It’s inevitable that when we’re looking for a job, we experience the good, the bad and the complicated. What’s the ‘complicated‘? Getting accepted is one thing but what happens if you are offered a job by more than one company. How do you weigh the options? How do you tell one that you accept? How do you tell the other/s that you decline? That’s easy! Here are some tips that can help you when you’re forced to choose between multiple job offers.
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Salary vs. Everything Else
Accepting a job based on salary alone is not a very wise thing to do. There are more important things than salary, mind you. You may be given a P20,000+ salary but what are the perks. Weigh the benefits first. You might not have OT pay or leaves. You might be working night shift when you’re not supposed to be because of your health. You may have a nice fat paycheck but the location’s so far that most of your money goes to commuting or gas (if you have a car). Think about those factors.
(SEE ALSO: Why Looking for a Job Now is Best for Graduating Students)
Your Budget Matters
Even as a fresh graduate, you should think about budgeting. Before you do the alloting, you should know how to subtract taxes and deductibles. That’s how you’ll know what your take-home money is. Afterward, you’ll be able to budget. You should consider your possible expenses in the future. Try to see where the company is. Compute the commuting fare for 5 days. Estimate the money you have to spend for food. If you have family depending on you, you should also consider that.
The Company
What’s the company about? What is your shift? What are their policies? You have the right to ask about these questions when the job is offered to you. Location is also important especially if you live a great distance away from the office. You should find out what kind of area the office is in. Since you’ve been interviewed there, what kind of feel did you get from their office? Do the people seem nice? Although these things seem to be little matters, these can greatly affect you in the long run.
A Signed Agreement
Most companies have a contract for security measures – for them and for you. You shouldn’t just sign it. You should know what you’re in for as well. It might have a bond (which will prevent you from leaving the company within a certain time period) or other provisions that you might find questionable. Make sure you read the fine print not only to learn about these things but to also find out what your benefits, like leaves or a health plan, are because you might not have any. It may seem selfish of you but you also have to think of these things, especially if you already have dependents.
Once you find out what kind of job you want, it’s not difficult to decline the others. All you have to do is to be honest. Tell them that you’ve accepted another offer and, hopefully, they’re open if you wish to apply there again. They get these kinds of responses every day and if you say it in a nice way, they’ll surely hold on to your resume. They chose to hire you right? If you’re good enough now, imagine how you’ll be in 2-3 years time! They’ll absolutely consider having you back.
When you’ve settled that, send your notice of acceptance. Congratulations! Not only are you hired but you’ve also seen the pros and cons of the work you’ve chosen! That’s the wise way of choosing between multiple job offers!
