Centra Blog

Increasing your Financial IQ

Don’t Accept a Job Offer Without Reading This First

Welcome to the team!

At the beginning of a career, it can be difficult to look past anything but the salary when considering a job offer. After all, more than 40 million Americans hold student loan debt today, and those debts aren’t going to pay themselves. However, it’s important to look at the whole picture when considering a job offer so you don’t regret your decision long-term.

In addition to the salary, you should also consider:

  1. Will you enjoy the work? This is the number one question you should ask yourself. It doesn’t matter how much money you’re making if you are miserable going to work every day. In that case, you either wouldn’t last in the job long or you’ll just be unhappy. Think long and hard about whether the work is worth the money.
  2. What will the commute be like? Adding even an extra 30-minutes on to a commute each way can really make the difference in a day. Think about how your day will be affected by your commute if it’s changing, for worse or for better.
  3. What will your team be like? If you had the chance to meet any team members during the interview process, consider what they were like and how they seemed to like the job. If everyone seemed happy and upbeat, it might be a great choice to join the team. On the contrary, if your future team members seemed generally unhappy you might want to take that que to bow out.
  4. What is the cost of benefits? You could sorely overestimate your salary by not considering the cost of benefits. If your salary would increase by 5 percent with the acceptance of a job, but the cost of health insurance would increase by 7 percent, taking the job may not be a smart decision. You’ll also want to inquire about whether you can expect any kind of 401(k) matching.
  5. Company policies. What does your ideal work day look like? How about your ideal work environment? Consider whether the company policies will allow you to work the way you want to work or not. If not, you may not be as happy in the role as you thought you would be.
  6. What does the trajectory look like? If you accept this job, do you think you’ll have the opportunity for advancement? How long do most people at the company stay in one position? If you’re looking for one job to do for the rest of your life, maybe this piece doesn’t matter. However, if you’re just starting your career, you will probably want the opportunity to advance at some point.

If you’re currently looking for a job, consider Centra! From finance, to marketing, there’s something for almost everyone within the Centra family! Check out our available positions here.