Before You Say Yes to a Job

You got that dream job offer and you’re ready to accept. Wait! Before you say yes, there are still a few important things you need to consider. Just because the offer is really, really food, it doesn’t mean you need to accept it on the spot. Tip: You’ll want to really look before you take that leap!

So here are some questions to ask yourself.

#1 What’s the company’s reputation?
You probably know the answer for this already since you’ve been doing some research prior to the interview. But now that you’ve got a foot in, you’ll want to really consider what everyone is saying about your potential future place of work. Do the same as you would for an interview – read reviews on sites, check the company’s social media, find out what others might be saying on job-related sites. You’ll also want to do a quick search for any recent articles just to keep abreast of whatever is happening. Some things might have gotten updated after your initial research so it’s always a good idea to get the latest goss.

#2 What’s your salary?
Sometimes, we get so excited about a job prospect we completely ignore the fact that we might be grossly underpaid for the new role! Especially if that company has been on your wish list for years! How to know what the standard average is? Ask around friends and family or even on job sites where you can post anonymously. Compare that to what you’re getting and see if you’re still keen. But consider these facts too: Your experience level, skills, and maybe even the benefits that you’re getting because sometimes A+ benefits can outweigh the salary. If you feel like the pay is below your standard, don’t hesitate to negotiate if you’re meeting the company to finalise details.

#3 Can you see yourself working for this company?
There are many things to consider in this aspect – will you like working for the manager (something you can suss out if you’ve already been through an interview with said manager), do you like where the company is located (you don’t want to work where you’re surrounded by nothing!), will you like your future co-workers (after all, you’ll be spending a lot of time with them), and in general, what’s your vibe about the company? Sometimes, your gut feeling can tell you a lot about a situation, and in this case, if your gut feel tells you something is off, most likely there is something not quite right or suitable for you! Try to visualise yourself already working at the company, doing the things you’re supposed to do. What’s your general feel about that? That’s quite easily the answer as to whether you should say yes or not to the job offer!

#4 Pay attention to the details
It’s really all in the fine print, they say. And in this case, before you say yes to a job, consider what you’re saying yes too – your job contract! Pay close attention to information like the notice period, non-compete clause, pay structure, benefits, your KPIs… these are all important to ensure you’re agreeable to what’s expected of you and what you can expect in return. If there’s something you’re not quite happy about, it’s better to voice it now than when you’ve signed on the dotted line!

What do you look out for before you say yes to a job? Share them with us @Graduan!

Photo by Sebastian Herrmann on Unsplash.