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