Second Post

Evaluate your job offer

After successfully navigating the application process and receiving a job offer you need to consider carefully whether to accept. The proposed salary is only one factor to take into account – and not always the most important. We all have bills to pay and no one wants to take a step back when it comes to the monthly cheque. Other factors such as your career goals, the new corporate culture and the effect of the new job on your quality of life need to be evaluated just as seriously.


Salary

When considering the salary on offer you will need to know you are being offered at least the going rate. Conduct some research into what the average salary is for an individual with your skills, qualifications and experience. It is essential to identify what others in your industry, who are doing similar work and living in the same region, are earning. You can learn this information through studying salary surveys to ensure you don’t sell yourself short.


For most companies the salary will only represent one feature of the total remuneration package. Consider the medical, financial and insurance benefits that are available. How do these compare to your previous/current job?

Career prospects

When evaluating a job offer, you must try and place it in the context of your CV and overall career plan. Is the role you are being offered a logical and natural progression? Or are you just moving laterally? The full danger of plunging straight into a new job and then leaving almost immediately because you have failed to evaluate the offer properly is that these actions will have to be explained in subsequent application processes you go through.

From what you have learned during the application process, is the corporate culture one that you can see yourself thriving in? Your working relationship with colleagues and your immediate boss are likely to have a sizeable influence on your chances of success in the new role so you should be sure you will be comfortable in the company environment. In addition, are you convinced about the opportunities to move upwards within the company? Is the nature of the work described in the job description interesting and challenging enough for you? How often will your performance be reviewed and what are the chances of promotion?

Quality of Life

How will the new job affect your life outside of the office? For those who do not fall into the workaholic category, establishing a good work/life balance will be a crucial factor in deciding whether to accept a job offer. Where is your new company located and what impact will this have on your daily commute? If you think you are going to be spending an additional hour on the train each day is it really worth it? Does the corporate culture demand you are at your desk for twelve hours each day, or is it a more civilised nine-to-five culture? How about holiday allowance? Are they offering enough annual leave each year to re-charge the batteries?


The job offer & how to respond

In order to be official, a job offer needs to include a position title, a starting salary and a starting date; merely being told that the job is yours is not enough. It is a good idea to get these three elements in writing. It can, however, be relayed verbally, in which case you should ask for 24 hours to consider the offer – unless you are absolutely sure already.

Whether you are planning to accept, stall or decline a job offer you must always write an acknowledgement, as a matter of courtesy. Try and reply with an answer within two days (if not you may come across as indecisive) and always show appreciation for the opportunity in the letter, whichever option you are taking. If you have decided to decline be diplomatic and make a positive comment about the company. Never be negative; you never know when you might encounter them again in the course of your career. You might need time to evaluate the offer more thoroughly and perhaps even come up with a counter offer if not satisfied – be careful though as you are likely to have only one chance at this.

When evaluating a job offer you should write yourself a checklist of all the points mentioned here (and any others you can think of). Also decide which of these are most important to you. Check them against your current job and see how they compare. At the least, try to establish a minimum that you are happy with in each category, or a “bottom line”, so that you have a reference point for any negotiations. By establishing your own acceptance conditions beforehand, you can’t be accused of negotiating in bad faith, or of being uncertain, and you will therefore be sure to create the right impression.