8 Questions to Consider When Deciding Whether to Accept a Job Offer

After performing a thorough job search and applying for a few graduate positions, you may be presented with an official job offer - Congratulations!

Don’t worry if you haven’t yet, your time will come! If this is your first ever job offer out of university, you may feel inclined to accept any offer that comes to you, but you need to ensure that the one you’re accepting is the right one for you. 

It’s important to know that you are more than entitled to ask for extra time to consider all aspects of the potential new job, and it’s completely normal for candidates to ask the recruiter more questions regarding the position and company.

As a graduate, you may feel as though asking too many questions could completely ruin your chances of landing the job, but keep in mind that recruiters expect candidates to ask questions. Let’s just say, the recruiter or hiring manager would prefer you to be 100% certain before joining their team. 

Let’s go over some important questions to ask when deciding whether to accept the job offer or not:

Step 1 - Are you taking your feelings into account?

Think about all of the things you need to take into consideration when finding your career path: your values, beliefs, your wellbeing, etc. 

When you first received the job offer, were you jumping around with excitement, or were you feeling uncertain? Is it just the salary that motivates you to accept this job, or do you feel something more? Do you see yourself smiling at the thought of going to work on most mornings? 

Take your gut feeling into consideration to carefully assess whether this opportunity is the right one for you or whether it's worth waiting for another offer. 

Step 2 - Will the new job help you achieve your career goals?

When you first started mapping your career out, what did you want to get from your first graduate job? Was it clear progression routes, company benefits, flexible working, skills training or other factors? You need to consider whether this role fits in with your career goals!

When you accept a job offer that fails to meet these goals, you may find yourself dissatisfied with your career further down the road. This could become problematic for both you and the company.

Therefore, take your time to carefully evaluate this opportunity with the career goals that you set yourself, this way you can verify whether this job opportunity aligns with what you were initially looking for. 

Ask yourself: Where do you want to see yourself in 5 years? And does this opportunity fit in with that plan? 

Step 3 -  Is it a stable job opportunity with progression routes?

As a graduate, you need to know that the job you are about to take on will be a stable one and will help you progress further in your career. Accepting an offer that you may be uncertain about or that may not seem very secure is a risk in itself!  

If the recruiter or hiring manager did not mention any information about career progression routes directly in the job offer, then it’s worth asking now to ensure that you make the best decision for yourself and your future!

Inquire what soft and hard skills you will be able to develop and in what ways, if there is any on-site training provided, tools you will be able to use, any courses you can participate in to get better in your new role. Learning everything by yourself is not something you should do, so make sure it won't be expected of you!

Aside from the professional development itself, we also need to take into consideration the possibility of promotion down the road. No matter how many opportunities for growth you are provided with, if you keep taking on more tasks over time but the salary remains the same, you are surely going to feel frustrated! It is important to discuss the issue of climbing the ladder with the recruiter.

Step 4 - What does your average day at work look like? 

Before you decide whether to accept a job offer, you must be aware of what you will be doing on a day-to-day basis. Considering we spend a third of our lives at work, you need to make sure you are comfortable with the daily tasks coming with your new role and that you are aware of what the job entails.

If you have not been given an overview of what your day-to-day tasks may look like, then it’s important to ask this now. Of course, some roles and tasks will change at some point, but you can still ask them for an overview of your duties.

The main aim is to make sure that there aren't going to be any surprises down the road - you can always undergo training if some tasks turn out to exceed your current qualifications, but you need to be aware of that beforehand.

Step 5 - What is the company culture and values?

Although the job description itself of your potential new role may seem perfect, your own values and beliefs must align with the company's. Especially as you are new to the workforce, you need to work somewhere where you support their company mission and that you feel motivated by!

This is why it’s always important to do some research on the company’s culture before deciding, to ensure that you are joining a company that you believe in and that you will feel a sense of belonging to. 

You can search through the company's official social media profiles and website to get a rough overview of their work culture and values. However, more detailed information can be obtained from the recruiter.

If you hadn't asked them about their personal experience working for the company during the interview, don't worry! You can shoot them an email asking if you could learn a bit more about their point of view on the work culture and the values the organization wishes to promote before you make your final decision.

You can even consider reaching out to another employee - when you enter a company's profile on LinkedIn, it is possible to see who is currently working there. Find someone from the same department you're interested in joining and send them a polite message asking if they'd be willing to share some insights on their experience.

Step 6 - Is there anything you need to negotiate before you decide?

Analyse the career goals and objectives that you have set for yourself - do the salary and benefits offered to you meet your initial goals? If they don’t match your initial goals, then it may be time to negotiate!

If you don’t ask, you won’t know, and if you are seen as a valuable candidate to the employer, then it's more than likely they will be willing to negotiate things further with you! Whether it’s the salary, the working hours or other aspects of the job, recruiters are more than used to candidates negotiating these things. Therefore, don't be shy! 

One important thing to consider is how you negotiate these types of things; avoid coming across as greedy or rude. Considering this is your first job out of university, the salary may be lower than what you first expected, but that is why it’s important to consider all aspects of the job. Whether it’s on-the-job training, health care, travel or more, sometimes the company’s benefits may be more attractive than the salary itself! 

Step 7 - Get the offer in writing before you accept it

If you chose to negotiate any aspects of the job, it’s important to get everything you and the employer agreed on in writing. This way you have proof that the employer offered you these particular benefits and this will prevent them from making any sudden changes to your job role, salary or other aspects of the job.

If the employer refuses to provide a written job description, then you should question whether this opportunity is right for you! As a graduate, you should be entering the workforce with a trustworthy and reliable company.

This being said, make sure to read the contract before signing it, as it will contain what they expect of you and other relevant information, such as your salary - including the time window within which you are supposed to receive it.  

Step 8 - Try not to feel pressured - take your time!

Although it's easier said than done, try not to feel pressured to decide on the spot. 

It's perfectly acceptable to ask for more time to make a decision or to even decline a job offer. Although it may feel scary and awkward, it's a lot better than accepting an offer only for the sake of it!

You need to be 100% certain this is the right job for you - not only for your happiness but for the employer’s own good, too!

Choosing to accept an offer you are not necessarily sure about or even completely interested in could have detrimental outcomes for both parties. Take your time to make the right choice!