5 Things to Consider Before Accepting a New Job

When you’re eager to find your next job, it can be easy to jump at any opportunity that comes along. Of course, this sometimes backfires. For example, if you’re looking for a new job but the prospective employer isn’t offering enough compensation and benefits to match your expectations, then it might not be worth it.

Similarly, if the company doesn’t have anything that interests you or something that you think you can grow into as an employee, then it probably isn’t the right fit for you either. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that all new jobs are bad. In fact, there are certain things that one should keep in mind before accepting a new job offer.

Is the Job You’re Accepting Consistent with Your Career Goals?

To start with, you should always remember that a new job isn’t the only thing that you’re looking for, you also want to make sure that the new job you’re accepting is consistent with your career goals. Furthermore, you might want to ask yourself a couple of questions to make sure that you’re on the right track.

Ask yourself…

• Does this fit your short term and long term goals?
• Will this job offer advancement opportunities?
• Does this company offer leadership training or learning opportunities?
• What is the average tenure of your potential team members?

Does the Company Have a Track Record of Promoting Employees?

Although many working individuals desire to work for a company that is known for promoting employees, it’s not something that all employers can claim. Moreover, it’s also not something that you want to assume about a potential employer.

Do your research on LinkedIn around the company and the employees that are associated with the company. What does their career path with the company look like and have they been promoted and how often. Make this a question to ask during your job interview. It will also show that you have been doing your research and have a desire to learn more about the company.

Does the Job Offer Growth Opportunities?

Similarly, you should also make sure that the job that you’re accepting has the potential to grow your skills and help you advance your career. This is because it’s likely that you’ll be doing the same work as you did in your last job for years to come.

A few questions to ask…

• Do they offer training
• Do they offer leadership or management training
• What is their stance on sending you to conferences or training events
• When interviewed, ask the team if they have been to conferences or events (this is important to really see what is allowed)

Are You Willing to Train Employees?

Finally, you should also keep in mind that some companies put a lot of emphasis on training new employees. In fact, some employers will often expect you to complete a training period before you get your first check. This is something that you should also consider.

Questions to ask…

• What is the on-boarding process like
• How do you learn the job responsibilities
• What does week one and two look like
• Do you have a 30/60/90 plan
• What equipment will you be using

Does the Company Have Good Culture Fit?

Last but not least, you also need to keep in mind that there are a lot of companies that put a lot of emphasis on having a good culture fit between the company and employees. Many companies for instance might ask you to complete a company culture fit questionnaire before you sign an offer letter or during the interview process.

In both cases, you should make sure that you’re comfortable with the culture fit between your potential employer and you. If you’re not sure, you can ask the employer what they mean by culture fit and how you can determine if it’s a good fit for you.

This is an important one…do your research and ask those that have worked at the company or that are currently there what the culture is really like.

In closing

Finding a new job and a good fit is important to ensure that you are moving in the right direction for your career. Ask questions, do your research and don’t settle.

More about Bernie…

Senior Director, Consumer Media Group at Confluent Health – Growth marketing focus on brand awareness, interest and new patient acquisition to our 44+ partner brands and 530+ locations across the US. Accountable for driving yearly business results supported by our consumer strategy and direct-to-consumer roadmaps. The Media team is responsible for owned and paid media as it relates to performance marketing, campaign management, partnerships, website development & support, search engine optimization, relationship marketing, Yext (Google My Business) support, recruiting, email marketing and supporting our partners at the local level.

Chief Cheese – Strategy & Engagement at B2The7 – Helping brands Reach, Retain & Regain customers with Omni-Channel data-driven strategies and tactics that focus on increasing sales, transactions, comps and customer engagement.

B2The7 Photography – Sharing experiences with photography: nature, landscapes, sunsets, flowers, animals and more.

Helping job seekers & recruiters daily…Founder of Careerbarn.com – Bringing jobseekers and employers together since 2000.