Job Searching Tips: Things You Should Consider Before Accepting a Job Offer

Are you currently looking for a job? Before you accept a job offer from any company you should do a thorough investigation on the company beforehand to determine whether or not this is the right job and industry for you. Keep in mind that not every company or the job itself is suited for you. Understandably, if you are unemployed you probably won’t hesitate to accept the first job offer that comes your way. Quite often the unemployed will accept a job out of desperation only to discover shortly thereafter that this was not the ideal job for him/her. And for those individuals who are currently employed, you will most definitely need to be sure that the job offer you accept is better than the job you currently have.  How devastating it would be to leave a suitable job for an unsuitable one. So if you are fairly satisfied with your current job, stay put until you find a better job. And if you are unemployed, you should wait for the right job opportunity.  Just as employers perform background checks on potential job candidates- job seekers should likewise research a company to learn if it would be a good match for them.  Thus, it would be wise to find out as much as you can about the company and the job before you accept an offer.

 

The Company

You can find any information in relation to a company by checking its history.  You can do a business background check to find out when and how it came into existence and the nature of the business, if you’re in question.  Find out what type of products and services the company provides. You can generally find this information by going to the company’s website online.  Also…have you read the company’s mission statement? Would you support it? Study the company’s mission statement to determine if you are willing to help the company attain its goals and objectives. What about the company culture?  You should visit the company in person to see if you would fit in by observing the employees, the environment, and the tangible artifacts. This might help you determine whether or not you would work for the company. You should also find out what the employee retention rate is in the company. Is the company known for retaining most of its employees or does it have a reputation for high employee turnover due to poor management, low salaries, lousy benefits, or poor customer service?  This is important in that if a company has a continuous high turnover rate- this obviously means that the majority of the workers are dissatisfied with the company.  Also, if the customers are not satisfied with the company...this could mean that the company is headed for a fall.  A company simply cannot continue to survive without the support of loyal customers. If the company folds, this would mean that you would be out of a job. Another thing to consider before accepting a job offer is the location of the company.  How far is the company from your residence?  How long will you have to travel to get to work?  Do you have reliable transportation?  Will you have to take public transportation?  These are questions you will need to ask yourself before accepting a job offer.  And yet another determining factor in accepting a job offer with an organization is its growth opportunities within the company. Does the company promote from within? If you are ambitious and hoping to advance in the company, you will need to find out if the company promotes opportunities for advancement for its employees, beforehand.  Is the company an equal opportunity employer? Will you be afforded the same opportunities as your co-workers? You will need to find this out in advance. Moreover, does the company offer an attractive benefits package? These are all important questions pertaining to the company that you need to know before accepting a job opportunity.

The Job

So, what about the job itself!  Do you know what the job duties and responsibilities entail?  Are you capable of performing the job duties and responsibilities required for this job? If you were truthful when asked theses questions during your interview, you would be successful in your new job.  However, if you were not truthful about you credentials and your job skills- you may not make it past your probationary period if hired. Not every company has skill assessments in place to test the job applicant’s abilities. Therefore, you should never apply to or accept a job offer- knowing that you don’t have the necessary skills or job knowledge to perform that particular job effectively and efficiently. What about the job hours?  Will you have to work first shift, second shift, or third shift? Does this position require that you work weekends and holidays? Does the job require that you work occasional overtime? Does the company offer flex hours or job sharing options?  Are you entitled to yearly raises, bonuses, or commission?  Will you be paid hourly or a salary?  Is the pay competitive with other organizations?  In other words, are you satisfied with the salary the company is willing to pay you for this specific job? These are questions that you can ask at some point during your interview. Don’t leave your interview without asking the interviewee everything you need to know about the job.

 Concluding, one might not initially consider researching a company or to scrutinize the job duties and responsibilities before accepting a new job.  However, keep in mind that when you accept a job offer you are making a commitment to effectively carry out specific job assignments and the company will be depending upon you to meet performance expectations.  Therefore you want to make sure that the job you choose is right for you.