Deciding if the Position is Right for You
The position you are offered may not be the position you were hoping to find. Job duties vary from one company to the next, and the position you long for does not seem to be available. You need to decide if the position you are offered has the potential to be the right position or will help you to later get the right position.
The factors you need to weigh include:
What are your duties and responsibilities? You want more than a job title and job description. How often you get time to “review processes and suggest changes to improve efficiency” versus how often you must “substitute for front desk personnel as needed,” can mean the difference between being a “real” manager and being a glorified clerk. Ask what a typical week looks like or what things you are excepted to do every day. Talk to the person who holds the hob now, or some who held it previously.
How often are performance and salary reviewed? You want to now who reviews your performance and how often they do this. You also want to know how often your salary is reviewed and what policies determine if raises are given.
Is there a probation period?: Probation periods, a period of time after starting a job in which you can be released position without “cause”, are sometimes used to let employers avoid legal entanglements because they made a bad hiring decision. Ask if such a policy exists and how decisions about termination during the probationary period are made.
What are the realistic chances for promotion? Internal promotions require someone above you leaves or is promoted. How many levels are above you? What is the policy on internal promotion? How often do the positions above you open up? What is the highest position it is possible to reach?
Will the job use my skills and abilities?: Changing jobs to face new challenges is exciting; changing jobs and finding out you could do the work with your eyes closed is depressing.
Does the company offer training programs? Early in your career, you want employers who offer in-house or external training to help you improve your skills and gain new ones. Some companies even offer tuition reimbursement to complete a degree or go to graduate school.
Will this job broadening my experience? A position with a wide-range of responsibilities or in which you can rotate through several departments offers not only variety in your day-to-day work, but improves your resume for the future.
How much travel is there? How much overtime? Ask what percent of time is spent traveling and make sure it is compatible with your personal and family needs. Also ask what the policy is on overtime. A reasonable overtime policy recognizes that there are occasions when extra hours are needed, but if overtime is used to save money on staffing, this is a big red flag.
Will this job help me reach my goals? Does this position take you closer to a career or personal goals? Don’t take a job just for the money. Even if jobs are hard to find, taking whatever comes along “for now,” can make it harder to get back on track later. If you are still interviewing and this is not your dream job, try to hold out.
