5 Things to Consider Before Accepting a Job Offer

4 minute read

You’ve done it. All of the time spent editing your CV, slaving over cover letters and preparing for interviews has landed you a job offer. Now you feel like you have to rush to accept it!

Often, in the moment of excitement (and eagerness to get out of the job-hunting stage), people forget to take a moment to consider everything that the role really has to offer. It’s not just down to the organisation choosing you… you have to reciprocate by choosing them too. No matter what stage of your career you’re currently at, remember to ask these questions before accepting a job offer.

 

1. Is this an organisation you want to work for?

Job title and salary aside, there are many other aspects that will contribute to your happiness at work. All organisations have their own values, mission statement and culture to take into consideration. You need to evaluate whether they match your own before accepting a job offer.

More often than not, the job description won’t vary much but the culture and environment of each organisation will be incredibly different. Spend some time doing your own research. How does the charity manage their staff? What provision do they make for wellbeing and work life balance? Are they inclusive? Are they environmentally conscious?

You can get a feel for the charity’s size and growth in the last few years by looking up their finances and governance on the Charity Commission website. How they spend their money can tell you a lot.

If you’ll be office-based in the role then make sure you visit the office. This will give you a feel for the atmosphere and work setup. If you haven’t already met other members of your team, then you could suggest an informal coffee to judge if you can see yourself working with these people every day.

Find out what current and old employees have said about their experience. Don’t have any contacts there? Ask your friends and colleagues if they do or have a look on social media. Or you could sign up to CharityConnect and ask there. You’ll get a clearer idea of whether or not to accept the job offer if different people tell you similar things.

 

2. Is this really what you want to do?

Now that you’ve received an offer, take a moment to reflect on why you made the application in the first place. Was it the organisation and their cause? Do you want to transition into a new field? Or are you looking for a fresh challenge?

One thing you must take into consideration is whether this role is actually what you want to do. And, even if it isn’t a particular passion of yours, you need to care about the charity’s mission. If you’re not an animal lover then you’re unlikely to thrive at a charity supporting them, no matter how good a match for your skills the actual role might be. However, if you can see that taking this role now could put you in a better position in the future then it may still be worth accepting the job offer.

5 Things to Consider Before Accepting a Job Offer

3. Will this offer you an opportunity to get to where you want to go?

Many of you will have a career plan in place. You have a clear idea of where you want to go and what it will take to get there. Now, you need to consider whether accepting this job offer will help or hinder your chances of progression.

On average, people stay in a position for three to six years. So the real question is, will this position help you achieve everything you’d like to accomplish in this period? Beyond the transferable skills that you’re likely to gain along the way, it’s imperative to consider whether your next opportunity will be at your fingertips or an arm stretch away.

 

4. Will this role challenge you?

There are many aspects of a job that contribute to our overall satisfaction. But one of the key aspects is feeling challenged enough to grow. It’s more than just a list of mundane tasks. It’s fulfilling and brings out the best in us.

The degree to which someone needs to be challenged varies in all of us. Some like to test the waters and others enjoy being thrown into the deep end from day one. So it’s important that you establish how much of a challenge you need.

5 Things to Consider Before Accepting a Job Offer

5. Are there any terms you want to negotiate?

Before signing a contract, think about how happy you are with:

  • your salary
  • the hours and flexibility
  • the possibility of travel and relocation.

Don’t feel scared or ungrateful for trying to negotiate anything that you’re not satisfied with. It’s a perfectly normal part of the job-hunting process that recruiters are used to. After all, you never know what’s possible until you ask. Even if you aren’t able to negotiate everything, once you’ve been in the role and proved your worth, there’s always a chance to come back to this discussion later.

Find a career with meaning

Whatever your decision, make sure that it’s a well-informed one! Ask the right questions and address any concerns that you may have with the recruiter or hiring manager before accepting a job offer. If the stars align and everything runs smoothly, that’s great! But remember to trust your instinct (and carefully collected information, of course).

Looking for your next big career move? There are thousands of roles available on CharityJob right now… find your dream job and be the change you want to see.

 

This post was originally published in 2016 and has been updated to ensure relevance and to reflect the current job seeker experience.

 

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