Evaluating a job offer

Congratulations, you have been offered a new job…what’s next? When you receive a job offer take time to carefully evaluate it to avoid any regrets later on.  Review all of the pros and cons and if your instinct is telling you not to take the job you must explore that - you don’t want to regret your decision later on. You can ask for advice from others, but remember that everyone has different priorities and what might be the perfect job offer for someone else may not be right for you. Areas to consider include:

Salary and benefits

Money shouldn’t be the only consideration but is a very important one

• Is the offer what you expected?
• Is it enough to cover your bills and other costs?
• Are you happy with the offer?

If you answer no to these questions, you shouldn’t accept the offer - at least not right away. It’s important that you are getting paid what you’re worth and you don’t want to be in a position where you realise the salary isn’t enough after you have accepted the job offer. If the package offered isn’t what you expected, consider negotiating with your future employer.

In addition to salary, review the benefits and perks offered. If you are not sure what these are, ask for additional information. Other benefits could include health insurance, pension, sick pay, flexible working hours, etc. Ensure you find out which benefits are paid for by the company and which you are expected to contribute towards. If there are a variety of options, compare benefit packages.

Job specification

Does the job sound interesting and challenging? You need to feel comfortable with the level of responsibility you will be given in a job and also happy with the duties that you will carry out daily. Think about whether or not you will feel fulfilled doing the job you have been offered. If the answer is no, perhaps the job isn’t for you. Be honest with yourself and don’t accept the first job offered to you out of desperation. Also if progression is important to you think about the size and stability of the company, and if there are likely to be opportunities to progress and develop in the future.

Hours and travel time

Be sure that you know the standard working hours before accepting a job. Will you mind working the hours required for success in this job and would you be happy to work unsociable hours? Also check if any travel is involved. If the nature of the job requires that you will need to be on the road three days a week, be sure that you can commit to that. Consider travel time to and from work - is the travel to work going to take an extra hour or will there be parking fees that you’re not paying now? Think about whether or not you would be happy to do that commute in bad weather.

Flexibility/company culture

Many of us need flexibility in our schedules. To some of us, the ability to work a schedule that isn’t a typical forty hours in the office is important. It is also important to feel comfortable in the environment that you work in. It could be a good idea to spend some time in the office talking to potential colleagues, if you are not sure that the work environment is a good fit.

Most importantly, take time to review the offer and if you have any further questions, ask your new employer for further clarification.

Renovo is one of the UK’s leading providers of outplacement and career transition support. We work with both organisations and individuals to support all their career transition requirements. If you would like to understand how Renovo can help you please call 0800 612 2011 or email info@renovo.co.uk