by Dr. Kyle Elliott | Finding A Job
Receiving an employment offer can feel exciting, and it’s an occasion that calls for celebration, but before you get too caught up in the emotions, it’s important to carefully evaluate the opportunity.
How do you decide whether you should accept an offer, and can you lose it if you try to negotiate? In this article, I share important steps to take when evaluating a job offer.
6 Steps To Evaluate A Job Offer
Evaluating a potential offer is a multi-step process. Once you’ve received the offer in writing and understand the total compensation package, you want to conduct your due diligence on your prospective employer and confirm that the role aligns with your initial job search priorities. Then, you want to really envision yourself in the role and run the offer by a trusted expert.
Let’s break each of these steps down further:
1. Get the offer in writing.
Be wary if a company is apprehensive about providing you with the offer in writing. An employment offer is not the kind of situation where you want to take someone at their word.
Consequently, the first and most important step in effectively evaluating a job opportunity is to get the offer in writing, as well as documentation of any incentives advertised during the interview process, such as a sign-on bonus, performance bonuses, or company stock.
