Job Offer Advice When you receive a job offer, you may just want to accept it and start work straight away. However, it will be worth thinking about whether the job really is right for you – and you might be surprised to learn that most organisations will not be expecting a decision the moment they make you that sought-after offer. However much time you have before and after an offer comes, try to make sure you set some time aside to think about what you want from the jobs you have applied for. Here are some helpful suggestions! The Business Researching about the company you may be working for is a good idea before any interview, but if you did not and then get offered the job it is important that you get to know who you will be working for! The Internet is one of the easiest places to look for information, check to see if they have a web page by going direct to their site if you know its address or using a search engine if not. If you do not have Internet access, or the organisation’s website has limited information, there are other ways of finding out more. You could speak to current employees or ask for information for prospective members of staff. Public companies publish annual reports to their stockholders covering corporate philosophy, history, products or services, goals, and financial status. Similarly, government agencies report on their programs and missions regularly. Milkround has news updates about many of its employers – check their page on the site to see if they have been featured recently. When looking at this information, think about whether the organisation matches your interests, beliefs and type of work you want to do. The size may also be a factor if you want to be involved in a large company with many departments or a small, family-like staff size. The Job Even if you like the sound of a job, it does not necessarily mean you will enjoy the routine needed to perform the tasks. Sometimes the most interesting sounding jobs can be very dull in practice. It is always better if you have had the chance to test an industry in a part time or temporary role before you make the leap into full time employment. Making use of any specialist skills can help achieve job satisfaction! Other things to consider are the location, hours and working environment. A nine to five office job in central London is not to everyone’s taste, and neither is physically active shift work which includes weekends. Opportunities A lack of advancement at a company is a sure-fire way to get bored quickly. Think about whether you will be able to move into roles with more responsibility and how soon this might happen. Offers of training are often a good sign that you will not be doing the same job forever as gaining new skills will probably mean a development in your personal role. Does the company favour internal promotion? What sort of role could you move onto from your initial position? These are the sorts of factors you might want to think about. Wage and Benefits Your salary is one of the most important things to consider – it is the main reason you are working, after all! Try to make sure that you have a rough idea of what the role you are going for should be paying you. Friends and family already hired in similar jobs may be able to offer guidance as to what a starting rate should be. You could also ask at a careers centre or look in newspapers where job adverts often state salaries. Most of the time you will know what you can expect your salary range to be at the interview stage at the latest, however sometimes it might not be made clear until the offer of work. Ensure you are clued up and do not be afraid to say if you do not think it meets your expectations. If you are moving to a more expensive location for a job you will need to consider how that will change your costs of living. It is worth bearing in mind that your starting salary will normally get a regular review, so it is unlikely you will be on the same wage for the rest of your life! In many jobs, bonuses may make up a large amount of your overall wage so you need to think realistically in terms of whether the basic rate of pay will be enough for you to live on, or if you may need to be making the most of any bonus on offer. Be careful not to over estimate how much bonus you might be able to earn otherwise you may be staring at an awkward bill or two at the end of every month. Benefits might include a company car, mobile phone, insurance and a pension – but you should find out how much you might have to put towards each. Most importantly the offer on the table is a job for you – be confident it will suit your personality, skills, financial needs and future prospects. If you need any advice specific to a career area, take a look at the Milkround Industry Guides!

Job Offer Advice

When you receive a job offer, you may just want to accept it and start work straight away. However, it will be worth thinking about whether the job really is right for you – and you might be surprised to learn that most organisations will not be expecting a decision the moment they make you that sought-after offer. However much time you have before and after an offer comes, try to make sure you set some time aside to think about what you want from the jobs you have applied for. Here are some helpful suggestions!

The Business
Researching about the company you may be working for is a good idea before any interview, but if you did not and then get offered the job it is important that you get to know who you will be working for! The Internet is one of the easiest places to look for information, check to see if they have a web page by going direct to their site if you know its address or using a search engine if not.

If you do not have Internet access, or the organisation’s website has limited information, there are other ways of finding out more. You could speak to current employees or ask for information for prospective members of staff. Public companies publish annual reports to their stockholders covering corporate philosophy, history, products or services, goals, and financial status. Similarly, government agencies report on their programs and missions regularly. Milkround has news updates about many of its employers – check their page on the site to see if they have been featured recently.

When looking at this information, think about whether the organisation matches your interests, beliefs and type of work you want to do. The size may also be a factor if you want to be involved in a large company with many departments or a small, family-like staff size.

The Job
Even if you like the sound of a job, it does not necessarily mean you will enjoy the routine needed to perform the tasks. Sometimes the most interesting sounding jobs can be very dull in practice. It is always better if you have had the chance to test an industry in a part time or temporary role before you make the leap into full time employment. Making use of any specialist skills can help achieve job satisfaction! Other things to consider are the location, hours and working environment. A nine to five office job in central London is not to everyone’s taste, and neither is physically active shift work which includes weekends.

Opportunities
A lack of advancement at a company is a sure-fire way to get bored quickly. Think about whether you will be able to move into roles with more responsibility and how soon this might happen. Offers of training are often a good sign that you will not be doing the same job forever as gaining new skills will probably mean a development in your personal role. Does the company favour internal promotion? What sort of role could you move onto from your initial position? These are the sorts of factors you might want to think about.

Wage and Benefits
Your salary is one of the most important things to consider – it is the main reason you are working, after all! Try to make sure that you have a rough idea of what the role you are going for should be paying you. Friends and family already hired in similar jobs may be able to offer guidance as to what a starting rate should be. You could also ask at a careers centre or look in newspapers where job adverts often state salaries. Most of the time you will know what you can expect your salary range to be at the interview stage at the latest, however sometimes it might not be made clear until the offer of work. Ensure you are clued up and do not be afraid to say if you do not think it meets your expectations. If you are moving to a more expensive location for a job you will need to consider how that will change your costs of living. It is worth bearing in mind that your starting salary will normally get a regular review, so it is unlikely you will be on the same wage for the rest of your life!

In many jobs, bonuses may make up a large amount of your overall wage so you need to think realistically in terms of whether the basic rate of pay will be enough for you to live on, or if you may need to be making the most of any bonus on offer. Be careful not to over estimate how much bonus you might be able to earn otherwise you may be staring at an awkward bill or two at the end of every month. Benefits might include a company car, mobile phone, insurance and a pension – but you should find out how much you might have to put towards each.

Most importantly the offer on the table is a job for you – be confident it will suit your personality, skills, financial needs and future prospects. If you need any advice specific to a career area, take a look at the Milkround Industry Guides!