If you have multiple job offers, you’re in a great position! You’ve successfully found a job. You do have some more work to do, though, to compare your offers and select the best one. Here are the top factors to consider and questions to ask yourself as you weigh the pros and cons.
1. Total compensation
When you compare the salaries different employers are offering you, keep in mind that total compensation includes additional benefits and perks. Look at whether each offer includes an employer-sponsored retirement plan. If it does, compare the matching contributions. Check if each offer comes with health insurance or vision and dental benefits. Do you have a choice of health care providers? How high are deductibles and copays? See how much paid time off you would get. Also, look at perks for employees. For example, if you have an offer from a large hotel chain, there may be an employee discount you can use when you travel.
This is a lot of details to keep track of, but it’s worth it to get a full picture of the compensation each employer is offering you. You may not want to base your entire decision on who pays more, but it is a factor to keep in mind.
2. The commute
You’ll spend a lot of time getting to and from your new job, so think about how long the commute is for each company. CNBC reports that the average length of a commute is 26.1 minutes each way, or more than 200 hours a year. If one of the jobs you’re considering has a much longer commute than the others, you have to ask yourself if you really want to spend that extra time traveling to work and back. Think about whether public transportation can get you to the job or whether you’ll have to drive. If you’ll be driving, take into account the money you’ll spend on gas and vehicle maintenance.
3. Opportunities for promotion
Compare opportunities to advance in your career with each possible employer. If a company offers mentorship programs or a management training program, that’s a plus. Check out other job listings posted by each employer. A company that regularly posts openings for senior positions might have more room for you to move up than a company that rarely advertises openings higher than entry level.
4. Company culture
Think about the culture of each employer. Is it an elegant, formal venue, or is it more relaxed and casual? Ask yourself if you enjoyed talking with the people you met when you came in for interviews. Were you more comfortable with the people at one company? Were the employees easy to get along with, or did someone’s behavior rubs you the wrong way? Try to avoid working in a company where you know there will be personality clashes.
5. Responsibilities
Compare the responsibilities for the different positions you’re considering. Does one involve a lot more work than another? For example, one job may require you to work long shifts, or it might mean managing more people. Look into who you’ll report to; an employer that has you reporting to an executive may be more demanding than an employer that asks you to report to a less senior department manager.
Think about the pros and cons of greater responsibilities. An easier job may cause less stress and give you more free time. On the other hand, a more demanding job could be a boost to your career, and it might give you more opportunities to learn and advance.