Congratulations!
The hours of research has worked. Practicing the skills of job interviews has worked. You have shown your personality and true colours. You have done everything right, and the job offer is made.
The job is there for the taking.
At the start of the process, you thought the job was for you. It is everything that you have hoped, dreamed and worked for. The chance is here and yet, before you plunge on in and gush your acceptance, you need to take a moment or two to weigh the pros and cons.
The argument for doing this…
If the job is your dream job, why wait and think too much about accepting it (or not)? Surely, you would just say yes. And we can see why this would happen; it is probably true to say that the majority of people say yes straight away but there are many factors that you need to consider before you accept or refuse the job offer.
Here’s why: In essence, you know more about the role and the company now than you did at the start of the process. You may feel slightly more well-informed about the job. You may also feel that its focus is too narrow and will not take you to the direction that you want for your career.
The 6 factors for job offer acceptance or decline
In priority order, we discuss the 6 factors that can make or break a job offer. So, before you throw yourself from one dream job to another, take a moment to consider the following.
Factor 1: The PEOPLE
You may think that money is the answer to your dilemma, but it seems that this is not even a secondary consideration (it doesn’t make it into this list until 5th place). You will spend more time at work that you will possibly do at home and thus, the people who surround you are important.
The importance lies in the relationships that you feel you could and should have. But knowing if this factor is important in a company is difficult to know until you work there. Think back to the interview; did they ask some personal questions alongside the professional ones, for example? Did they seem interested in you? Do they appear to have taken the time to consider their decision?
Factor 2: The ENVIRONMENT
What type of company are they? Working for a start-up, a huge corporation or an agency are very different.
Location is also just as important; do you really want a 2-hour commute every day, 5 days a week? Or is working from home not as appealing as you think either?
Factor 3: The BENEFITS
Companies realise that to attract the right candidates they need more than just a pay cheque at the end of the month. Benefits package can vary from company to company; anything from a discount card for employees to reduced gyms memberships and something similar to that are increasing in popularity.
This may not be important to you but, if you are jumping ship from one that does offer a great benefits package to one that isn’t, is this the right decision to make?
Factor 4: The STABILITY
The economy tumbles and turns all the time, taking with it some huge names that have over committed in rocky financial times. Do your research about the company – has it been well managed financially, in recent economic troubling times? The profits may not crazy numbers but if they are still in the red, then the company may be on a stable course to success.
Factor 5: The MONEY
Money tends to be the guiding factor for many people and who wouldn’t like an increase in salary? Except, that an increase in money can mean an increase in responsibility, as well as stress.
You will, no doubt, have come across people who tell you they had everything, the salary they wanted and yet, it was not right and hated every minute of it. Consider carefully what an increase in salary will mean for you.
Factor 6: Your INSTINCTS
Factors 1 to 5 are all practical, tangible ones on which any rational human being would base a decision but, quite often there is something far bigger that overrides these factors: your gut instinct.
Your journey started at one point and now, you may feel very different about taking the job. You may have discovered things about the company that don’t feel quite right or, it could be everything that you have ever dreamed of. If your gut instinct is to go for it, then do so but, if your instinct is flashing a big red warning sign at you, maybe you need to heed this too.