When a job offer comes your way, once you calm down after the immediate euphoria of being successful in your job search, there are a number of things to evaluate before finally deciding on whether to accept the role or not.

Knowing the answers to the 5 questions below will allow you make a more informed decision on whether to accept the job or to decline it.

1. Did you meet your prospective boss when interviewing?

Did he/she come across as the type of person that you would enjoy working with? If he/she seemed a fair, approachable, reasonable person then that is fine but if he/she came across as arrogant or overbearing how would you feel working day in day out with him/her?

                                                                                                                                                   2. Are you clear on what your daily tasks would be in the role?

It is hard to make the correct decision on whether to accept a job offer if you are not aware of what is expected of you. If you are unsure about any aspect of the job put in a call to HR or the hiring manager to seek clarification or to arrange another meeting. You will be better positioned to make the right decision once you have this information.

                                                                                                                                                   3. Do you know why the job became vacant in the first place?

If it is a new position in a company due to expansion, or it is with a start-up organization then this question is not important. However if it is a replacement role then try to find out why the previous employee vacated the role. It is not unreasonable to ask this question and once you know why he/she left you will find the decision to accept or decline the role easier to make.

                                                                                                                                                    4. Will there be opportunity for advancement within the company?

You don’t want your resume showing that you jump from company to company so enquire as to opportunities to grow within the organization. If there is a future career path for you then it will make the job all the more attractive for you.

                                                                                                                                                       5. Does the salary and benefits package meet your requirements?

An obvious question maybe, but it is important to take into account the overall package that comes with the job rather than basic salary alone. If for example Company A offered you $50k and little else but Company B offered you $45k plus health insurance, stock options, fully paid vacation time and a pension plan then your best option would be to take Company B’s offer despite the shortfall of $5k in basic salary.

                                                                                                                                                You owe it to yourself to make the most informed decision possible when evaluating a job offer so don’t rush into accepting a job until you are fully satisfied in your own mind that it is the best decision for you.

When turning down a job offer it is important to understand how to decline a job offer with courtesy as in the future you may see another job with that company that interests you or it may simply be because you change your mind over which offer to accept, either way, respect should be taken with your reply to their job offer.

Before you make a decision to decline the job offer you need to give careful consideration that you are doing the right thing, once you have reached that stage then it is time to get in touch with the other company to inform them of your decision. The sooner you do this the better, from the company’s perspective, as they can then offer the job to their second-choice candidate.

Begin the process by calling the HR Department and thanking them for their offer before telling them that unfortunately you will not be accepting the role.

Following your call, the employer will appreciate it if you take the time write a letter /email explaining why you turned the role down. Here are some tips for what to say in your letter:

- once again thank the company for their interest in you.

- mention how impressed you were with both the staff and the organization.

- describe how it was a very difficult decision that you had to make.

- refer to the reasons why you accepted the other offer.

- offer your best wishes to both the individual and to the company.

Maintaining a professional attitude is important so do not criticize or show a lack of respect in your decline letter as burning bridges with the company may end up costing you in the long run. Finally before sending your letter make sure to check it for spelling and grammar errors to portray a consistency in your professionalism.

8 Questions To Consider Before Accepting A Job Offer.

When you receive a job offer you should be delighted with yourself for being chosen above all other applicants as the best candidate following the interview process. Even if the salary you are offered matches or exceeds your expectations there are other important criteria to consider before officially accepting the offer letter. This post looks at 8 questions definitely worth pondering over before making your mind up on the job offer.

1.  Will the role stimulate you and allow you to look forward to going to work?
2. Is there a future career-path associated with the position?
3.  Will you be thrown in at the deep-end or will training be provided?
4.  Does the benefits package match your expectations?
5.  Is the location of the company in a reasonable distance from your home?
6.  Have you met your new boss yet, if so did you get on well with him /her ?
7.  Are you happy with the hours of work?
8.  Can you picture yourself staying with the company for a significant period?

If you answer all these questions in a favorable manner then you can be confident that the job is ideal for you, even if you can only answer 5 or 6 of the 8 questions favorably then the job is still worth considering. If unsure about whether to accept a job then get a blank piece of paper and write the advantages and disadvantages of the job down, once written weigh up the importance of each issue before coming to a final decision on whether to accept it or not.

Six Rules To Successful Job References.

Excellent references are essential to successfully gaining employment, most job offers are subject to references so even when you have an offer you still need your qualities and experience rubber-stamped by your previous employer. Bearing this in mind it is essential to adhere to the following rules when supplying referees;

1. Ensure the referee is a previous manager or supervisor, rather than a friend.

2. Graduates and Interns should use college professors as referees if they have no work experience.

3. Choose a former supervisor with whom you had a good relationship when looking for a referee.

4. Make sure you gain the approval of the referee before including them on your resume.

5. Should you receive an offer “subject to successful reference” then call your referees in advance to tell them to expect a call from the company offering you the job.

6. Ensure the contact details are correct and up to date before submitting them. The contact details should include name, position, company, telephone number and email address.

A bad reference could have a disastrous impact on your employment chances so take time to pick referees that you know will enhance your application and leave you with nothing to worry about when your offer is “subject to references.”

Information That A Job Offer Letter Contains.

If your resume was selected for interview and you then gave a winning interview, what happens next? You wait anxiously for your offer letter to arrive so you can absorb the details of the job and look forward to a new phase in your career. An offer letter can be accompanied by an employment contract or in some cases may be sent in advance of a full contract until references have been secured. Depending on the role, size of the company, the industry and other variables you may not receive one but if you do expect it to contain;

Job title.
You need to be sure that you are accepting the role that you initially applied for so be sure the correct job title is described.

Start-date.
Ensure that the date proposed on the offer letter fits in with any notice period that you may have a duty to fulfill in your current company.

Time to commence work on opening day.
Arriving late on day one will not make a good impression so be sure to fond out the appropriate starting time for your position.

Reporting details.
Expect your offer letter to provide the name and job-title of the person that you should report to.

Salary & benefits.
Ensure the salary proposed on the offer letter tallies with any offer verbally agreed.  As with salary you can expect to see most of the company benefits described in the offer letter.  Examples of benefits include bonuses, company cars, relocation expenses amongst others.

Vacation time.
Details of vacation time is regularly displayed in the offer letter along with the employment contract.

Offer letters that are deemed as full employment contracts will often contain a more formal approach outlining company policies and procedures etc. Often companies have mandatory drug screenings, if this is the case then expect that to be mentioned in your offer letter. Be sure to check that all compensations, be they salary or otherwise, that were verbally agreed in your job offer is mentioned in the offer letter.

Should you be in any way unsure about any aspect of your offer letter don’t be afraid call the HR Dept you will usually find they are only too glad assist in your queries.