By Aleah Sexton
With post career fair in full swing, it is now the season of offers. If you have received an offer for an internship or full-time position – congratulations! Accepting a position is an exciting time, and there are a couple of points to keep in mind when evaluating a job offer.
- Salary : It’s always a good idea to do some extra research to see what the average salary is for candidates in a similar situation as yourself. Websites such as Glassdoor can give some estimates of salary. Do some research on the median salaries for your major, experience, geographic location, and industry.
- Position : Although you might have a good idea of what the job entails, it’s great to schedule some phone calls with current employees in the position to ask questions about their day to day activities. Perhaps they can give you insight on something you didn’t learn about during the interview process.
- Manager : Much like setting up phone calls with the employees of your position, speaking to the manager you would report to is an important task, as well. You can ask honest questions about how they lead and figure out if you would respond well to that management. New graduates should have managers excited to fuel the new hires’ career path.
- Location : Once you find out what office you’d be located in, be sure to do research on average rent, utilities, and expenditure costs. If you have a specific hobby, lookup if the city offers activities toward your interest.
- Benefits : Based on your own values and preferences, it’s extremely important to be well-versed with the companies benefits. What is the leave? Are stock options available? What insurance is offered? Is there tuition reimbursement? By learning about the specific benefits, you can begin to analyze the pros and cons of your offers and understand which culture might best suit your style.
- Mobility : If you are interested in potentially exploring other positions or moving upward in the company, make sure to do research on the ability to explore other careers or promotions within the company. If longevity is highly regarded, it might be best to consider another company if you wanted great experience in your first few years.
By taking the time to research some important factors about the company, you can begin to narrow in on the pros and cons of the company. You will have a greater sense of the culture and your fit, and you can feel if your values align with their goal.