Here’s a counterintuitive fact about job searching: The most stressful part of the process often begins after you have a job offer in hand. It’s true that each step of a job hunt brings its own unique challenges — particularly the interview stage. But receiving the nod from your prospective employer means that the clock starts ticking on needing to decide if you want to accept the opportunity, as well as on providing a timely answer.
[See: The 10 Worst Jobs for Millennials.]
While you may have felt certain when you first applied for the job that you’d be thrilled to take it if offered, you’ve no doubt had a chance to learn much more about the actual position and company since then, through interview questions, learning about the interviewer and other ways. If you’ve jumped through enough hoops to have been extended an offer, then you’ve likely already met the boss and key colleagues with whom you’d be working, walked through the office to get a feel for its culture and had a chance to answer that perennial interview closer: “Do you have any questions for us?” If you listened closely to the answers you received at each stage of the process, then you should be ready to now ask yourself the following five questions to help decide if the job is right for you:
Are the trade-offs worth it? Each company has its own unique set of perks and benefits. So along with weighing any salary differential between your current position and the new one, it’s also important to carefully compare benefits packages. Health care insurance plans, for example, may sound similar on the surface, but you won’t really know what you’re getting until you read the fine print and compare plans and services side by side. If you have dependents to cover, find out whether the new company pays for that, or if you pay out of pocket. You also might have worked your way up to more vacation days through your tenure at your current job than you’d be eligible to receive when taking a new job. Examine all of the pros and cons before deciding whether the total set of trade-offs are worth it to you.
[See: The 25 Highest-Paying Jobs That Don’t Require a College Degree.]
Are you ignoring red flags? You know you’ve done it before — turned a blind eye against your intuition even when it was screaming at you. Even though objectively the job may seem great, and others may be impressed with the fact that you received the offer, it’s important to trust your gut when it comes to job weaknesses like fit and company culture. If you’re someone who needs quiet and privacy to do your best work but the office is designed on an open floor plan, for example, it’s likely a mistake to ignore your reservations about signing up for that setting. The people you work with will clearly also have a large impact on your daily work experience — so if you sensed tension during your interviews or deduced that your working style is a mismatch with your potential future boss, it may be best to bow out now.
Is there room for growth? Think long and hard about why you are seeking a new job opportunity before you decide where you will work. In some positions, it can be difficult to move up once you’ve entered a certain title or salary range, so do your homework first and know what you’re getting yourself into. If the job only lends itself to lateral moves down the road yet you aspire to climb the ladder, don’t get stuck or pigeonholed. Even if you’re impressed with the company’s reputation and its perks and salary, make your job choice with an eye to the future.
[See: Tips for Surviving a Career Transition.]
Is the commute hellish? Research has shown that the average daily commute is getting longer and longer, and is now just shy of half an hour. If that doesn’t sound too bad, get out your calculator and tally up your time spent in transit in both directions for a full month or year. And if taking the position leaves you with an extreme commute of an hour or more a day, factor this into your job decision-making process. The circumstances of the commute matter as well though — some companies, for example, offer employee shuttles where your paid time can begin the moment you sit down in your mobile seat and log into your work files. If your commute is productive or enjoyable, then the road time may not matter as much.
Which will you regret more: taking it or leaving it? It’s often said that people regret the things they didn’t do more than things they did. As you consider whether to ink the deal, think about whether this idea holds true for you or not. Will you be kicking yourself later if you walk away from the offer, never knowing how great the opportunity might have been? Or do you feel like you’ve unearthed enough new details through the interview process to turn it down confidently without looking back? Try to visualize your future self in both situations so that you’ll know what to do.
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5 Questions to Ask Before Taking a Job originally appeared on usnews.com
