How do you know when to walk away from a job offer?
Q: I am not a person who likes to take risks, and waiting around for the perfect job might take too long. The last time I went through a job search, I was offered a job and declined it. I always regretted not taking the offer even though the pay was low. When do you walk away from a job offer?
A: When you are searching for a job and receive a job offer, it can be tempting to accept it and quit searching. However, doing your homework first by listing the pros and cons will support your decision and lead to zero regrets.
Keep in mind that a good job offer goes both ways — it meets most of your needs and meets the employer’s goals as well.
Turning down a job offer can be a smart move, however you need to turn it down for the right reasons like a mismatch of skills or no room for career growth.
The biggest challenge when searching for the perfect job is that it keeps you from being open to possibilities, as it is hard to predict the future, particularly in the early stages of joining a new company.
The job role you start with can often change once you are in the organization.
What might have been viewed as a less than perfect opportunity, such as low compensation, can end up being a great job.
A job brings a number of benefits such as giving you the ability to meet new people and exposure to decision makers.
Take into consideration several things, such as future opportunities, title, compensation, benefits, training, and work-life balance issues.
While compensation and the position are huge factors to be considered, there is one very important item that can override everything else, and that is “culture” fit.
The work culture/philosophy of the organization (employer) needs to be aligned with your needs. If not, you may try to make it for a while, but soon enough you might start growing weary from the differences in philosophy/work culture.
While a good salary helps make your work environment tolerable, there are more things to consider such as a flexible work schedule, and if the job is in line with your career goals. Try not to let compensation be your only guide in accepting a job offer.
Take into consideration numerous factors before accepting an offer.
For instance, the pay offered might be lower than you expected, but the travel distance to and from work is convenient.
Keep in mind that most employees do not leave their jobs based on their job role/responsibilities, but rather leave because of the work environment and leadership issues.
Consider walking when the job offer is not a good match for your needs and when you lose on all of your goals — then the decision to accept an offer becomes one based on financial survival needs rather than career decision.