Yahoo Finance 9 in 10 jobseekers faced with this difficult decision
If you’re looking for a new job and have suddenly been inundated with job offers you are not alone.
New research from Robert Half found 86 per cent of Aussie office workers had received multiple job offers when looking for a new role.
Unsurprisingly, salary was the deciding factor when choosing between roles, with more than 68 per cent saying pay was the top reason to choose one job over another.
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This was followed by flexibility (40 per cent) and benefits (37 per cent).
On the other hand, only 2 per cent of workers would be influenced to choose one company over another for their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, and just 1 per cent would choose the first offer extended to them based on timing.
But, if you’ve received multiple, highly competitive offers, how do you know which one to choose?
Here are Robert Half’s tips for picking the right job for you.
Tip 1: Establish your career goals
Evaluating multiple job packages and entering negotiations with employers will be easier if you start by setting out exactly what you want from your next position.
With your objectives in mind, prepare questions for each interview you are invited to to help you understand important aspects of the opportunity; these might include asking about what the role entails, the company culture, and career prospects.
Asking the same questions at each interview will be important for accurately comparing and making an informed decision about the available opportunities according to the career goals you have set.
Tip 2: Take a long-term view
Don’t be blinded by an immediate payoff. Regardless of salary and how it compares to competing offers, think about your future and how a role might benefit your career over the long term.
For example, if a salary increase is your primary goal, be mindful that one offer with a higher starting salary could be outweighed by another offer with more promising career growth prospects, which might lead to an even higher salary.
Tip 3: Consider which company culture is better for you
Company culture is a key consideration for jobseekers in today’s market.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions about company culture during the interview process, and you can also seek information about a company’s culture online, such as reading employee reviews.
By asking the right questions and learning from employees’ real experiences, you can build a more accurate picture of a company’s culture and make a more informed decision about how well you might be suited to the working environment.
Tip 4: Take the driver’s seat
Being upfront about your expectations and timeline with employers can be a powerful negotiation tool, if used with caution.
For example, setting out what you are hoping for in terms of salary or start date might influence your preferred employer to match a competing offer or even compel them to accelerate their hiring process.
Tip 5: Be thoughtful but act fast
Accepting a role is a major decision, so it’s not unreasonable to request a few days to contemplate your options. That said, you must also balance your thinking time with the importance of maintaining interest and not giving the impression you’re dragging your feet.
When you arrive at your decision, always be gracious to the employers whose job offers you decline and take the earliest opportunity to politely explain why the offer did not meet your needs.
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