Congratulations! You nailed the interview, you wowed the hiring manager, and you have officially been offered the job. Before you start celebrating, you must take some time to evaluate this job opportunity to ensure it’s a good fit for you.
Here are four important things you should consider before you accept the job offer.
Ask employer when they need a response by
Before you do anything, take a moment to thank the employer for the job offer. Let them know how excited you are about the opportunity. But before you do anything else, you need to ask how long you have to make a decision.
This will provide a timeframe of when your decision needs to be made. After you know when your decision must be made, you will have a better idea of how to proceed. The worst thing you can do is rush into a job offer and sign right away before knowing all of the details!
Knowing when you start
Another important thing you must ask is when the employer wants you to start? Is it in two weeks? A month? Two months? Every employer is different, and thus, you must know when you will be starting if you accept the job offer.
This will give you a timeline of when you need to give your notice to your current employer. The standard is a two-week notice, but if you are in a managerial role of some sort, you’ll want to give your employer as much of a notice as possible so you don’t just leave them high and dry.
Understand the benefits and perks
While you are making a decision, you must understand all the benefits and perks that come with the job. Does the employer have a matching 401k? How many vacation/sick days do you get each year? Is there dental, health, and vision insurance? The list goes on and on.
Benefits aren’t everything, but they’ll play a huge role in your decision! It’s best to know all the details so you know what you’re getting before you even walk in the door on your first day of work.
Negotiate your salary
As you evaluate a job offer, one of the most important aspects you’re reviewing is the salary and compensation package. Obviously, money isn’t everything, but you need to earn enough income to support yourself and your family.
If the offer comes in with a lower salary than you expected, now is the time to negotiate. The first step is asking if the salary for the position is negotiable. Most salaries aren’t set in stone and you’ll never know until you ask. If you are a solid fit for the role and the hiring manager likes you, the employer will more than likely be willing to negotiate a little bit.
And if they won’t budge on the salary, now is the time to reflect on whether or not the salary is worth reasonable enough for you to accept.