When you’re searching for a job, it makes sense to consider more than just the role itself. The position, of course, is most important, but it’s a good idea to review more than just the paycheck and job responsibilities. It doesn’t matter how good a job is if you’re not going to be happy doing it.
Your objective should be to secure a position that fits with who you are as a person, your career interests and goals, and your lifestyle.
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When the job is as close to a perfect match as it can be, it will mesh with both your personal and professional aspirations.
How can you tell whether the job is a solid enough match to apply for, and even more importantly, how do you know if you should accept an offer for a job? Although there are never any ironclad guarantees, following a thoughtful process can increase your chances of making a sound decision.
Factors to Consider
The first step is to develop a list of what you are looking for in a job. Everyone’s profile will differ, but here are some factors to consider as you compile your list:
Job Content
Your satisfaction with a job will be determined in large part by how stimulating the daily tasks are for you. Even the highest paying or most prestigious job can get old quickly if you don’t enjoy the work.
- Ask yourself if the tasks involved with the job will engage the skills you enjoy utilizing, so you will be energized by the work and more likely to succeed in the position.
- Make a list of your most important skills and circle the ones which you have most enjoyed applying to past jobs, volunteer work, activities, and academic projects.
- As you read the job description and discuss the position through the interview process, gauge how well the job matches up with the list of skills you prefer using.
Salary
Even what sounds like the best job can fall short if you are unhappy with your level of compensation. Be aware of the level of income and benefits which you need, want, and deserve.
Research salary averages for your field and location, so you know the going rate. Finding out that you are underpaid compared to your peers after you start work can be demoralizing.
The Boss
Think about your ideal manager, and carefully evaluate the person with whom you would be working. Consider factors such as whether you prefer a hands-on boss or one who will leave you to work independently.
If you have an opportunity during the interview process, ask prospective colleagues to describe the management style of your potential supervisor. During, interviews look for both verbal and non-verbal cues about how the individual’s personality would blend with yours.
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Think carefully about accepting if you don’t like the person who would be your manager.
Opportunity for Advancement
If you are interested in moving up within your field, then you will want to determine how and when you could be promoted if you were to be hired, and what those positions might be like. Investigate the average salary increases for promotions.
Location
For many individuals, where the job is located can be of great importance. Proximity to the arts, culture, recreational activities, mountains, the ocean, family, friends, and good schools can all be factors. The length and nature of one’s commute can influence how palatable a job will be as well.
The Mission of the Organization
Make sure that you can embrace the goals of the prospective employer or, at the very least, are not alienated by the products and services supplied or the way business is conducted. For example, a person whose primary values center on advancing the public good will probably not be happy working for a company that produces tobacco products regardless of how well the job and salary fit them otherwise.
Culture of the Organization
For many workers, an important component of how they feel about their job is how well the culture of the employer blends with their values and lifestyle. How formal or informal is the dress code?
Does the organization value innovation? Do decisions flow from top management down, or is the process more democratic? Is work/life balance encouraged, or are employees expected to work 60 hours per week? Is the organization concerned about environmental issues? Do they encourage employees to perform community service?
Job Security
Factors such as whether an employer is in a growing or declining industry, whether their market share is increasing or decreasing, and the quality of their executive leadership can impact the chances that you might be laid off in the near future.
Prestige
If you are concerned about how others view you, the status of an employer and a particular job might influence your decision. For example, how would you feel about working as a manager for a big-box retailer versus a high-end fashion store?
Analyze the Job and the Employer
Once you have selected your criteria, you will have two options for determining how well a job fits your specifications based on your decision-making style. If you are an intuitive type, you could simply review what you know about the position and reflect on how well you feel it meets your needs.
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Your gut is almost always right, so listen to it if it’s saying take the job—or don’t take the job.
If you are more analytically or quantitatively oriented, you can assign a weight to each factor in your criteria on a scale of 10 based on how important that element is to you. Then rate on a scale of 10 how much of each factor the job you are considering offers you.
For example, if job content has a value of 10 to you and a particular job offers a level of 8 in job content, then you would assign a total of 80 points for that factor. If the salary wasn’t as important— 8 out of 10 for example, but the compensation for the job is at a level of 6, then you would have 48 points for salary.
You can then add up the score for each of your factors and derive a total score. If you think that score is close enough to the maximum possible score, and the job feels right to you, then it is probably a good fit.
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Your goal is to identify deal-breakers or factors which would make a position a bad fit. For example, the commute might be too far, the salary is too low, the boss isn’t someone you would want to work for, or the hours wouldn’t fit in with your family responsibilities.
Here are 10 reasons why it may make good sense to turn down a job offer.
Don’t Be Afraid to Say No (Thank You)
If you have any hesitation about saying yes, or if the positives don’t outweigh the negatives, think twice before applying. Definitely think twice before accepting a job offer. It’s much harder to leave a job that isn’t working out than it is to turn it down.
When to Draw or Decline
You don’t have to wait until you’re offered a job to turn it down. If you have reconsidered after you have applied, it’s acceptable to withdraw from consideration for the job. You can do that at any point in the hiring process.
In fact, even though you may have been a top candidate, the employer will be glad to draw you before they invest more time and energy in your candidacy. Hiring managers are also looking for the best candidate fit.
If you already have an offer that you’ve decided not to accept, learn how to politely decline it.