Job offer checklist
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Don’t be too quick to yell, “yes” when offered a new role. Career experts advise that it’s important to spend some time looking ahead to see if the role will serve your professional long term goal.
Max Eggert, chief psychologist with Sydney-based firm Transcareer provided CareerOne with this list of 20 questions to ponder before you accept a job offer.
Some questions are obviously more important than others are, but all are significant and designed to help you make the right decision.
Be honest with yourself – don’t be blinded by money, desperation to get out of the job you are in or the fact the firm offering the job is supposedly fashionable or prestigious.
Here we go!
- Can I do the work required of me?If your answer is, “with my eyes closed”, then this job won’t hold you for long and it’s unlikely to help you build your skill set.
- Do I want to do this work?Again, if you are tired of your job it could be the work you are doing rather than just the particular work environment.
- How does this job fit into my ten-year career plan?
- How can I use this job to help me work towards my career goals?
- Is the job in sync with my values and principles?
- Will there be an opportunity for me to develop and learn new skills in this job? Always ask a potential employer about its attitude to training and development and if it will support your particular study aspirations.
- How long should I plan to stay in this job?
To work this out, you need to know about the opportunities for study, professional advancement and even if there are secondment programs available.
- Do I know the specific job criteria?
- Why did the last person leave this job and, are there any implications for me?
- Will I get on with my new boss?
- Will I get on with my new team?
- Will this job give me a greater profile in the company/industry and or profession?
- Is the market rate for the job equitable?
- Who can mentor me in this job so I can be successful?
- What will be the networking opportunity in this job?
- If this job does not work out? What is my “Plan B”?
- Will I be able to balance the demands of this job with my commitments and interests outside of work?
- How will this job affect my status in the organisation/community?
- How can I accelerate my experience in the early days/honeymoon period of this job?
- What is the earliest, easiest and highest profile success I can achieve in this job?
Story by Kate Southam, editor of CareerOne. Go to www.careerone.com.au for more career related articles. Job hunting and workplace questions can be directed to CareerOne by emailing: editor@careerone.com.au