Is Your First Job Offer The Right One?

Regardless of whether a first offer for a job is generous or downright insulting, the last thing you want to do is accept it without thinking about it. Consider every offer from all angles: If it falls short of what you wanted, you might want to consider a counter offer, or you may determine that this job isn’t the right opportunity.

Assessing the Offer

Consider the overall compensation package, not only the salary and benefits. Think about the commute, the hours you’d be working, any risks associated with taking the job and the business culture. If the position offer is contingent on screenings or background checks, make sure you know what must happen for the offer to be permanent.

Accepting the Offer

If you are satisfied with the offer, go on and accept it. Even though you might accept the offer over the phone or in-person, you still ought to formally agree to it with an acceptance letter. An acceptance letter gives you an opportunity to confirm the specifics of the offer and show your professionalism.

Declining the Offer

If you have determined that the job is not going to work, you must turn it down. A professional email turning down the offer will allow you to keep a positive relationship with the company, which can be beneficial down the road. In the letter, convey your appreciation and clearly say why you cannot accept it. Avoid going into detail about why you are not accepting, particularly if it is for reasons that may offend the company.

Starting a Negotiation

If you have considered the offer and feel it could be a bit better, you may want to negotiate. Research the standard compensation for the position and compare your qualifications to those listed in the job posting. Then, consider a reasonable combination of salary, benefits and working arrangements that would make you accept the offer. Be sure to consider things like schedule flexibility and work-from-home arrangements into your counteroffer if that’s what you want.

When looking to open a negotiation, don’t just say what you are hoping to get; explain why. Offer reasons why you can’t take the offer in its current form, such as a need for more flexibility related to childcare or a pay rate that is a sizeable improvement on your current compensation. If you offer reasonable justifications, it makes your counteroffer more compelling.

When negotiating, it’s important to know when to either accept what seems like the best offer you can get, or walk away. Too much back-and-forth increases the risk of having the employer rescind the offer.

Find Your Next Job with Career Concepts

At Career Concepts, we work hard to get best-fit career opportunities for job seekers. If you’re looking to take the next step on your career path, please contact us today.