When you receive a job offer and you already have a job, you are in an enviable position. It feels good to have options. But even if you don’t like your current employer or job, there is still stress associated with deciding to accept a new job. You may be worrying about leaving the security and familiarity of your current role for the unknown adventure of the new role.
[See: 10 Things They Don’t Tell You About Your First Job.]
Even if the new job sounds great, you may find yourself second-guessing the opportunity. What if you fail miserably? What if you don’t like your new co-workers? What if your new boss turns out to be a jerk? Making changes can be stressful, but if you thoughtfully weigh your options, you may be able to eliminate some of your anxiety and find the clarity you need to make your decision. So how will you decide whether to stay or go?
Revisit your values, priorities and career goals. Money isn’t the only thing to consider when evaluating a job. If you haven’t evaluated what is most important to you at this point in your career and life, now would be a good time. Think about the parts of your life you are not willing to compromise. You may not be willing to sacrifice your free time or time with family. Or, your current focus may be on your career growth or learning new skills. Your values serve as a moral compass and influence your decisions. Values include things like ambition, creativity, making a difference or personal growth. Ideally, your work should align with your values, otherwise you can lose momentum, or worse, lose your job. You can use your list of values and career goals to assess how well the new job suits you.
Put pen to paper. It sounds simple, but create a pros and cons list. The act of writing down the good and bad aspects of the new opportunity can help you physically see how the two sides compare. Start by listing things about the job that pop into your head and then ask yourself questions such as, “What will I gain and lose by accepting this offer?”
[See: 7 Companies With Perks That Will Totally Make You Jealous.]
Create a plan. Envision yourself starting the new job and create a plan for how you will come up to speed during your first 30 days. List the things you want to accomplish during the critical first month and specifically how you will achieve them. If you have difficulty identifying how you will achieve some of your action items, consider calling your new potential manager to get the answers.
Talk through options with a trusted friend. Discussing your job offer situation with someone can help you articulate your thoughts and feelings and may point out issues with the new job you hadn’t acknowledged yet. This conversation allows your friend to ask questions and forces you to give thoughtful, honest answers. Your friend may have experienced a similar career crossroad and can share how the situation played out. Sometimes, talking out loud and listening to someone else’s perspective can offer valuable insight.
Ask a simple question. Daniel Pink, best-selling author of business and management books, recommends you ask one simple question to help make a decision, which he extracted from “Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work,” by Chip Heath and Dan Heath: What would you tell your best friend to do? Pink says that you would never give a friend bad advice. By asking this question, you separate yourself from the emotions of the decision for a more objective answer.
[See: The 6 Best Jobs for Work-Life Balance.]
Consider the risks. You may have a low tolerance for risk, which might be what is holding up your decision. When you must make a choice, ask yourself, “What’s the worst that could happen?” If your answer is “failing,” odds are slim that you would let this happen. But identifying the potential for failure leads you to think about what you can put in place to prevent failure. Perhaps regular meetings with your manager or making a concerted effort to get to know your new co-workers would prevent this from happening. And sometimes, failing can be the best way to learn.
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How to Decide Whether to Accept a Job Offer originally appeared on usnews.com
