Career Development
Position Comparison:
How to Evaluate a Job Offer
By Bill Radin
©1998 Innovative Consulting, Inc.
Career Development Reports
Let's assume your employment
interview went well, and there's sincere and mutual interest on both
sides.
Now you need to decide two things: first,
whether the new position is right for you; and if so, what sort of offer
you'd be willing to accept.
To evaluate the pros and cons, ask
yourself the following: Does the new job meet
the criteria you spelled out when you first began your search? Will the
new job improve your level of personal and professional satisfaction? Or
will it simply offer you a rehash of what you already have? Hopefully,
the unique qualities you're seeking will be within your grasp.
Keeping Score
If you're not sure about the new job, or need
help in being more objective, take the following test as a way to
compare the two positions. You should be able to get a feel for how the
job you interviewed for stacks up against your current position by
selecting which considerations best suit your needs.
The position comparison test can be
"scored" two different ways. You can either tally the totals
(the best job has the highest score); or you can use the test as a way
to examine your priorities.
Let's suppose your score was 15 to seven, in
favor of the new company. Does that mean you should change jobs?
Well, not necessarily. It depends on which
considerations are most important to you. If an increase in travel will
ruin your marriage, then it won't matter how many positive
considerations point to the new job. (This is assuming you want to stay
married.)
However, a simple tallying of the score can be
very helpful when the decision is a tough one, and no single
consideration acts as a "knockout" factor. Besides,
mathematical "logic" can always be used to justify what you
already feel to be the right decision.
The Economic Factor
Compensation, of course, will be a key factor
in your decision whether to accept a new position.
Oddly, few people take the time to really
understand their economic choices, mostly because there are so many
hidden factors, such as cost of living, benefits, relocation expenses,
and so forth.
Regardless of where compensation ranks on your
list of priorities, it's a good idea to know what you may be getting
into when faced with a career decision.
To help you put your economic choices into
perspective, use this compensation comparison to evaluate both your
prospective compensation package and what you're currently earning.
The best time to make your calculations is
before an offer is made. That way, you can form a clear idea of what
you'll need, without having to dicker (or experience shock) later on.
If you're looking at an opportunity that's in a
different geographic location, you might want to do some investigating
before you even interview. For example, if you live in a nice suburban
community in Lawrence, Kansas, what would it cost you to maintain your
current lifestyle in an area like San Francisco? Your answer (and your
willingness to make the necessary trade-offs) will help determine your
level of interest when considering the new position.
Next Page > Figuring
the Bottom Line
Position Comparison: How to
Evaluate a Job Offer
> Position Comparison: How to Evaluate
a Job Offer
> Keeping Score
> The Economic Factor
> Figuring the Bottom Line
> Lay Your Cards on the
Table
> The Porcupine Category
> How an Offer
is Staged
> Accepting the Offer
> New Angles and Unusual
Deals
|
