As a fresh graduate and a job seeker, there are many factors to bear in mind before taking up a particular job role. The high rate of unemployment in the country has made a lot of job seekers to be so desperate in the search for jobs that they ignore paying attention to the key things to look out for before taking a certain role. Without a doubt, job hunting is not an easy process. It drains one, both emotionally and mentally but irrespective of that, one must do a background check on a role or the company before accepting the job.
When you fail to run a background check on a company, you put yourself and your career at risk. Wrong careers move could take you several steps behind. When looking for a job, the pay, the beautiful social media pictures and the ambience of the office are not the only things to pay attention to. It is important you also pay attention to opportunities for growth, work culture, training opportunities, the company’s reputation, etc.
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These will give you an insight into the kind of company you are transiting to. A bad company can make redundant a good talent and kill creativity, motivation, and zeal. That the offer is good does not make the company good to work in. Not all career move is worth it. Look before you move.
Here are some things to consider when accepting a job
Opportunity for growth
Getting a new job might be your priority right now no doubt, but you still need to think carefully about how it will impact your long-term career prospects. If you accept a job offer on impulse and it doesn’t work out, you might end up desperate to leave. And there is every possibility that you might repeat the same mistake causing your C.V to become littered. When employers look at your CV, it might make you look unreliable. It is essential to know what it would take for you to rise to the top in whatever organization you are about to take up a job with. During an interview, you will have the perfect chance to dig deeper into career opportunities. Be confident and upfront with your interviewer. You can ask the following question: Is the culture competitive? What happened to the last person in my position? Where would you expect me to be in five years?
Even if progression is not important to you now, it might be later, so it is only a good idea to get a feel of the opportunities out there.
Work culture
You might think the perfect job fits your skills, comes with the right salary, and offers you the best benefits, but the evaluation doesn’t end there. You have to study and understand the work culture of an organization you want to work with before accepting a role. You also need to consider the work environment before accepting an offer. What kind of people are you going to be working with? Some work environments are more suited to extroverts, some to introverts. Similarly, some work environments will require you to have impeccable human relations skills as you will be dealing with a lot of people, while some just need you to get in, get the job done, and get out.
Have you thought about whether you will fit into the environment? Are you sure you won’t end up spending your whole day avoiding people and giving thanks once it’s time to go home? Many people have quit jobs just because of the nature of the environment. “The job was boring”, “My colleagues were too withdrawn” and “The environment was not conducive”, are among the reasons that some people must give for quitting their jobs
Salary
Another thing to take into consideration before accepting a job is the salary. An employer often provides this information to you when making the offer. It is important to assess the income your potential employer offers and compare it to your financial needs. You may be able to supplement an initial offer by negotiating a higher rate.
Work-life balance
Work-life balance is one of the questions you need to throw at your interviewer. This is because some companies have formed the habit of occasionally working late, making employees head to the office on a Saturday without any extra pay. Though working on this day can be essential especially if there is a project or a very delicate issue that needs to be resolved. But it is necessary not to make it mandatory for your employees every time, especially if it is not clearly stated in the theory job description. We all know that health is wealth so when taking a job, do a background check or even ask the interviewer if the company observes holidays, especially the one that is imposed by the government. How many days of annual leave can you take, and are you permitted to work remotely?
Company’s reputation
No one wants to join a company that might be shutting its doors in the next 12 months. You must read reviews on Google, the company site, company social media or job sites to see what other people are saying about the firm. Though reviews are not always 100% accurate. Nevertheless, the information will give you a clue about how the company is currently doing. How the company treats its customers and how employees view the company’s outlook. Finally, you must make sure that the company you want to join aligns with your values.
Proximity
It takes some people two hours or more to get to their offices. This is not ideal. According to experts, in accepting a job offer the location has to be considered. If you live far from your place of work, you are bound to spend a lot of money every month to get to work; this will diminish the amount you are left with to pay your bills.
That is apart from the stress of being on the road, probably stuck in traffic for hours and the man-hours you will lose. Compared to your peers who live close to the office, you are likely to be less productive and punctual and you will be exposed to more financial pressure.
Training
If you are interested in progression, then it is also certainly worth finding out about what training opportunities the company has to offer you. Some companies will even offer reimbursement of tuition fees for relevant higher education courses which is a fantastic opportunity for anyone looking to develop. Training is also a great topic to bring up during the interview; it will show your willingness to learn and grow with the business.
