Congratulations! You’ve Got the Job: What to Do Before Saying ‘Yes’

Finally, the moment arrives.

You get the call. You’re offered the job. You want the job. You want to say yes.

Hold your horses.

Never accept a proffered position until you’ve had time to consider a few things. These include, naturally, issues like salary and benefits, but also might include things like commute time, office space, childcare, weekend work, and how much time you’ll be away from home or family.

Most job offers don’t come out of the blue. By the time you’re finished a job interview, you should have a pretty good notion of what the job entails, what it pays and how it’s likely to impact your career and life.

Nevertheless, these issues cannot be fully evaluated until you have a legitimate job offer or employment agreement in hand.

Asking for some time to consider a job offer is fair and reasonable. You can do so by simply saying you need time to discuss the offer’s details with your spouse or family.

No employer should deny you this opportunity, and few would. If your would-be employer does, it’s a red flag and you should immediately ask  for an explanation.

A demand that you decide here and now suggests the company places its interests first and foremost, without real regard to employee rights or considerations.

No matter what the work entails, a job offer is a thing of many parts. It may be fairly simply or extremely complex.

Salary tends to be the No. 1 issue for most job applicants. In some cases, that’s known going in and may be non-negotiable, though you can inquire if you think there’s reasonable room and causes for discussion.

If you think you’re worth more than the first offer and want to counter, do your homework first. Find out what your value is in the job market. You might already have a good idea if you’ve been doing a similar job.

If you’re uncertain about asking for a higher salary, don’t be reluctant to seek guidance and help from a trusted mentor. Be wary of family and friends, who may have your best interests at heart, but no real insight or knowledge about negotiating salary and benefits.

Before you take a job, weigh the intangibles. Of course, some of them you should have pondered earlier in the job-hunting process. Now that opportunity has knocked, how are you going to answer these questions?

1)      Do you want to learn new skills? Does this job teach them?

2)      Is this job a stepping stone on a longer career path?

3)      Does this job give you more authority and/or responsibility? Are you ready for that?

4)      Will you be challenged? Do you want to be challenged?

5)      Do you want to work along or as part of a team?

6)      Are you looking for a position with less stress?

7)      Do you want to work in a fast-moving, high-growth industry?

8)      What kind of job security do you need?

9)      How important is pay, title or perks?

10)  What about overtime, travel, working weekends?

11)  How will the new job affect life at home? How does your family view it?

Point is: Have a serious discussion with yourself and others, so that when you do make your final decision, you know exactly why you’ve decided to say “Yes!”