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You've Got an Offer, Should You Take
It?
Friday, May 26, 2006
Nothing beats the feeling of receiving a call telling you you've got
a job (or almost...)! But what next? Upon receiving a job offer,
there are few things you need to consider:
- Were you impressed with the company at the interview and are you
still interested in working for them?
- If you have applied for many positions, is this job your first
choice and would you rather wait for a response from other
employers?
- Is the salary that is being offered to you commensurate to your
experience and qualifications?
- Are there some aspects of the position that you don't like?
Indeed, the work is not done until you have signed that agreement,
and even then... The above issues should seriously
be considered because once you accept a position, you will probably be
stuck in it for at least a year. Accordingly, before making your final
decision, you should consider the following factors:
- the nature of the work;
- the person who will be supervising you (commonly known as your
"boss");
- your salary and the benefits that will come along with your job;
- your co-workers;
- the expected number of hours you will be required to put in
(indeed, for many professions, the "8 hours" workday is nothing but
a fallacy);
- your work location (in this respect, you should include the time
it will take you to go to work as part of your "work");
- the flexibility of the organization in meeting employees' needs;
- the potential for advancement and continuing education; and
- the fit between the job and your education / career goals.
The above list is not intended to be exhaustive, but only a starting
point.
What Happens When You Don't Negotiate
Your Job Offer?
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
A lot of the talk is on how to negotiate job offers. But what
happens when you don't negotiate? Not negotiating a job offer is
accepting the terms and conditions that the employer impose on you.
It's that simple.
In some circumstances, it is not wise to negotiate a job offer -
e.g. when you really need the job. Otherwise, take the time to
consider the employment terms that are being offered to you. Read
through the contract, research the salary for similar positions, and
think of issues you would like to see addressed.
Unless you do that, once the agreement is signed, you will not have
the same leverage in terms of negotiating power. Also, to question
the terms of your employment contract after you just signed it will
not be well-perceived.
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