When you should accept a job offer: 7 signs to take a new job
As I wrote last week, I began thinking more about when to leave a job. What people should be cautious of is leaving only because you can’t stand where you are now. When you are only running away, you can easily have blinders on and not see possible red flags and downsides of the position you are running to. You may only see how green the grass is but miss the fact that there is crabgrass everywhere. Or, love the colorful flowers only to realize they are all weeds later. Sorry…just finished some gardening.
As we discussed last week, there can be valid reasons as to why you should run and run fast. Some situations are so intolerable you must leave for your well-being. The ideal scenario is that while there are reasons to leave (we can come up with these pretty easily), there should also be signs telling you to take the new job in front of you.
If we are miserable where we are, it becomes harder to spot the signs, or we may see them when they aren’t there. This is why I caution anyone from making a quick leap without doing homework and sleeping on it a few nights. Your answer may still be yes but you need to give it time to simmer.
I was once in a situation where the company I was working for filed for bankruptcy. I loved this company and enjoyed working there but rounds and rounds of layoffs came and it was clear I needed to jump ship as I was going to be asked to disembark no matter what.
I interviewed with a solid organization and was interested to keep talking and learn more. After two hours of interviews with four people, I was immediately offered the job. Wow. That was quick! I decided to state that I was interested but had a lot more questions to ask. They gave me the chance to do that and I took the job. It was okay but something was nagging at me that each person spoke to me for 30 minutes and then they offered me the job. Hmmm…
A few years later, I was similarly offered a job…pretty quickly but I just wasn’t sure it was the right move for me so I turned it down. They came back a few weeks later and offered me more money so I accepted. This role, however, was a terrible fit all the way around and two months later, I was gone. The money was compelling but the role was a misfit for many reasons.
The lesson in both of these scenarios is to trust your gut. In both of these situations, I knew something wasn’t right. It didn’t feel right and I accepted the offers anyway all because I wanted to leave my current role so badly, I didn’t look for the signs appropriately.
Maybe you have had this experience? You’re not alone. Now, I try very hard to weigh both sides of the equation to ensure I am not just running away but running to something good. Here are the signs I know I should accept another job. And, yes, they are all feelings! Jobs can look great on paper but what do they feel like on a day-to-day basis? It is important to find out.
I feel good.
This may seem obvious but ask yourself if you feel good about the job, organization, person you will be reporting to, peers, and leaders. No situation is perfect, of course, but your job is a huge part of your life. You must feel good about it. In the two situations I described above, I didn’t feel good about them. Why? At the time, I couldn’t articulate why but I soon learned why and my gut was not wrong. If you don’t feel good, try to understand why but also trust your gut.
I feel the job fits my criteria.
When I wrote about career desires and goals a while back, I referenced four things that must be satisfied for yourself: values, strengths, energy, and belief. Do this role and organization align with your values? Think about this. If don’t know your values, write them down. If this is a start-up and you value stability, this may not be a fit. If this is a large organization with a steep hierarchy and you value autonomy…maybe not. I will admit, I have been tripped up on this one before and have ignored the values mismatch for money or to get out of my current bad spot. Don’t do it. Find something else. Also, think about the role and determine if the type of work plays to your strengths and would give you energy and confidence. All of this matters to being content in our jobs.
I feel I can be successful.
Knowing what success means to you is important. I am talking about whether you feel you will be set up for success. Will you have the right environment, equipment, people, direction, autonomy, authority, development opportunities, teamwork, etc. to be successful? We can be successful if we push ourselves despite a few things but having the right attitude and resources around us can help us or hurt us. Pay attention to this.
I feel I can make an impact.
Related to success but slightly different is impact. For me, this is one of my biggest values. If I just generate documents and proposals all day long but have zero impact on someone or something, forget it. I get very demotivated. Do you think you can affect change, delight customers, or implement new technology everyone will love? Whatever impact means to you, define it and be sure this new role gives you that chance.
I feel comfortable with the terms of the offer.
I just told you about a job I took for the money and it disappointed me. So, money is not everything but it does count. You won’t be happy if you are not offered enough to help you and your family. But money isn’t everything. Benefits matter. Flexibility matters. Trust matters. Autonomy matters. Just be sure your dealbreakers are addressed and don’t settle unless it is a trade-off you are willing to make for something else.
I feel I can belong.
This one may be difficult to determine at the end of an interview process. It is tough to know whether you truly belong until you have worked someplace for a while. However, you can tell if you fit. Can you see yourself chatting with these people? Sharing stories? Joking around? Do you think you can align yourself with the mission in a real way? Back to impact…will you make an impact that will make you feel good and further the mission? Belonging is such a core need for us humans. We must belong somewhere; it is our nature. Do you feel like an outsider when you talk to these people in the interviews or do you feel like you could be one of them?
I feel I can rest my head on my pillow every night.
This might feel like an odd sentiment but I once had a counselor who told me that her main goal every day was to rest her head on her pillow night feeling like she did her best. I mean…what else can anyone ask? It is so simple but I often think about this. Can I rest my head every night feeling like I did my best? Was I supported? Did I show up ready to do good? Do others respect me? Did I help someone today even in a small way? Be sure you can feel this way in your new role.
Leaving a job is tricky. I have known lots of people in the last year who left jobs they had for two years, 10 years, 25 years, and beyond to retirement. It can be difficult to say goodbye even when the environment has been a challenging one. Be sure you are leaving for the right reasons and ask yourself how you feel throughout the interview process for your new gig.
If you feel great and know it will click for you, then awesome. If you are unsure, don’t do it. This is a big decision so don’t settle and don’t wing it. You can take some time to figure out if it is right. Now, this does not mean you shouldn’t take a risk. If you want to and think it could be great, then go for it. Just review your feelings in your head first.