In today’s job market it’s not unheard of to find yourself in the position of receiving multiple job offers. Whilst this is a great position to be in, the decision of choosing which offer to accept can be daunting. Simply going for the one with the highest pay, whilst tempting, shouldn’t be your only deciding factor.
Before going into the nitty-gritty of making your decision and handling it in a professional manner, let’s skip back a step. Remember, the interview process is your chance to garner as much information as you can about your potential future employer. Ask questions at the interview that help you assess what they are offering aligns with your career goals and aspirations. Are there opportunities to advance your career and sufficient challenges to keep you motivated? What benefits do they offer and does their company culture align with your personal values?
Using your interview time wisely will be invaluable when it comes to making your decision, on which offer to accept, because you now have enough information on each organisation to weigh up the pros and cons of each. Drawing up list or matrix will help you identify which company you will fit in with best. Don’t just focus on what’s on the table right now; also consider if you see yourself working here in five years’ time? It must be said that there is also a place in this process for intuition. Listen to your gut instinct in conjunction with your list of pros and cons.
If you’re in the position of receiving one offer and anticipating another is on its way, your challenge is to bring the decision-making timeframe together. This might include delaying the original offer, by asking for a little time to decide, whilst exploring if the other company can expedite their process.
When communicating with the employers, honesty goes a long way. Tell them you have been interviewing with multiple organisations and that you are seriously considering a couple of options. Asking for a couple of days to ensure you make the correct decision can be a good idea. This is a far better approach than accepting an offer only to retract it when a better one comes along, which will not only damage your reputation but cause the company to miss out on other candidates they were considering.
Once you have made your decision be sure to communicate in a timely and professional manner. Both your acceptance and rejection letters should graciously include expressions of appreciation for the opportunity.
If you have any questions that myself and Connecting Industry Talent team may be able to assist with, please don't hesitate to contact us today.
Tim O’Brien
Director
Connecting Industry Talent™
Connect with me for advice or assistance.
tim.obrien@connectingindustry.com.au