What to Do With Job Offers

This begins a 3-part series on negotiating job offers

Successful job searches result in job offers. Your search began by recognizing how people really get hired. You did your due diligence. You called 10 people a day and met face-to-face with 10 people a week. You used your  answers to interview questions, home run statements, and reframe your weakness. You followed up effectively and prepared excellent written job search materials. So, now you have one or two job offers. What do you do?

Steps to Accepting a Job Offer

I suggest a few steps to analyzing, negotiating, and accepting your job offer.

1. Express your appreciation for the offer.
2. Compare the offer with your ideal employer description
3. Negotiate for a win-win solution
4. Accept or reject (yes you might reject) the job offer

We will discuss step 1 today, steps 2 & 3 on Friday, and step 4 next Monday.

Express Your Appreciation for the Job Offer

Get excited and thank them for the offer: One of the most exciting times in a person’s life occurs when they get offered a job. So, get excited. You don’t have to hold your enthusiasm back to appear professional. Companies like to hear that people want to work with them. It confirms that they made a wise decision in offering you the job. Thank them for the offer and tell them you really want to work for them. However, do not accept the job immediately.

Gather information about the job and offer: Ask the person making the offer a few questions:

• Are there any changes in the position from what we discussed during the interview?
• May I take a minute to review the job expectations as I understand them?
• Tell me about the salary, benefits, agreements or bonuses involved with the offer?
• Who will I negotiate the offer with you, or someone else? How do I contact them?
• If I accept, what onboarding activities need to occur and what are your milestones?
• I’m very excited about the offer, but would like to think it over. Can we meet (or talk if it’s a distance away) tomorrow to discuss it further and let me give you my answer?
• Thank you very much. I look forward to seeing (or talking) to you at xx tomorrow.

Once again express appreciation and excitement about the offer: Let them feel your excitement and enthusiasm after gathering the information. End the conversation on a positive note. Tell them you are really excited to work with them.

Celebrate the offer: Take time to celebrate the offer, even if you do not want to accept it. Any offer deserves celebration. Call family, friends, and your job coach to share you joy. Our family always buys doughnuts to announce big changes. Go buy some doughnuts.

Then, prepare to compare the offer with your ideal employer description and to negotiate the offer tomorrow. It will be a busy evening before tomorrow’s meeting.

Join me Friday when we will explore comparing the offer and negotiating a win-win solution.