Two Offers, One Choice: How to Decide Which Role is Right For You
Let’s be honest – having multiple job offers to choose from is a great problem to have.
You worked hard in the application process, shined in the interviews, and finally got the recognition you deserve.
But now you’re probably feeling the pressure to act fast and make a decision. The fear of regret is very real.
So, how do you make a decision with confidence?
Before you do anything else, your first task is to get both offers in writing. This will give you the details you need to make an informed decision, and make sure you’re not jumping the gun!
Next, follow the steps to compare the offers and work out which is the best fit for you:
Gather the Facts
The first thing you need to do is gather objective information about the roles. Think of yourself as a detective bringing together the evidence. This will help you do a like-for-like comparison of the jobs.
Focus on the following:
Salary
Perks and employee benefits
Flexibility
Travel time
This alone might help you make a decision, but if not, don’t worry – you’ll be using the research in a few steps.
Look Into the Future
What are your long-term prospects at each of the companies?
Think about where you want to be in five or ten years’ time, and how the roles will help you pursue your dream career path. Is one of the jobs more aligned with your career path?
Take another look at the job descriptions and think back to the interviews – are there clear opportunities for learning and growth in both roles, or does one stand out?
Remember, every position you take should help you along your career journey and move you closer to your dream career.
Check Their Rep
You can bet the prospective employers will have done some background research on you before making an offer. Maybe they checked your LinkedIn or other social media. Or they called your referees.
Now it’s your turn to do the same.
You can tell a lot about a company by taking a quick swipe around their social media accounts. What do they post about their employees? Can you spot any bad reviews from customers or employees? Just a bit of sleuthing can give you a good idea of how the company really functions.
Go to Glassdoor and Indeed and look for evidence of their company culture, values, and other elements that point to the company being a good employer.
Unlike your salary, the company culture cannot be negotiated, so do your research.
Check Your Value Alignment
Values show how companies prioritise, make decisions, and reconcile conflict.
As Harvard Business Reviews notes, “A culture may celebrate innovation, but values determine what gets sacrificed in the pursuit of it.”
It’s nearly impossible to bring your best to an organisation that works against your values.
Ensuring that a company shares your values means you first need to identify your own core values.
This isn’t just about whether you want to give back to the community or work for a company with a strong sustainability focus – while these are important, your core values are the tenets that are central to who you want to be in the world. Think honesty, integrity, positivity, or trust.
If you’re clear on what you stand for, you can make sure you contribute to an organisation that helps you live by your values every day.
Create a Decision Matrix
It’s time to get scientific with your decision. Now you have the information you need, weigh up the jobs on a decision matrix.
Here’s how:
List up to 10 factors that you most value in a job, such as salary, benefits, flexibility, learning potential, etc.
Assign a weight on a scale of 1 to 10 reflecting how important each factor is to you.
Finally, go through the list for each job and score them from 1 to 10 on each factor.
Or you can simply use this handy decision matrix app.
Trust Your Instincts
Even with the decision matrix app and all the research, it’s good to go with your gut. If the scientific approach points you in the direction of a clear winner but you’re a bit disappointed with the result, pay attention to that feeling.
If you’re still torn, think back to the interview:
Who did you click with most? How did you feel when you walked into the workspace – was there a good vibe?
Imagine yourself working in each of the spaces, interacting with co-workers, grabbing coffee, and commuting.
How does it feel? Does one make you feel more excited than the other?
Which role most allows you to be yourself and lets you play to your strengths?
If the opportunity is not making you excited about the future, you are unlikely to be happy in the role.
Decision Time
Take your time making your final decision. Yes, employers want you to sign on the dotted line quickly, but if they really want you, they’ll wait for you and will appreciate that you’re making a well-considered decision.
Just be honest about the fact that you have multiple offers and use it as an opportunity to ask for extra information to help your decision.
Made Your Decision? Congrats!
Now, move fast. Get back to each hiring manager as soon as possible, be gracious and thank them for the opportunity. Be careful not to burn your bridges with the runner-up. You never know if circumstances might change.
One final thing before you sign on the dotted line – learn how to negotiate your salary to get paid what you’re worth.
Remember, having two offers puts you in a position of power. Trust your decision and go into the next steps excited about the possibilities, rather than regretting the lost opportunity.
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