2.) Why you should take some time to consider the position.
If you’ve already done research on the job (Read: How To Use a Job Description to Your Advantage), you might think you know everything you need to make a decision. Though you’ll probably have a good idea about your potential responsibilities and the expectations you’ll have to meet, you should spend at least some time researching the culture of the company, the type of life you’ll have working for them and their full compensation package.
Review The Company Culture & Employee Expectations
Websites like Glassdoor post reviews about companies from current and previous employees. It’s worth checking those out to see how your peers saw the position you’ve been asked to fill. You may find there are expectations to working there that aren’t in any job description: expectations about hours, behavior or priorities that you don’t like.
What Would Your Life be Like Working There?
You should also take a hard look at your life with that company. Do you have to move? Are you going to have a long or stressful commute? How are the seasons and weather going to affect your work there? Will you be able to spend time outside of work on things you want, such as your family, other hobbies or reserve military commitments? The answers to these questions might serve as a deal-breaker for the job, and it’s better to refuse the offer than have to quit down the line.
Do the benefits meet your needs?
An offer letter should always contain a detailed description of benefits. If you receive a verbal offer, you should ask to see a list of benefits that go along with your salary or wage. The only time that doesn’t apply is if you’re being hired as a contractor, in which case you need to figure out your own benefits through TriCare or the Affordable Care Act.
But be warned: company-provided benefits are not free like they are in the military. You will have to pay health care premiums on an employee-sponsored plan, contribute to your own retirement plan and calculate commute costs, moving costs, utility costs and everything else that goes into a “normal” life when you examine the details of your offer.
