‘Should I Take the Job Offer or Stay?’ 5 Steps to Help You Decide

Imagine this scenario: you’ve been job hunting passively for quite some time, while juggling your responsibilities at work. One day you received a call from one of the companies you’ve interviewed that you’ve been accepted and they’re waiting to hear back from you regarding their offer. You’re pretty content where you are, but the offer seems promising, so you asked yourself this question – should I take the job offer or stay?

It’s not always an easy decision to make: whether to accept an exciting job offer or to stay put. It’s not uncommon to find yourself torn between the hopeful prospects of a promising job offer and the security of staying at a job you’re good at, in a work environment you’ve become comfortable with.

Change is always uncomfortable as it brings with it uncertainty and unfamiliarity. However, it is only by embracing new challenges that we can grow and advance, therefore it is imperative to assess career opportunities that come your way with the right perspective and information.

Here are five simple but absolutely essential steps to take, to ensure you cover your bases and get the best possible deal you deserve:

1. Do extensive research

This might seem redundant, as research is an integral part of interview prep anyway. You might be wondering why this is still relevant if a job offer has already been made. What most people tend to overlook is the fact that research is all the more important following a job offer, as this is when you have an actual decision to make.

This is when you need to exhaust your resources and contacts to find out as much as you possibly can about the company you’re considering as your new employer. Get creative by looking up the company’s current and former employees on Company Reviews or visiting the company’s social media page and scouring their online activity for signs of dissatisfaction with the company’s work culture, management approach and career development prospects.

2. Request for a follow-up interview

Ask for an interview to clarify some issues about the job offer you’re not certain about, and explain that it’s in both parties’ best interests to ensure you are the right fit for the job beforehand, in order not to have misaligned expectations.

Request to meet with your potential co-workers and the chance to check out the office and workspace if possible, to get a sense of the working environment and corporate culture. If the hiring manager doesn’t respond favourably to these requests, explain that this slight inconvenience would be far less disruptive than ending up with a less-than-ideal employment match, which often costs a great deal of time and money.

3. Treat the offer as a negotiation

Bear in mind that you are under no obligation to accept the job offer as is. It is your right to negotiate for more, if you feel that you deserve a better recruitment package, be it in terms of flexible working arrangements, paid maternity leave, career development prospects, or something else. You won’t get what you don’t ask for, so go for it.

4. Look at the big picture

When contemplating the job offer versus your current employment, remember to look at the big picture. Don’t leave just because the new job promises a bigger paycheck. Consider the other employment aspects such as the job scope, work culture, corporate values, management track record, financial performance, and so on. Think about your long-term career aspirations and ask yourself which company/job is best aligned with them.

5. Do a self-analysis

If you’re still stuck, here are 6 questions to ask yourself before changing jobs. Having greater clarity of how you feel about your current work environment might help put things into perspective with regards to the job offer. It might help to do this in a quiet place, away from distractions so you can empty your mind and answer as objectively as possible.

It’s certainly not a decision to be made lightly, as making the wrong career move could set you back instead of advancing your goals. If however, your gut is telling you to take the job despite your logical rationalisations, perhaps it’s best to go with your instincts. We’ll leave you with these wise words by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Trust instinct to the end, even though you can give no reason.”

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