You’ve had the interview.
You’re happy with the salary.
And you know the company is achieving great success.
So when you’re given the job offer you’d be crazy not to just immediately say yes, right?
It can be tempting to get carried away by the excitement of being offered a new role. Whether you’ve been headhunted or have pursued a role at a prominent tech company, after being extended an offer, many people don’t take a moment to really reflect on if this is the right role for them.
So here are five questions you can ask yourself before you sign on the dotted line.
They will help you decide if this is actually the right role for you right now so that you can be happy pursuing a career there rather than back on the job hunt six months down the track.

Do you like your manager and the people you will be working with?

We spend on average one third of our lives at work, so it’s important to make sure we are happy while we’re there. And given the amount of time we spend interacting with our manager and colleagues it’s important that you are working with people that you think you can get on well with in a professional setting. So keep this in mind and also try and consider whether your manager is someone you can learn from and who can help you grow.

Will the job allow me to live a lifestyle that I want to live?

It’s important to really consider whether the role’s salary, benefits, and work/life balance will fit in with your personal circumstances and priorities. While you may be happy with the salary, you also need to ensure that the expected hours or potential overtime work will fit in with your other commitments, especially if you have children or other considerations that need to be taken into account. Employers are beginning to understand the importance of offering flexibility options in people’s roles but you need to make sure that if the ability to work one day a week from home or to work variable hours each week is a really high priority for you that you are sure the company is on board with that.

Does the company culture seem like somewhere you will enjoy and be productive at?

Company culture is crucial if you are to enjoy your time in a role. It doesn’t mean that you need to find a job where it feels like you’re going to Disneyland every day but being a good fit with a company’s culture is important. Having an aligned culture also means that it is a place that you think you will be motivated to work at so you can be productive and make a valuable contribution.

Do the values of the company align with yours?

There may not always be perfect alignment between the company’s values and your own but you should definitely aim to work at a company that you believe in. Think about how you will feel to be associated with the company and the brand. You are essentially a representative of the company so having pride in your role and the work you will be doing is a big factor in your enjoyment and long term satisfaction in a job.

Does the job match your goals and fit with your career narrative?

There might be times in your life when you just need to take any job but in most cases you want to be in a role that is advancing you towards your career end goals. Will this role allow you to advance your skills? Is there room to grow? Will you be given enough responsibility?

The final question

The final question that you should really ask yourself before you accept an offer is – do I really want this job? You might have thought it ticked all the boxes when you first applied but when you really think about it now you may have your doubts about whether it matches some of your priorities and career goals. But if you’ve carefully thought about the above five questions and you still want the job, then you know you’re making the right move and it will likely lead to long term success in your new role.
For more information on the best ways to find the job that you’re really looking for, talk to the IT recruitment experts at Finite.

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