Getting a job in these dwindling economic circumstances is not easy. We have all experienced the hard work involved in getting selected from a pool of highly competitive candidates. But still, you need to have a second look at the job offer you’ve just received. Let us give you some thought to things that do matter while reviewing your job offer.
1. The big picture
Every career-oriented individual has a clear career path devised for the future. Some companies with particular job roles will help you get where you want to go. Others, unfortunately, will not. Every employer has its own company persona. You need to see how this persona fits into your career. Will it give a boost to your career in the future? Professionals with a crystal clear picture of their career do not just take any job. Even if you’re starting your career, you should still chalk out a certain way forward. Therefore, always question yourself: does this job fit my overall career plan or not? If not, then you should think twice before taking the offer.
2. The salary
Never accept an offer letter without being 100% sure about the market salary being offered for a similar position.
Bayt.com Salaries can give you an idea of the salary that you can expect depending on your industry, location, and career level. In fact,
six in 10 job seekers in the Middle East and North Africa feel that the salaries paid by their company are lower than other companies in the same industry, so make sure you get the remuneration that you deserve.
3. The benefits
Salary in itself does not define the entire package. Some companies offer lucrative perks which at times equate or even surpass the gross salary in amount, for example, health insurance for you and your family. Even if you are moving to a slightly higher salaried job without health insurance, then you need to reconsider. You can ask for performance-based incentives and training and development courses as these are the two most sought out benefits that professionals in the MENA region would like to see in their package apart from their salary, according to “
The Bayt.com Middle East and North Africa Salary Survey 2013”, May 2013.
4. The growth prospects
Every position does not have a fast growth progression. Make sure you know the position you are accepting. A career-oriented individual usually asks the employer about the growth prospects of the position offered. Ideally, you should have a clear picture of how well will you be rewarded in terms of promotion once you have already put your best into it. Some people do not realize this simple fact of professional life that each role has dictates a different career progression. “
The Bayt.com Employee Motivation in the MENA”, January 2013, revealed that other than work-life balance, the leading motivators for employees across the Middle East and North Africa region are recognition of work and achievements (47%); training and development opportunities (45%); the opportunity for career advancement (42%); being able to feel that their work has an impact (40%); personal fulfillment (39%) and opportunities for long-term career growth (39%).
5. The cultural aspects
The values that each company carries differ. Some companies have a fair and open system where they provide equal opportunity of growth to each individual. In other companies, office politics can play a significant part in career progression. There are no hard and fast rules of knowing the culture of the company. However, you should recall the feelers and level of comfort that you withdrew at the time of your interview.
With Bayt.com, you can tap into your friends’ career networks by identifying which of your friends work for companies you are targeting. On your
Workspace, you can also see jobs advertised in each of your friends’ companies and get the inside scoop from them on what the work culture is like, what salary to expect, what interview style is favored, and other vital information to get you through the door.
6. The person working before you
Some high paying jobs are surprisingly very difficult to sustain. When accepting a job offer, we often neglect the basic question of “why did the previous person working in this position leave?”
Some positions have high turnover. You should therefore make sure that you thoroughly investigate before accepting such a job position. Ideally, if possible, try to ascertain the reasons why the person in this position left.
We all want to improve our quality of life by accepting better jobs. However, we must never make hasty decisions in switching jobs. We may not able to find the benefits that we are enjoying in our current jobs, so always make sure to analyze your job offer realistically.
