You’ve made it past the job-search equivalent of going to the dentist’s office: You survived the job interview. Now, you just received a call that the company would like to make you a job offer. The company is putting their cards on the table, and the ball’s in your court. You might be tempted to accept immediately — perhaps you’ve been out of a job for a month or so, and you’re walking a budget tightrope without much of a safety net. Or maybe this seems like it’s going to be your dream job. Either way, hold off on popping the champagne, at least for a little while.
A 2015 Gallup poll found that just 44% of American workers were “completely satisfied” with their jobs. Many factors can contribute to whether you’re satisfied at work, but evaluating an offer before you even begin is a good way to ensure you start on the right foot. You’ll have more negotiating power when you’re discussing the offer than you will two months into the job, so make sure it’s an offer you’ll be happy with for the foreseeable future.
The job might seem like a good fit, but it’s worth it to evaluate the opportunity thoroughly before signing on the dotted line. As long as you respond in the time frame that HR has given you, that offer’s not going anywhere. Take the day or so they give you, and make sure that the job (and the compensation package) is what you were expecting. While you’re at it, ask yourself these questions to fully vet the offer.
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