Over our lifetime, we end up spending more time with coworkers than with family and friends. So, if you’re juggling multiple job offers, you want to make the right choice. Here’s a few tips on how to choose the right workplace.
Identify what you want
What do you want from your new job? What are you passionate about? Maybe there’s a specific reason you’re looking for a new job, such as projects you want to work on, location closer to home, more flexibility, or perhaps you want a company that’s more social. Think about what you’re not getting from your current job that you want in your next.
Define your why(s)
Once you know what you want, it’s beneficial to understand why they’re important. List a ‘why’ against each ‘want’. This will help you in the process of comparing each company against what you want. For example, maybe you want a more social workplace because you’ve recently moved to the area and you want to make more friends. On flip side, maybe you have many commitments outside of work, so you don’t need a company that socialises a lot.
Now you know what you want and why it’s important to you, it’s time to apply it
Conduct research on a company from wide range of resources
The company website, socials, past and present employees. Remember to make your own judgement based on what’s important to you and that everyone will have differing opinions and interpretations. If you’re working with a recruiter, ask them for their opinion on your specific questions as opposed to recommending a role or company.
Write a pros and cons list for each company with your wants in mind
It may be helpful to give different weights to each ‘want’, rating them out of five for example, where 5 is a non-negotiable and 1 is a nice to have. The results of this process should help you feel confident in your decision.
Manage your offers with honesty and integrity
Be honest that you’re managing multiple offers, especially if you’re working with a recruiter. Make your decision in a timely manner, waiting two weeks to accept an offer may make an employer feel that they’re your second choice. Similarly, playing companies against each other to try and get the best offer may do you a disservice. Instead, return to your ‘whats’ and ‘whys’. And when the time comes, remember there’s a right way to resign. Be grateful for the opportunities you’ve had and be wary of counter offers.
Choosing a between multiple offers is rarely easy, but keeping what you want and why you want it in mind, should help make the decision easier.
For more career advice and insights, check out our career resources.
