May 23, 2016 | 5 min read
Before You Accept That Job, Ask Yourself These 5 Questions

Catherine

You’ve agonized over your cover letter, gone on several interviews and now, after all of the hard work, you got the job! Take a second and congratulate yourself; you put a lot of time and energy into finding a new opportunity and you deserve this moment of celebration.

But don’t get too caught up in your excitement. Now that you have the job, it’s easy to look at the role and the entire interviewing experience through rose-tinted glasses. However, it’s critical to take some time and reflect on the entire hiring process before you commit to the role. While it may be the job you have been dreaming of, it’s important to evaluate whether or not it is the right opportunity for your career.

Before you tell the hiring manager that you’re in, consider asking yourself the following questions:

Do you have a full understanding of what your job responsibilities will be?

By the time you have been offered a position, you have likely gone over the role in detail with your potential supervisor. And while you do have a clear idea of what you’ll be doing, you will want to ask yourself one more time whether or not you can transition easily into the role. Think back to your interviews and make a check list of whether or not your skills and experiences match up with what your supervisor will expect from you. As you look over this list, make sure it’s a job you can handle and transition into with ease. It’s perfectly normal to expect and welcome new challenges when you change jobs, but it’s also important to be realistic about what you are able to manage.

Do the company’s values align with yours?

Finding the “right fit” is an important responsibility for both the hiring manager and job seeker. Throughout the interview process, you’ve probably spent time reading up on the company and discussed what the environment and employees are like with the interviewer. Before you accept the job, go back to those conversations and give a final evaluation as to whether or not the company is best for you and your long-term goals.

What do employees have to say about the company?

If you haven’t done this already before you applied for the job, you may want to check the company’s ratings and reviews on Glassdoor. The interviewer probably gave you an idea of what working for the company is like, but it’s important to get perspective from someone who isn’t trying to sell you on the company. However, keep in mind that the people most likely to leave bad reviews are people who left the company on a sour note. Read up, but take what you see with a grain of salt.

Do the benefits that accompany this role suit your needs?

The term benefits can be misleading, because the benefits package a company offers can prove to be an absolute necessity for specific employees. For example, parents may need to have a flexible schedule or the ability to work from home when necessary. Before you commit to a job, remember that it’s just as important to ask yourself whether or not the benefits work for you. Depending on your individual situation, you’ll want to know that your potential employer can support your needs.

How drastically will your commute/daily schedule change with this role?

Even if you aren’t relocating for a job, you still want to consider how a new commute will affect your schedule. If you struggle to get out of the house in the morning, having a longer commute than you are used to could prove to be challenging in the long run. Commuting is a part of most jobs throughout your career, but it’s important to be sure the one you have won’t lead you to unhappiness and stress.

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