are seeking to be hired for, left. There are so many reasons that people move on from one company to another, and finding out whether it was an issue with the employee or an issue with the company will help you decide whether you are truly right for the position.

5.  Compensation: Lastly, of course it is absolutely consider the compensation package-we probably don’t      have to tell you-to see if it meets your expectations. Evaluate not only what you need as a starting salary,      but what the employer’s plan is as far as pay increases –when and how much you can expect a raise if      warranted. Moreover, do they offer health insurance? Dental insurance? 401K or stock options?      Considering all of these is crucial in determining if you are getting the pay you deserve for the work      performed. Moreover, use your current salary as a reference point. You should always incrementally      increase your income with a new job-that is-if you don’t get a position that requires less experience than      you have. Also, it’s always a good idea to incorporate a salary estimate on what this position typically pays      in your area. This way you know what you are roughly worth-even you weren’t properly compensated for it      before.