You’ve been offered a job. Now what?
If anyone has read my last few articles in the Careers in Motion column (I mean, besides my editor and my wife), you know the effect the job market has on careers. This is the ideal time to reassess your career, to take control of the time you spend most of your day on, i.e., your job. Remember, the job market is the hottest in a generation; there are more job opportunities than people to fill them. And, if you are unsatisfied at work, now is the ideal time to take control of your life—plenty of job opportunities are out there.
So, what do you do if you followed my previous advice? You’ve been on three interviews, done homework on your prospective employer, and even bought a new suit for the last interview with the hiring manager. Then you get the call: “we would like to make you an offer.” You’re elated, relieved, and grateful. But now what?
There are a few sure steps to take at this point:
1) Thank whoever has communicated with you, show your enthusiasm and gratefulness, and then get down to business. Find out also when you will receive a written offer and how much time you will have to respond.
2) If you haven’t seen the formal job description, ensure you get one and any other terms. Is there a probationary period, and what is the policy about working at home? Find out what your future employer expects and what you will get. I recently hired an Executive Assistant who asked me, and I appreciated it, “James, what, beyond the written job description, do you expect of your next Executive assistant?”
3) After an interview or two and some research, I assume you know something about your future employer – the company and the person you will report to. If not, please, do your homework.
The most critical factors affecting a person’s happiness at work are their reaction to the supervisor, followed by how the company treats its employees. Ask about the company and the supervisor if you know who it will be. Are they fair? What do others who have worked there say about the company? Look at websites like Glassdoor and at least a dozen others like Indeed that will tell you what others think about working at that company.
4) Make sure you clearly understand the benefits package (health, retirement, vacation, etc.) and, if you are working now, compare the benefits to your current situation. Calculate the difference, if any. It’s important.
5) Don’t be afraid to ask for the compensation you deserve. Compensation is salary, but also the time you need to wait before a raise, any bonus potential, and of course, the value of your benefits. Most job postings list a salary range – ask for the top of the range. And remember, some jobs have been open for a long time; perhaps the employer had unrealistic expectations about hiring someone at that level. Maybe the employer would consider paying more. The laws of supply and demand, mainly when the demand exceeds the supply, would naturally put upward pressure on salaries. Review some salary surveys to see what the going rates are. If you are relocating, make sure you understand the cost-of-living differences. A few websites will help you with negotiations, and, if it is an executive position in the nonprofit sector, you can consult one of my free publications.
Your current compensation or what you were earning in your last position, does have some bearing on the negotiations, but frankly, you may have been underpaid in the past. Before you accept the job is your opportunity to improve your salary or benefits, don’t lose your chance to make more money. (Remember, this will be the new basis for future raises and future job offers.) Have some courage; the deal will likely not fall apart if both sides go back and forth.
6) Be prepared to turn down the offer if it’s not enough salary or the position is not challenging enough. If it’s a good job and the organization wants you, there is a good chance that more good jobs will be offered to you soon. The odds favor the employee for the best jobs; the demand now exceeds the supply (and you are the supply). Just as you wouldn’t buy the first house you see (although I did when moving to the Berkshires), you shouldn’t just take the first job offered. Let the hiring manager know if the salary, benefits, or work/life balance are not to your liking. If you are interested in the position, try to negotiate for them. Remember, asking for more money, more time off, or future salary increases doesn’t hurt.
After your research, you’ve decided that the company or the supervisor argue against taking the job, then politely turn it down–with a phone call, if possible. Even in this situation, you can make a good impression on the hiring manager, who may move on to a new company and remember you.
7) If everything is to your liking, and your gut tells you to take the job, call back and heartily accept, visit your new place of employment, sign the appropriate papers and set a start date. If you are currently employed, it’s a good idea to take a week off before starting a new job; you may not have the opportunity for some time afterward.
Oh, and let everyone else you’ve encountered during the job search know that you are now employed. Always be building your network.
