Ask Yourself These Questions Before You Take A Job

By December 3, 2019 Blog One Comment

Your job search paid off. You received an offer. However, the process isn’t finished yet. There are still some questions you want to ask yourself before deciding whether to accept the position.

It’s great that all your hard work and hustle culminated in a job offer. Take a minute to celebrate, but only a minute. You’ve still got some thinking to do.

After all, not all job offers are the same. Some open the door to a bright future of career advancement. Some act more like a door to a dank dungeon cell. It’s important to investigate what you are getting into before locking yourself into anything.

With that in mind, here are some questions to ask yourself before accepting that job offer:

How Does This Fit Into My Long-Term Plans?

A job isn’t just a way to pay your bills. Any position you take should fit into your long-term career trajectory.

If you need to start getting a paycheck, take any position you can find. But don’t lose track of the broader picture. Take your longer-term professional development into account as you consider any job offer.

What Advancement Opportunities Does the Company Offer?

The structure of the modern labor market encourages a fair amount of movement. Long gone are the days when an employee would expect to spend an entire career with one organization. However, you shouldn’t view every company as a mere stepping stone to a better opportunity somewhere else.

Going into a position, think about whether you can thrive and grow within that particular company. If they have advancement opportunities, you might be able to settle into things for a longer period.

What Can I Learn From This Position?

In terms of long-term thinking, consider what you’ll get out of the job you are taking. Don’t just hunt for impressive line items on a job description.

Imagine what you will look like professionally in a couple of years into your tenure. Will you know more than you know now? That question will help determine whether the position holds any long-term value for you.

How Will You Be Evaluated?

Before you start a new position, you should know what is expected of you. It will determine how you go about your job.

Think about what aspects of your output will be used to gauge your performance. From there, determine if you can succeed based on those criteria. Ultimately, this aspect will play a key role in deciding if you can stick with the position for the long haul.

How Will This Job Impact My Personal Life?

Jobs don’t stop at the office door. What happens in your professional life affects everything else (and everyone else) in your orbit.

Take that impact into account. Remember the other responsibilities that need your attention and think about how the position will impact those outside aspects of your life.

What Is the Company’s Mission?

Culture matters. When your values match up with a company’s mission, your work-life becomes much more fulfilling.

As you consider a position, take this into account. Figure out what the company is trying to achieve in the world and check this against what you want to accomplish with your time and effort.

Finding the right position is more than just finding a company that needs your skills. It’s about finding a good fit for your total circumstances. By partnering with a reliable recruiting partner, like Recruiting In Motion, you can find the ideal placement for your needs.

Contact Recruiting In Motion today to learn more.