Make a good career decision: It’s not all about the money
Q: I am in a dilemma over whether to accept a job offer from a company who is offering a lower salary than my previous employer. I have asked for higher compensation, but they can’t go any further. My question, should I take this job even though it will not pay as much and wait until the job market turns around?
A: Employers are in a precarious situation right now with some having to reduce salaries in order to keep business moving forward while others are downsizing. Even in a strong economy there are numerous factors to consider when accepting a job offer.
It can be tempting to accept an offer to “fill in the gaps” while you continue to search for a higher paying job and for some it might be the best choice. Ideally, you want to feel good about accepting an offer based on several factors such as work culture, leadership, future career growth, compensation and the company’s mission.
The best way to make a decision is by gathering information during the interview. You may discover that a lower paying position could lead to more opportunities once you are working for the employer, plus the work culture might be a great match for your personality.
The truth is you can earn a high income and be miserable, such as a finance director who was willing to trade his large compensation and seven-day work week for a job where he could enjoy a more balanced life.
Going through the interview process will help you make a good job decision if you get your most important questions answered. Some candidates will leave an interview feeling confident this would be a good place to work while others are unsure.
As with all interviews, timing plays a huge part in asking questions. When interviewing, and thinking about future career growth you could ask questions about the job such as:
• How long has the job been open?
• How many people have held this job in the last few years?
• What does it take to be successful in this job?
• Tell me more about the performance-review process, how are outstanding employees recognized.
• What are some of the future career paths within the company for someone with this title?
The difference between feeling confident and uncertain often relates to the questions you ask and the answers you receive during the interview.