Choosing between multiple job opportunities can be a daunting task. The fact that this choice will influence your life and career for the foreseeable future make this decision critical. That is where V5global services comes in, to help educate and guide you on how to go about it.
The following are a few things you should keep in mind to make an informed decision.
Information
Although this may seem redundant, a good way to start is to make sure you have all possible information about the jobs beforehand. In the words of Francesco Gina (professor at Harvard Business School), “Preparation is key to any negotiation.”
For starters, you should definitely find out the detailed package each employer is willing to offer you. This includes your CTC, benefits, allowances, etc. Secondly, a great way to gather information about the company is to talk to its employees and its work environment. You can do this either by directly asking employees on forums like LinkedIn, or on job websites such as Glassdoor.
Assessment
Evaluating your offers is another step that sounds like a given, yet is often overlooked. First, consider how each job aligns with your career goals. Is this an opportunity that can further your career, or will it be just another line on your resumé? Which of the jobs will challenge you and enhance your skills? These are some of the questions you need to pose to get a better understanding of your potential in each role.
Write out a list to weigh both the pros and cons of each job. You can put down as many factors as you think are important. Some of these can include points such as salary, bonuses, commute, flexibility, workload, company reputation, etc. While doing this, however, it is important to note that some of these may change over time. For example, an inflexible schedule may be followed for the first 1-2 years of your time there, following which you will be granted more control over your schedule. Remember to factor in these variables while looking at the merits and demerits.
Culture and Work Environment
Do your research on the culture of the organisation – work environment can play a large role in one’s happiness and success at the workplace, a factor arguably more valuable than any monetary advantages. Another key point to consider is the organisational structure and the managerial differences. The way the organisation is run, whether traditional or unconventional, may or may not be to your liking. A good way to get reliable information on this is to talk to current or former employees of the company.
Another key element you should be sure of is the colleagues with whom you will work directly, i.e., your team and your manager. Usually, your manager will be involved in your interview process, and this serves as a great opportunity for you to get to know them and try to assess how it will be working under them.
Negotiation
This step must be handled with a lot of tact, but it is possible for you to better your offers with a little bit of negotiation. Be careful to negotiate within reason and ensure it does not sound like you’re trying to coerce your potential employers. For example, one of the jobs looks far superiors, but has a long commute or an inflexible schedule, you can talk to the recruiters and try to find an optimal solution (work from home 1-2 days a week, perhaps).
This is a great way to potentially reduce the downsides that you may have listed while assessing your offers.
Trust your decision
Finally, after putting your offers through these microscopes, the best thing you can do is trust your intuition and make a decision. Once you have decided, stick with your decision and trust that it was your best option. Ensure that you turn down the other offer(s) politely and graciously, keeping the door open for future conversations. You never know when you may want to go down that route again.
Choosing a new job is an important decision, you owe it to yourself to do your best to choose wisely. As the saying goes, ‘risk reaps reward’, and sometimes the biggest risks are required for the sweetest rewards.