4 Things You Should Consider Before Accepting a Job Offer
Receiving a job offer is exciting, and opens up a new set of opportunities in your life. It can be easy to accept out of excitement or relief about receiving an offer, but it’s important to make sure you’re as informed as possible before making such a major decision. Take into account:
At its core, you need to understand the position you’re accepting. The Muse’s Angela Smith suggests a list of essential questions like:
· Do you have a solid understanding of the work you’ll be doing every day?
· Have you agreed on a job title that accurately describes the work you’ll be doing, fits into the company’s existing structure, and meets your professional goals?
· How will your success be measured? What are the specific goals and outcomes, and how will you be evaluated?
Smith also suggests considering your hours and schedule, as well as, of course, the start date.
It’s important to understand what you’re signing up for. You should be sure to ask why your position is open, how long your predecessor worked in the position and how many people have held the position in the last five years. If it is a newly created position, this can present its own difficulties and challenges (as well as opportunities!).
Salary is critical to a job offer, and it’s best to negotiate terms before you start the job instead of after. Further, you can’t just consider the baseline numerical offer. You must also take into account things like benefits, overtime rules, the cost of any changes to your commute and additional perks like gym memberships and tuition reimbursement.
If you can, meet with all of the coworkers who will be on your team and whose decisions could affect your day-to-day work. Use LinkedIn if appropriate to connect with coworkers and look for what you and your prospective colleagues have in common. This is a good way to gauge the company culture and whether you’ll be happy there.