Should you accept that job offer?
Ken Pelczarski | TLT Career Coach September 2016
Review these 13 questions when deciding on a job proposal.
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / AndreyPopov
HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO ACCEPT A JOB OFFER for an outstanding opportunity when you are happy with your current employer? What about when you are unemployed, under-employed or unhappy with your employer? Should you accept a job offer that is not ideal but is better than your current job? What about a job offer that puts you back to work, but you wonder if better job offers will come along?
Being presented a job offer places you at a pivotal point in your career. Your decision can have profound ramifications. If a new opportunity is carefully evaluated and determined to be a good step for your career, it can put you on the right path for advancement. On the other hand, you may be eager to find a new position, accept a job offer without careful evaluation and find yourself wishing you had stayed in your previous job situation. Although decisions on job offers can be difficult, asking the following 13 questions will increase your chances of following the best career path.
1.) What is the level of responsibility and challenge? How does the level of responsibility compare with your current job? If one of your main goals is to take on more responsibility, determine if you will have more authority, independence, new challenges and higher level projects in the new job. If you are unemployed, do not automatically lower your sights. You still want to be sure (1.) you are utilizing your skill set, (2.) you are holding significant responsibility, (3.) the position will benefit your career and (4.) you foresee a good chance of staying with the company for at least a few years.
2.) Will you experience personal and professional growth? Does the new employer offer better prospects for growth than your current employer as it relates to your career goals? It would be great if the plan is to groom you for a promotion in the first one to two years. This is not usually the case, however, and you will need to play the percentages for future growth based on several factors. Closely evaluate (1.) internal promotion policy, (2.) where individuals have moved from this type of role, (3.) feasibility of the growth path the employer is describing and (4.) how fast the company is growing—as it grows, you likely will grow. Regarding personal growth, does the employer encourage and support new learning, including participation in STLE education programs and activities?
3.) Will you have a high level of daily job satisfaction? This can be difficult to predict, but there are questions to ask and observations to make that will help determine your probable level of satisfaction. When you interviewed, did you observe high morale, teamwork, open communications, friendly and positive interactions and an environment conducive to your work style that would result in maximum productivity? Does this position have the purpose and meaning you are searching for at this point in your career? Speak to as many employees as possible, including non-management, both during the interview process and through your own connections to determine what a typical day is like. Ultimately ask yourself if this is the kind of position for which you would truly enjoy getting up in the morning.
4.) Is the company competitive in its field and moving in a positive direction? How is the company situated in the marketplace? How is it ranked among competition? Look at the company’s history of growth and profitability over the past 5-10 years. Learn what strengths give the company its competitive edge. What is the business plan for the next 3-5 years and beyond that will ensure its continued growth? Work through your connections to gain a consensus of opinion on the employer’s reputation since its image in the industry is a big factor in determining stability and growth for the coming years.
5.) What is the level of job security with this employer? No position is 100% secure, although you will certainly want to evaluate the level of employee turnover to help determine relative security. If turnover rate is greater than industry average, try to uncover the reasons. The position may be with (1.) a new venture, (2.) a start-up, (3.) a turnaround situation or (4.) another scenario of elevated risk. You may still want to consider this opportunity if there are potentially high rewards to go along with greater risk, especially if you have not made many job changes in recent years, and you can afford to have a short-term job on your resume. If the company has a low turnover rate and is known to treat employees well, your job security will lie mainly in your ability to perform your duties successfully.
6.) What is the corporate culture? This point should not be overlooked even if your skill set is an excellent fit for the job. Many talented individuals have parted ways with employers during the first year of employment strictly because of lack of cultural fit. Increasing the odds of long-term employment begins with an honest exchange in the interview process regarding (1.) your management style, (2.) the kind of work environment in which you thrive, (3.) the company’s top management style, (4.) your potential superior’s management style and (5.) the employer’s work environment. Will managers be encouraging and nurturing or will they be pressuring and intimidating? Look closely at the company’s level of integrity, micromanagement, bottom-line emphasis, customer focus and transparency/open communications.
7.) Is there a good chance you will stay with this employer for at least 3-5 years? It is an obvious goal to not have too many jobs of 1-2 years duration on your resume. Picture yourself in the new job a couple of years from now and evaluate if you would still be challenged and satisfied if you remain in the same role as when you joined the company. If you tell yourself you would be anxious to leave the company under these circumstances, it may be better to reject this job offer.
8.) If you leave this employer within a few years, will this position have benefited your overall career? When accepting a new position, your main goal is usually to have a long-term future with that employer. However, it is a good idea to have a fallback plan. Evaluate how this job will benefit your career in case you leave this employer in the short term after not accomplishing your goals or moving up as expected. Perhaps this job will provide you with leadership experience, round out your background with new products or markets or give you the chance to succeed in a difficult situation. Anyway, the question to ask is if you have put yourself in a better position to achieve your primary career goals if you accept this job offer and then decide to leave this employer 2-3 years from now.
9.) Is the new position as good an opportunity as you would expect to find? Whether or not to accept a job offer is often a difficult decision because the opportunity may only be marginally better than your current situation. If you are happily employed, you can afford to wait for something more attractive. However, it may be a tough decision if you are unemployed, dissatisfied with your current employer or if you are offered the first position for which you interview while wondering if this is the best opportunity you will find. The question to ask yourself is if you are likely to find a significantly better opportunity in the short term. The key to answering this question is to examine the job market closely through social media, job boards and trusted colleagues to determine the types of opportunities typically available for your background.
10.) Is the employer offering a fair and competitive salary? Most professionals focus on working for a company that will treat them fairly on compensation from the job offer stage through years of employment. The concept of fairness is often as important as the exact salary figure being offered. You will need to determine if you are being offered competitive market value for the position and for your skills. If you are currently earning in the 90th percentile among peers, you may want to consider a job offer in the range of what you are currently earning as long as you believe the company is attempting to be fair and the opportunity is exactly what you are looking for. Alternatively, you may want to turn down a job offer of a 10% salary increase if you are currently underpaid in the 10th percentile among peers, and the offer will not bring you near the 50th percentile. Realistic bonus potential also should be figured into the equation.
11.) What are the company benefits and perks? Although some benefits can be negotiated, critical items such as health insurance and 401K plans are typically written in stone. Conduct a straightforward evaluation to determine if you are losing anything significant in benefits or paying out more for these benefits when compared to your current job. If benefits are comparable, they are not a big factor in the decision to accept a job offer. If benefits fall short, be specific with the employer about your evaluation and they will often attempt to compensate for the difference in some form. Perks frequently are little extras that are not a big factor, although a car or stock options are valued perks that can make a difference in your view of a job offer. A car can easily provide value of $10,000 a year or more.
12.) What is the position location? Unfortunately many great opportunities require a long commute or involve relocation, including to undesirable or high cost-of-living areas. You and your family need to decide how attractive an opportunity has to be in order to consider relocation. Evaluate how the employer will be supporting your relocation financially as well with contacts and services necessary for a smooth transition. In order to accept a job offer requiring relocation, the opportunity usually needs to be one of the very best you can find in the industry, especially if you are selling a home and moving a family.
13.) What is your gut feeling? After acquiring extensive information and completing due diligence on the job offer, it still might not be a clear-cut decision. There is nothing wrong with relying on a gut feeling since your feelings are based on a lot of information. You may want to play it safe, turn down the job offer, stay with your current job and wait for something better to come along. On the other hand, you may want to accept the job offer and look at the position as a fresh new challenge and opportunity, especially if you have been job searching for a while and if the opportunity satisfies one or more of your primary goals.
There is no scientific formula for evaluating a job offer. Although seemingly small details need to be covered in the decision-making process, keep your focus on the big picture and look at what is most important to you for your future career path and goals for advancement.
The previous list of questions should provide you with a handy reference guide to use when reviewing a job offer. If you are currently employed, these questions will help you determine if there is a significant reason to make a job change and if you would be accomplishing your main goals by accepting the job offer. If you are unemployed or underemployed, this guide will help you determine if the opportunity is about as good as you will be able to find in the marketplace.
Ken Pelczarski is owner and founder of Pelichem Associates, a Chicago-based search firm established in 1985 and specializing in the lubricants industry. You can reach Ken at (630) 960-1940 or at pelichem@aol.com.