Deciding on a job offer, as a prospective employee, can sometimes be a daunting task and, therefore, must be approached with the seriousness it deserves so as to avoid future regrets that are sometime financially, emotionally or socially costly. It is advisable that job offers decisions are made after considering these key 6 factors.

1. Job Fit

It is incumbent on the prospective employee to assess him/herself vis-à-vis the job by probing to understand details about the job and it’s expectations of the jobholder to determine if the job aligns with his/her skills, interests and career goals – whether immediate and future. This would enable the prospective employee to psychic him/herself positively and build the required energy and attitude to succeed on the job.

2. Compensation

Key among factors for deciding on job offers is the economic factor (reward). One, therefore, needs to evaluate the offered salary, benefits, and perks in comparison to industry standards, the nature and volume of work, the risks involved in the job, as well as, one’s financial needs so as to make a reasonable reward expectations for the job.

3. Work-Life Balance

People have become conscious of the need to make time for other important aspects of living and are, therefore, calling for more out of work hours to deliver on these. To fulfill this one needs to consider the hours of work required by the job of the employee, flexibility provided by the job to fulfill personal aspirations, and potential impact the job is likely to have on one’s personal life as some jobs can be demanding giving very little or no room for pursuit of other life ambitions.

4. Company Culture

People thrive in cultures and every organization has a culture, whether or not deliberately created. These cultures determine the values and behaviours required to be demonstrated by employees to enable one fit into same environments. It is expedient for prospective employees to, therefore, research to know the culture of the organization, values, policies regarding workplace safety, diversity and inclusion, and overall employee satisfaction, as well as the team dynamics to ensure a good fit and success.

5. Career Growth

One needs to explore to know if there are opportunities for career advancement, professional development, and training for skills enhancement within the company with proof.

6. Commute and Location

Location can mean so much for others when considering commuting to and from the workplace or whether the job is located in a different country, region, or culture. You need to consider the cost and easy access to transportation or possible relocation where required.

One may need to consider other factors depending on the nature of the job offering in addition to the above. To help in the decision-making process prospective employers must help by providing the requested information by prospective employees as a way of fostering a healthy employer-employee relationship, as well as, the beginning a potential onboarding process.