Whether you’re going into your first full-time job straight out of college or transitioning within your career, choosing between several job offers can be challenging. There are a lot of different factors that go into deciding on a job, such as work environment, compensation, benefits, culture, and location. With all these things to consider and a limited amount of time to make a decision, it’s not unusual to feel a bit stressed.
The best way to get yourself through this decision with ease is simple: know yourself.
Although there are many factors that will play into the decision you make, you need to figure out which of those factors is the most important to you. For example, you may want to take the offer with the closest location because you value staying in close proximity to your family. Or, you might decide on the job that has an open-office environment because working collaboratively with others is your preferred way of working.
Deciding what you value at work can be difficult if you haven’t given it much consideration before. A good start is to look to your past, specifically your past work history. In your previous jobs, what did you like? What did you wish was different? Asking yourself these questions can give you an idea of what your main “work values” are.
Once you know what you value, start comparing the offers. How do they measure up? Be sure to research each company in order to get an idea of what their workplace culture and values are like, or ask the company directly. It’s important that you know as much as you can before making a decision. The better-informed your decision, the more likely you are to end up at a job that brings happiness and meaning to your life.
