It’s nice to be wanted, but is this new job right for you? How do you decide whether to take an offer or not? Luckily we have some hints and tips to help you make your mind up.
So far, so good
You’ve identified the firm you want to join, spoke to the right people to get a better understanding of their culture and tailored your resume to fit their requirements while demonstrating what you can do. With a few tips on body language and answering interview questions you’ve aced the interview. And the references you briefed confirm they have been contacted – and they’ve given you awesome references.
When it doesn’t quite feel like the right job
Then it’s the moment that you’ve been waiting for. The organisation makes you an offer…but something doesn’t quite feel right.
It might be that you’ve seen another position you like the look of, or you’re in the fortunate position of having multiple offers. Perhaps you just don’t want to make a mistake. Whatever the reason, making your mind up can be hard.
This is an important decision so it isn’t a bad idea to take some time and have a in-depth think about whether it’s the right job. A bit of indecision is usually a good indicator that the choice you are about to make is an important one.
Watch out for exploding job offers
Be warned: if you take too long the power of decision may be taken away from you. We are increasingly seeing ‘exploding’ job offers, where the employer wants a decision by a certain time or date or they withdraw the offer. The problem is they don’t always tell you that this is the case! It is better to make a decision about whether this is the right job, act on it and then move on rather than to have the choice made for you and to lose the chance to move on.
How to work out if it is the right job
- Identify what it is that is holding you back.
- Write it down.
- Think about what you will do if your fear becomes reality.
An example fear could be:
- What if the career progression isn’t what I was hoping for?
How would you deal with this if it arises? Write down what you would do, and then set the fear aside and make the decision with this plan of action ready.
Example roadblocks could be:
- I need to know more before I can make a decision.
What can you do to get the information you need? If it’s practical, find out what you need. If it’s not, accept that you will have to make the decision without that information and move on.
- I’m waiting on somebody else to do something before I can decide.
What can you do to make them act?
Decision-making tips
1. Tune into your emotions
Tune into your emotions – don’t try to over analyse things.
2. Go with your gut
Go with your gut and trust your ability to make good decisions for yourself.
3. Don’t worry about what others expect of you
Don’t worry about what others expect of you or what they think is the right job. The impact of the decision you make will be far greater on you than them.
4. Will the decision you make now still matter in 10 years’ time?
Ask yourself if the decision you make now will still matter in 10 years’ time. If the answer is yes, consider what you could do to reverse the decision. If the new job is really that bad you could always quit or keep looking for another position.
5. Look at it from a different perspective
Try looking at the decision from a different perspective. Rather than thinking about all the potential problems with an offer, try looking at it from the perspective of all the opportunities that it has to offer.
Once you’ve made your decision, promptly let your potential employer know what you’ve decided. If you want to take the role, let others know – part of your appeal to a new employer is the contacts you have in the industry.
Glide Outplacement has put together a job evaluation checklist to help with assessing a job offer. If you would like to receive a free copy please email info@outplacement.net.au