Two Offers – How do you Choose?
SO YOU’VE GOT TWO REALLY GREAT OFFERS. YOU’VE DONE YOUR HOMEWORK ON THE CULTURE, THE GROWTH POTENTIAL, THE BENEFITS…AND YOU’RE STILL COMPLETELY TORN.
No fun. By following the steps below, though, you’ll be able to identify not which offer is “better,” but which offer is bestfor you.
BRAINSTORM & EVALUATE
Make a list of everything that makes up each of the offers (compensation, benefits, bonus and raise opportunities, potential for travel, etc.) and decide how important each of those components are to you on a scale of 0-5. Then, decide how each of the offers rank on a scale of 0-5 in those areas. After some simple math, you’ll be able to objectively see which is the better offer. But to determine which is the best offer for you, you’ll need to do some reflecting.
REFLECT & EVALUATE
Read the following sentences and rank each statement on a scale of 0-5 as it pertains to you.
- I love my work.
- I feel like I have found the right livelihood for me.
- I regularly take the time I need to experience things that make me happy.
- I create space in my life to spend time with and focus on others.
- I do not worry about my finances.
- I manage my financial affairs.
- I am content with the comfort I find in my home.
- The level of order I maintain in my environment sustains me.
- I have a belief system that sustains me no matter what happens around me.
- I am fully engaged with the unfolding events in my life.
- My wardrobe is a clear expression of who I am.
- I am surrounded by things I love and that have meaning to me.
- I am satisfied with my level of vitality and well-being.
- I make plenty of room for exercise and a healthy lifestyle.
- My friendships nourish and sustain me.
- I am a good friend and make myself available to my friendships.
- I am satisfied with my family.
After ranking each of those statements, rank them again in light of these new job offers. This will take some imagination, but ultimately, try and picture yourself in each of the positions and determine if your new role will support you in these areas. For example, if one of the offers has a long commute and item number 13 is very important to you, it may not allow for much exercise time. Or, perhaps number 8 is very important to you and you noticed how messy the desks were of people you met with during your interview. The goal, ultimately, is to take note of these small details and make sure they support your values.
The goal, ultimately, is to take note of these small details and make sure they support your values.
ANALYZE & EVALUATE
As a last step in the process, think back to the day of your interview. What stuck out to you? Maybe the communication that took place in scheduling your interviews was a little broken. Maybe they didn’t make good on their word on when you could expect to hear from them, or perhaps you noticed employees spending the lunch hour at their desks. Was your itinerary for the interview day well organized and did each person you met take the time to establish a connection before beginning with their questions?
All of these questions invite you into a deeper evaluation of not just the offers themselves, but the organizations. Just as the research shows that you don’t leave a job, you leave a boss, it’s similarly important to remember that you don’t accept a job, you accept a company.
Have you ever had to evaluate multiple job offers simultaneously? What helped you make the big decision?
*This post originally published on Career Contessa.
