You have secured the offer, should you sign on the dotted line........

Following a long tiresome interview process, that moment has finally come – they want to offer you the position. Get in there! All that hard work in creating and marketing ‘Brand You’ has paid off. All that research and preparation was really worth it.

Before you go out for that lavish meal and pop up your finest bottle of bubbly, is this the best option for you… Should you sign on that dotted line?

Yes, you have an offer for a new role with another company. That is all very well, but is it actually the right role and the correct organisation for you?

Many of us have been in the situation before – it seemed like we had been looking for an age. All of a sudden a new job opportunity came up. On paper it looked spot on. The employer painted an excellent impression of the organisation and the opportunity. They told us how perfect we were for them. They offered us a role. We were swept up in the emotion of the moment. We accepted the role without hesitation!

But...shortly after starting this new position, ever so slowly the veil lifted. A few weeks later we are kicking ourselves, asking “Why did I take this role? These people are idiots! The role is nothing like what they described it would be”. Time to dust off the old CV and start the whole process again? In the meantime however we have wasted considerable time and effort and achieved nothing other than a black mark on our CV and a lot of angst.

Spare yourself that pain and frustration. Simply by asking yourself some searching questions you should be able to much more accurately assess whether this job is "The One" or simply "The One To Avoid".

So what are the questions to ask yourself when considering a job offer?

1. Is this in line with your stated career goals?Will this role provide you with the opportunities and experiences that you require in order to achieve your longer term career goals?
2. Is the culture right for you? All companies have different corporate cultures. Does this company culture resemble, at least roughly, what is right for you based on what has, and hasn't, worked for you in the past?
3. Is the company going in the right direction?From what you have discovered about the company in your research – new products, new projects of work, pipeline, financial stability & possible buy outs?
4. Can you envisage working closely with this new boss?Remember, most people leave bad bosses, not bad companies. You are going to be working with this person for more hours each day than you see your own family.
5. Can you envisage working with these prospective team members?They don’t need to have a potential bromance, but if your prospective colleagues make you feel a tad awkward when you are around them, and you get goose bumps at the thought of being stuck at a desk next to them for 8+ hours a day, then go with your gut feeling and steer a wide path away from here.
6. Will this new role surround you with passionate people?What did people look like when you were shown around the company premises at interview? Were they smiling? Did everyone you meet seem really positive and helpful? …. OR did they resemble the cast of “The walking dead”?
7. Will you learn something new from this role and be taken out of your comfort zone?If not, then why on earth do it? We learn and develop best when we are challenged. Bar paying the bills if this role will do nothing at all to add to your career trajectory or challenges, then it certainly won't stimulate you enough to make you want to get out of bed on a cold and wet Monday morning. If this is the case then avoid avoid it like a crazy ex.
8. Is the remuneration offered acceptable?Making a move primarily for just money is always a very dangerous reason (and frankly very naive). Hopefully your reasoning is much more strategic and logical in regards to your long term career path and your job satisfaction. However we all have bills to pay so the package on offer must be carefully considered and it must be right for you. Obviously we never get offered ‘enough’ - we're all worth 1 million (￡/€) a year in our own minds - but is what they are offering acceptable? Is the package appropriate to current market conditions? Is it demonstrably more than you are on currently? Alternatively if you are looking at this role for career development reasons and you are prepared to take a small pay cut so to achieve that, can you survive financially on what is being offered?
9. Are you being put under undue pressure to make a decision very quickly? In many situations the potential employer may well have a reserve candidate in the wings should you turn down their offer, and obviously they don’t want to lose that person too by keeping them hanging. Likewise however they should understand that this is a very important career decision that you are making. A reasonable employer should be at least be prepared for you to want to take two or three days to consider their offer before expecting to receive an answer. If however an employer tries to strong arm you into making a decision there and then, then alarm bells should be ringing loud and clear. Nobody wants to work for a bully, and such actions should be seen as a clear warning sign of what may be to come should you end up working for them.
10. Is there a recruiter pushing you in to making your decision?As a recruiter myself I am always keen on doing deals, however unlike most KPI driven recruiters who’s very career may lie on you accepting the role like to allow you to make your own decision. As above you are within your rights to ask for thinking time without pressure or consequence… If a recruiter is pushing you to make a quick decision or putting unnecessary pressure take a step back and decide “Do they really have my best interests at the forefront of their minds”

There you have it. If after asking yourself all those you feel that it is the best offer for you then sign on the dotted line, take a deep breath, and take that next big step towards attaining your career goals. However, just like with relationships, if it doesn't feel right now and you’re not prepared tell everyone about how great it is, and then the chances are that it is not right for you. Say "No" and keep on looking, there always other fish in the sea.

As ever should you have any questions or feedback feel free to leave a comment or send me an email.