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| Should you take that job offer? |
Congratulations - you got offered the job. After all the stress of job hunting, applications and interviews, you can finally breathe a sigh of relief. But before you sign that contract, there are a few things that you may want to check about your new employer. It's not just the job description itself which matters when you take on a new role - it's also about the company you will be working for. And from their policies on the environment to whether they are a
good workplace for women, there are a few things you might want to look at before choosing a start date…
Ask About The Benefits Package
Although salary is obviously very important, it isn't the only factor that your employer offers you, so make sure you check the other items included in your package as well. It's wise to check things like pension arrangements,
medicaid plans and how much you will have to pay in, if things like prescription medication and specialty services are included or extra and if dental work and vision care is also covered. With the cost of healthcare continuing to rise, it's more important than ever to know what coverage an employer is going to offer you.
Negotiate On Salary
Usually, the salary you are first offered isn't set in stone, so it's worth seeing if you can
negotiate a better starting salary - after all, the higher figure you start on, the higher you can rise in the future. Of course the employer isn't going to offer the top amount immediately - especially because most new employees, particularly women, don't try and increase it. But there is usually some leeway in the banding for you to get slightly more. If you're the right fit for the role and the employer is keen, you may be very glad you asked.
Contact Other Employees
If your new job is a for a company you didn't know a whole lot about before applying, or operates in a sector that's new to you, it may be worth trying to find out what it's really like to work there. Sites like
Glassdoor contain employee ‘reviews’ of major companies, although bear in mind that these can be a bit biased. Or you could try reaching out to former employees via a platform liked
LinkedIn Groups to see what the general impression is. If people have generally been treated well while working there, it's likely that you will have the same experience.
Ask About Further Training
Every job you take should advance your career and also your learning, and while you'll probably be learning plenty through your job role, it's also worth knowing if there will be opportunities for other kinds of learning as well. Additional training, structured reviews and either time off for study leave or funding towards educational advancement, like
doing an MBA, are all signs of companies which are committed to employee development and helping you to achieve more, and that's exactly what you want from an employer.
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