Congratulations!
You've successfully managed your second interviews and have
been offered a job!
Perhaps you've even received offers from more than one employer.
Whether it's one offer or more, your euphoria is sometimes
quickly replaced by anxiety about the decisions which lie
ahead. You may be wondering, "Is this the 'right' job
for me?" or "Am I going to be happy in this job,
or should I just take it because I need a job, period?"
Careful evaluation of your job offer and some serious thought
as to how well the position and organization meet your needs
can enable you to make the best choice for yourself. One
of our staff members can help you sort out your options.
In evaluating your job offer, there are three critical questions
you should address:
|
| 1.
How closely does the offer match your career goal? |
Think
back to when you started your job search. What was important
to you? What factors regarding a job, organization and work
environment were on your "wish list"? Have they
changed? How well does this
position fit these factors? Below are some factors you may
want to consider in evaluating your offer. Some of these
may not be important to you, and there may be oher factors
not listed which are extremely important to your decision.
|
| 2.
Do you need additional information about the offer (or anything)
in order to make a decision? |
|
It
is not unusual to discover, as you're weighing different
factors about the offer, that you have additional questions,
lack some factual data, or simply need a better sense
of what the job and organization are like. If this is
the case, STOP! Don't go any further in your deliberations
until you address these issues. You may need to call one
of your interviewers and ask additional questions, or
contact an alum who works for the organization. If you
need a better understanding of what it would be like during
a day on the job, call the employer (if they are local)
and ask to spend an afternoon observing an entry-level
employee in the job you're considering. Most employers
will be willing to accommodate you. If you have other
questions or concerns which impact your decision, you
should discuss them with a representative from our office.
|
| 3.
Are there issues you may want to negotiate, which would
bring the offer closer to your goal? |
| Perhaps
the issues which concern you about the offer can be changed.
If the job seems ideal except for location, then you might
want to raise the issue with the employer. Some start dates
are non-negotiable because training classes must begin together.
In some instances, however, the start date can be adjusted.
|
Written
by Virginia Lacy. Adapted with permission from Northwestern
University's Career Services Guide; © 1998 Virginia
Lacy. |
|
Factors
for Consideration
|
Nature of the work
Organizational
culture
Level
of autonomy
Travel
Salary
Mentoring
Lifestyles
of employees
Stability
of organization
Quality
of higher management
Support
for continuing education/advanced degree
|
Level
of responsibility
Location
Work
hours
Benefits
Variety
of work
Stability
of industry
Advancement
opportunities
Training
and development opportunities
Opportunities
to learn and grow in job/company
Transferability
of skills/experience from job
Prestige
of job or organization
|
