How to Evaluate a Job Offer: Don't Just Take ANY Job!

It can be so exciting to finally receive that job offer that you may not even take the time to think about it before you say “yes!” But that can put you in a situation you won’t want to be in, or taking on responsibilities that weren’t communicated to you in the interview. Here are some quick tips on how to evaluate an offer before you accept.

Read over the offer letter three times.

It may sound obvious to most, but if you aren’t thorough in your reading of your actual offer letter, you could miss something and be stuck with unfortunate circumstances. Always read over the letter at least three times to be sure - take an especially close look at the information about benefits, your salary offer, perks, work environment, the schedule, and the hours. You could find something in the offer package that doesn’t work for you or that you are uncomfortable with. Also, don’t be afraid to ask your potential employer questions about your offer, like whether or not there is room to grow with the company and how often you are to expect performance reviews.

Read the reviews on Glassdoor and other job sites.

Even if you loved the office, the people you interviewed with, and the overall vibes were good, you should always do your research. Read the company reviews from current and previous employees on websites like Glassdoor and Linked In before accepting the offer. You could come across something in those reviews that is enough to make you reject the offer, like poor treatment of employees, lying about benefits and perks, or even HR issues that are not handled well. That being said, you should also take those reviews with a grain of salt. Some reviews could come from disgruntled employees whose experience may not represent the company as a whole. Also read over the company site, their Linked In page, and even a simple Google Search. Getting a job is important, but your well-being and safety is more important.

Negotiate.

It can be scary to do, but it is never a bad idea to negotiate aspects of the offer like salary, work hours or profit-sharing options. Simply say you wondered about options and bring up any research you have done on other companies and how they pay or benefit their employees. You already have the offer, so asking questions and negotiating won’t lose you the job. Also, most employers expect that the candidate will make a counteroffer and typically leave room for negotiation on base pay or various incentives. Speak up for yourself if you feel you are being offered an unfair wage or work hours.

Think about how this experience will help you in the future.

Odds are, if you’re a recent graduate or are looking to change jobs, you aren’t going to want to stay at this new company for your entire career. Take the time to consider how this position will benefit and prepare you for the future. Consider whether or not you will be learning something new, if you are being challenged, or if the position looks good on a resume for where you want to go next.

At the end of the day, you should be excited about the job you are taking. Every job comes with its lows, but there should be at least something you are looking forward too, whether it’s the company culture or where this job could take you.