3 Questions to Ask Prior to Taking a Job

You’ve been made an offer of employment! Hooray! Huzzah! You survived the evaluation of resumes, the gauntlet of interviews, and your patience and perseverance have been rewarded. You have every right to be excited, and probably a little relieved. However, before you say “yes” to the offer take some time to make sure you know what you will be getting. After all, you will (probably) stay with this company for some time. You want to make sure that time is well spent and positive. So when you hear from the company, graciously thank them and ask for some time to evaluate the offer. Generally, you can take between one and three work days to contemplate and get back to them with an answer. During this time, here are some questions to ask yourself:

1. Do I know the office hours and how far I will have to travel to get there? This can be a deal breaker depending on your life outside of work. If the hours of the job haven’t been made clear to you, now would be the time to check and make sure they are ones that you can live with. If the job would require you to work nights, for example, and you really aren’t comfortable working those hours, or can’t get transportation during that time, then that might be a deal breaker. Similarly, take into consideration how far you’ll have to travel. Many people don’t have the luxury of choosing their commute. However, if you can determine your commute, either by moving closer or by choosing a job closer to your home, remember to evaluate the offer with the longer drive in mind. It might be worth it, but you should know whether it will be going in.

2. Do I know my salary, pay period, and other benefits? You should always know your salary before you accept a job offer. It can be an awkward question to pose to a future employer, but if they have made you a job offer and you still don’t know the salary, now is the time to ask. Compare that salary with other, similar positions in your area. Is it competitive? Is it enough for you to live comfortably on? You should also know how often you get paid: once a month? Twice a month? Weekly? Knowing when you’ll be paid will not only avoid awkwardness later once you’ve accepted, but will also help you know how to budget. Along the same lines, do you know what other benefits the job is offering? Are they giving you insurance? What kind of insurance? If you’re relocating for the job, are they helping with moving costs? Are there any other benefits you need to take into consideration? Again, most of this information should have been provided to you when they made the offer, but make sure you know what it is and have a record of it somewhere.

3. Will this position help me grow professionally and advance my career? The answer to this question doesn’t always have to be yes, but hopefully it is. If you know your career goals, and have an idea of how to achieve them, make sure this job will be helping you find your way there. Hopefully the company will have told you about opportunities for advancement. Ideally, you asked about advancement in the interview. If you’re uncertain of your career focus, or unsure about a career path, Career Solutions Group can help you identify and then pursue a career goal.

Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to accept the position is entirely yours. If you choose to say no, the company will likely be disappointed (you are amazing, clearly!), but they will have a fallback candidate. Make the best job decision for you and your situation, and make sure to evaluate the offer critically before making a move.

Interested in even more support to make a successful career transition? Email us at info@careersolutionsgroup.net to learn more. We offer free initial consultations, and we’ve helped hundreds of career changers make successful transitions.

By: Julia Pillard, Career Solutions Group