The offer

Being offered a new job is extremely exciting, especially if it’s with a company you’ve always wanted to join. However, there are still a few pitfalls to avoid…and of course you need to resign from your current role too, and that can be incredibly daunting.

Is the job offer right for you? The first thing to consider is whether the offer is what you wanted.

Financial factors to consider

Salary

Know what your market rate is – it’s reasonable to expect 10-15% for moving

  • Is the money what you were seeking? It’s reasonable to expect a 10-15% pay-rise from a move.

  • If the figure offered is what you’d requested at the start, it would look erratic to then ask for more, so be careful before you start to barter. If however it’s lower – or some of the benefits don’t stack up – then absolutely you’d be in a strong position to go back with the figure you’d like.

  • If there isn’t scope for negotiation on the salary, then perhaps look to have a clause written into the offer where your salary can be looked at again after 6 months.

  • Is there a car allowance which can contribute to the overall remuneration package?

  • Is there scope to earn a good bonus, which could then add to the figure considerably? Find out how the business is performing, and how likely that bonus is.

Benefits

How do the benefits compare to your current ones?

  • How important is the holiday entitlement to you?

  • Will you be losing your pension?

  • If you have healthcare currently and will lose it, consider what it would cost to set it up yourself.

  • Are there other benefits such as free gym membership or subsidised canteen?

Other factors to consider

  • Is the company right for you? Is it stable? Does it have a good reputation?

  • Is the title what you wanted? If your search was about a promotion, then have you achieved it? It might be that the scope of the role is bigger, where the title is unchanged which would in itself be a promotion. Have a think about how it will look on your CV in 2 years’ time.

  • Is the department correct for your career plan? If you want to forge a career in ladieswear, taking a role on kitchenshop might not be wise.

  • Does the location work? You will hopefully have concluded it does while interviewing – but have you done the journey in rush hour before?

  • The long-term potential of the new role – training / development / promotion etc.

It’s OK at this stage to ask further questions – or arrange a follow-up meeting – to ensure you are 100% confident that everything is as expected and you feel totally happy to say yes.

You may need to give a verbal answer to the offer so that the full offer letter and contract can be sent out to you. Once you’ve read everything, then you can accept in writing.