| Once you receive a job offer, you are faced | | | | favorable long-term prospects? |
| with a difficult decision and must evaluate | | | | |
| the offer carefully. Fortunately, most | | | | The most successful firms tend to be in |
| organizations will not expect you to accept | | | | industries that are growing rapidly. |
| or reject an offer immediately. | | | | |
| | | | Nature of the job. Even if everything else |
| There are many issues to consider when | | | | about the job is attractive, you will be |
| assessing a job offer. Will the organization | | | | unhappy if you dislike the day-to-day work. |
| be a good place to work? Will the job be | | | | Determining in advance whether you will like |
| interesting? Are there opportunities for | | | | the work may be difficult. However, the more |
| advancement? Is the salary fair? Does the | | | | you find out about the job before accepting |
| employer offer good benefits? If you have not | | | | or rejecting the offer, the more likely you |
| already figured out exactly what you want, | | | | are to make the right choice. Actually |
| the following discussion may help you to | | | | working in the industry and, if possible, for |
| develop a set of criteria for judging job | | | | the company would provide considerable |
| offers, whether you are starting a career, | | | | insight. You can gain work experience through |
| reentering the labor force after a long | | | | part-time, temporary, or summer jobs, or |
| absence, or planning a career change. | | | | through internship or work-study programs |
| | | | while in school, all of which can lead to |
| The organization. Background information on | | | | permanent job offers. |
| an organization can help you to decide | | | | |
| whether it is a good place for you to work. | | | | Where is the job located? |
| Factors to consider include the organizations | | | | |
| business or activity, financial condition, | | | | If the job is in another section of the |
| age, size, and location. | | | | country, you need to consider the cost of |
| | | | living, the availability of housing and |
| You generally can get background information | | | | transportation, and the quality of |
| on an organization, particularly a large | | | | educational and recreational facilities in |
| organization, on its Internet site or by | | | | that section of the country. Even if the job |
| telephoning its public relations office. A | | | | location is in your area, you should consider |
| public companys annual report to the | | | | the time and expense of commuting. |
| stockholders tells about its corporate | | | | |
| philosophy, history, products or services, | | | | Does the work match your interests and make |
| goals, and financial status. Most government | | | | good use of your skills? |
| agencies can furnish reports that describe | | | | |
| their programs and missions. Press releases, | | | | The duties and responsibilities of the job |
| company newsletters or magazines, and | | | | should be explained in enough detail to |
| recruitment brochures also can be useful. Ask | | | | answer this question. |
| the organization for any other items that | | | | |
| might interest a prospective employee. If | | | | How important is the job in this company? |
| possible, speak to current or former | | | | |
| employees of the organization. | | | | An explanation of where you fit in the |
| | | | organization and how you are supposed to |
| Background information on the organization | | | | contribute to its overall objectives should |
| may be available at your public or school | | | | give you an idea of the jobs importance. |
| library. If you cannot get an annual report, | | | | |
| check the library for reference directories | | | | Are you comfortable with the hours? |
| that may provide basic facts about the | | | | |
| company, such as earnings, products and | | | | Most jobs involve regular hoursfor example, |
| services, and number of employees. Some | | | | 40 hours a week, during the day, Monday |
| directories widely available in libraries | | | | through Friday. Other jobs require night, |
| either in print or as online databases | | | | weekend, or holiday work. In addition, some |
| include: | | | | jobs routinely require overtime to meet |
| | | | deadlines or sales or production goals, or to |
| * Dun & Bradstreets Million Dollar Directory | | | | better serve customers. Consider the effect |
| | | | that the work hours will have on your |
| * Standard and Poors Register of Corporations | | | | personal life. |
| | | | |
| * Mergents Industrial Review (formerly Moodys | | | | How long do most people who enter this job |
| Industrial Manual) | | | | stay with the company? |
| | | | |
| * Thomas Register of American Manufacturers | | | | High turnover can mean dissatisfaction with |
| | | | the nature of the work or something else |
| * Wards Business Directory | | | | about the job. |
| | | | |
| Stories about an organization in magazines | | | | Opportunities offered by employers. A good |
| and newspapers can tell a great deal about | | | | job offers you opportunities to learn new |
| its successes, failures, and plans for the | | | | skills, increase your earnings, and rise to |
| future. You can identify articles on a | | | | positions of greater authority, |
| company by looking under its name in | | | | responsibility, and prestige. A lack of |
| periodical or computerized indexes in | | | | opportunities can dampen interest in the work |
| libraries. However, it probably will not be | | | | and result in frustration and boredom. |
| useful to look back more than 2 or 3 years | | | | |
| | | | The company should have a training plan for |
| The library also may have government | | | | you. What valuable new skills does the |
| publications that present projections of | | | | company plan to teach you? |
| growth for the industry in which the | | | | |
| organization is classified. Long-term | | | | The employer should give you some idea of |
| projections of employment and output for | | | | promotion possibilities within the |
| detailed industries, covering the entire U.S. | | | | organization. What is the next step on the |
| economy, are developed by the Bureau of Labor | | | | career ladder? If you have to wait for a job |
| Statistics and revised every 2 years. See the | | | | to become vacant before you can be promoted, |
| November 2005 Monthly Labor Review for the | | | | how long does this usually take? When |
| most recent projections, covering the 2004-14 | | | | opportunities for advancement do arise, will |
| period, on the Internet at: Trade magazines | | | | you compete with applicants from outside the |
| also may include articles on the trends for | | | | company? Can you apply for jobs for which you |
| specific industries. | | | | qualify elsewhere within the organization, or |
| | | | is mobility within the firm limited? |
| Career centers at colleges and universities | | | | |
| often have information on employers that is | | | | Salaries and benefits. ait for the employer |
| not available in libraries. Ask a career | | | | to introduce these subjects. Some companies |
| center representative how to find out about a | | | | will not talk about pay until they have |
| particular organization. | | | | decided to hire you. In order to know if |
| | | | their offer is reasonable, you need a rough |
| Does the organizations business or activity | | | | estimate of what the job should pay. You may |
| match your own interests and beliefs? | | | | have to go to several sources for this |
| | | | information. Try to find family, friends, or |
| It is easier to apply yourself to the work if | | | | acquaintances who recently were hired in |
| you are enthusiastic about what the | | | | similar jobs. Ask your teachers and the staff |
| organization does. | | | | in placement offices about starting pay for |
| | | | graduates with your qualifications. |
| How will the size of the organization affect | | | | Help-wanted ads in newspapers sometimes give |
| you? | | | | salary ranges for similar positions. Check |
| | | | the library or your schools career center for |
| Large firms generally offer a greater variety | | | | salary surveys such as those conducted by the |
| of training programs and career paths, more | | | | National Association of Colleges and |
| managerial levels for advancement, and better | | | | Employers or various professional |
| employee benefits than do small firms. Large | | | | associations. |
| employers also may have more advanced | | | | |
| technologies. However, many jobs in large | | | | If you are considering the salary and |
| firms tend to be highly specialized. | | | | benefits for a job in another geographic |
| | | | area, make allowances for differences in the |
| Jobs in small firms may offer broader | | | | cost of living, which may be significantly |
| authority and responsibility, a closer | | | | higher in a large metropolitan area than in a |
| working relationship with top management, and | | | | smaller city, town, or rural area. |
| a chance to clearly see your contribution to | | | | |
| the success of the organization. | | | | You also should learn the organizations |
| | | | policy regarding overtime. Depending on the |
| Should you work for a relatively new | | | | job, you may or may not be exempt from laws |
| organization or one that is well established? | | | | requiring the employer to compensate you for |
| | | | overtime. Find out how many hours you will be |
| New businesses have a high failure rate, but | | | | expected to work each week and whether you |
| for many people, the excitement of helping to | | | | receive overtime pay or compensatory time off |
| create a company and the potential for | | | | for working more than the specified number of |
| sharing in its success more than offset the | | | | hours in a week. |
| risk of job loss. However, it may be just as | | | | |
| exciting and rewarding to work for a young | | | | Also take into account that the starting |
| firm that already has a foothold on success. | | | | salary is just thatthe start. Your salary |
| | | | should be reviewed on a regular basis; many |
| Does it make a difference if the company is | | | | organizations do it every year. How much can |
| private or public? | | | | you expect to earn after 1, 2, or 3 or more |
| | | | years? An employer cannot be specific about |
| An individual or a family may control a | | | | the amount of pay if it includes commissions |
| privately owned company and key jobs may be | | | | and bonuses. |
| reserved for relatives and friends. A board | | | | |
| of directors responsible to the stockholders | | | | Benefits also can add a lot to your base pay, |
| controls a publicly owned company and key | | | | but they vary widely. Find out exactly what |
| jobs usually are open to anyone. | | | | the benefit package includes and how much of |
| | | | the cost you must bear. |
| Is the organization in an industry with | | | | |