Congratulations! A job offer means you are the best available candidate for the position.
Hopefully, you have already given some thought about a potential job offer, but now it’s time for serious consideration. A primary area to initially consider is if the offer matches your education, interests, skills, and related experiences. Often the first offer may not always be the best, and if your objective is to progress along a designated career path, it is imperative the position aligns with those objectives. Another area to contemplate is your qualifications and the salary offer’s competitiveness as it relates to current market trends. Remember, pay can vary according to supply and demand in each city, region, and state and also by education and responsibility levels.
Looking beyond the salary offer, it’s also important to consider other items such as your commute, flexibility, travel, career growth, geographic location, etc. The benefit package is also another primary area to consider especially as it relates to health coverage. Is the employer’s benefit package competitive with other similar employers within the same industry, and does it include health, dental, tuition reimbursement, etc.? Don’t forget to calculate the out of pocket expense and the expense your employer will be paying for benefits on your behalf.
If multiple offers are coming in at the same time, the most effective way to evaluate each offer is by conducting a side by side comparison of the offers to determine net income after expenses are paid. Make sure your comparisons are accurate and include cost of living expenses for each particular location. A variety of calculators exist to help with an accurate analysis.