You have successfully managed the interview process and have been extended a job offer! Perhaps you have even received offers from more than one employer. Whether it is one offer or many, your euphoria may be quickly replaced by anxiety about the decisions that lie ahead. You may be wondering, "Is this the right job for me?" or "Am I going to be happy in this job, or should I just take it because I need a job?" Careful evaluation of your job offer and some serious thought as to how well the position and organization meet your needs can enable you to make the best choice for yourself.

In evaluating your job offer, there are three critical questions you should address:

1. How closely does the offer match your career goal? What is important to you? What factors regarding a job, organization and work environment were on your "wish list"? Have they changed? How well does the position fit these factors? Below are some factors you may want to consider in evaluating your offer:

   Factors for Consideration

   • Nature of the work
   • Organizational culture
   • Stability of industry
   • Level of autonomy
   • Travel
   • Salary
   • Mentoring
   • Lifestyles of employees
   • Stability of organization
   • Quality of higher management
   • Support for continuing education/advanced degree
   • Level of responsibility
   • Location
   • Work hours
   • Benefits
   • Variety of work
   • Advancement opportunities
   • Training and development opportunities
   • Opportunities to learn and grow in job/company
   • Transferability of skills/experience from job
   • Prestige of job or organization
2. Do you need additional information about the offer in order to make a decision? It is not unusual to discover, that you have additional questions, lack some data or simply need a better sense of what the job and organization are like. If this is the case, STOP! Don't go any further in your deliberations until you address these issues.
3. You may need to call one of your interviewers and ask additional questions, or contact an alum who works for the organization. If you need a better understanding of what it would be like during a day on the job, call the employer (if they are local) and ask to spend an afternoon observing an entry-level employee in the job you're considering. Most employers will be willing to accommodate you.
4. Are there issues you want to negotiate which would bring the offer closer to your goal? Perhaps the issues that concern you about the offer can be changed.
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   When choosing between job offers, new college graduates consider the following factors, listed from the most important to the least important:

   • Challenging work assignments
   • Reputation of the organization
   • Opportunities for advancement
   • Salary level
   • Utilization of acquired skills
   • Job security
   • Personalities and abilities of supervisors
   • Geographical location of the job
   • Status and prestige of the job
   • Decision-making responsibilities of the job
   • Benefits and health insurance
   • Personalities and abilities of other employees
   • Information gleaned from talking to people who held or are in the position
   • Payment for advanced degree courses
   • Availability of a graduate school near the company
   • Services and products provided by the company
   • Dental insurance
   • Dependent health insurance
   • Number of relocations required by job
   • Size of the organization
   • Ability to design own work program
   • Organizational structure
   • Available retirement plans
   • Life insurance
   • Benefits of the investment profit sharing program
   • Maternity/paternity leave policies