After a long process of applying for jobs and interviewing, you finally get an offer! You should automatically accept it, right? Think again: before you do, regardless of how tempting it may be to accept, there are several factors to keep in mind when entertaining the possibility of accepting a job offer. After all, there is a reason why it’s called an “offer”…

Always Look at the Trail: Find out about the position’s history. A good way to cover all the need-to-know information is to ask how many people have held the position in the last five years, and why the most recent incumbent left. Analyzing the context of the position can give valuable insight into the job and allow you to evaluate the turnover rate. Be wary if the position has a long list of others who once filled your shoes.

Be Realistic: Picture yourself doing the job. Will you constantly have to talk yourself into going to work every day? Is it something you can see yourself doing? If the job is a poor fit to your strengths or overall career goals, and you feel completely out of your element, you might want to keep looking. The key is to think realistically about how the role will allow you to feel motivated, learn, and grow professionally.

Consider the Environment: The culture and practices of a company can give you context to gauge how well you will align with their culture.  In order to peek into the company’s dynamic, you may want to pay attention to how the hiring manager acts as well as how they communicate. For a more in-depth overview, ask for a tour, which will allow you to get a better snapshot of the office’s dynamics. For more information, refer to our post for more tips on how to gauge whether the work environment is right for you.

Salary Extremes: Do your research and know the industry average for the job in the location and experience level you’re in. If your job offer is much higher or much lower than the average, be wary. The company may be holding out on paying you what you’re worth if the job offer is low, or adversely, may not be giving you the full list of everything the job entails if the offer seems suspiciously high. Make sure you do your due diligence and ask all the questions you need to evaluate whether the salary makes sense.

Clear Idea of the Role: If your duties seem fuzzy and your would-be supervisors don’t seem to agree on what’s expected of you, proceed with caution. In order to gain further insight on the situation, a good question to ask is, “What are the criteria for success in this position?” If they can’t give you a quantifiable answer, you might want to look elsewhere for a job opportunity. If you choose to go forward in accepting the offer, ask for a formal job offer and make sure it covers your job title, compensation, responsibilities, deliverables, and other key points.

What’s Management Like?: To do your best, it’s important to jive well with your supervisor’s management style.  To find out how you feel about the manager you could be potentially working under, before you accept the position, ask about meeting your potential supervisor’s direct reports to gauge whether this is a team you would work well with. Ask questions that will provide insight into what your supervisor’s expectations of you are, and note how comfortable or uncomfortable the department is when answering about the team environment. Read between the lines and take into account their input when deciding whether the fit is right for you.

Work/Life Balance: Do you have pressing outside commitments, such as family or education? Think about whether the job will allow you to continue with that routine to be able to maintain a work-life balance. Factors that may indicate a major disrupter to your schedule include extremely long commutes, heavy travel, or regular evening and weekend work. Have a discussion with the critical people in your life and discuss whether the job entails serious changes to your routine, and if so, how to work around that. If the job offer is excellent otherwise, try to rearrange your schedule and eliminate any non-essentials in your routine. If this proves impossible, consider finding a job that offers more flexibility.

Assess the Company’s Financial Condition: Determine how successful the company is and how well it’s doing. In order to do this, consider the business model. If the company is public, you can look online for their latest 10-K filing (an annual report required by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that comprehensively summarizes a company’s performance) and read the Management’s Discuss & Analysis section. If the company is private, ask directly about its earning trends and yearly growth. If the company is a start-up, ask about its business model and the direction they see the company heading in.

When it comes down to it, a job offer has to hold more than just an opportunity. The offer should come with reasonable pay, clear cut duties, and be a good fit for your strengths. If a company is reluctant to give you the time to think over the offer and starts pressuring you for an immediate answer, you have every right to politely walk away. Weighing the pros and cons of a job offer is imperative in finding a workplace that will promote job satisfaction and happiness.