You passed all of the steps for this news. You have put together a great resume and a cover letter, got noticed among other candidates and answered all of the interview questions. Finally the phone rang and the recruiter said ‘Congratulations! We decided to extend you an offer.’ Now, you cannot wait to sign the contract and start your new job but wait! Is this really the right job for you? Did you fully understand the details of the contract?
Finding a job is already a very stressful process but evaluating an offer and making a decision is even more stressful. You should not be the person who accepts the first offer right away and when gets a new offer next week, tries to call off the first one. This is not an ethical behavior. Therefore, you should carefully evaluate every offer and try to negotiate the terms and conditions before making your decision.
1. Do you want to negotiate for more? Maybe the salary is below your expectations. However, do you know if that salary is negotiable or not? Maybe the salary is not open to negotiation but other benefits such as vacation days, health care, payment for parking space, relocation assistance, your start date and etc. are open to negotiation. Understanding what is negotiable in your offer can affect your decision.
2. How is your commute? You decide to accept the offer because its location is close to your house. Then, it turns out that you need to sit at the client site because the client wants so. Moreover, the client office is an hour away from your house. Are you ready for this type of situation? Do you know where you will drive every day for work? Is there a chance to work remotely? Is there a flexible work-time policy? You should find them out before making your decision.
3. Is there any room for advancement in the company? Make sure the company has a roadmap for career advancement and it is not a dead-end job. Do you know the company policy for promotions? Is anything written on your contract about advancement? Is there a performance review process and if there is, how are those? Every job seems exciting at first because everything around you is new and you are learning new things every day. However, after a few months, once you get used to your daily routine, you may need other opportunities to advance your skills such as getting extra training or attending conferences.
