You’re living the dream! You’ve received job offers from two really great companies and you don’t know which one to pick. Good for you—you’ve worked hard and you deserve this! So, how do you make a smart choice between two different job offers?
Tempting as it might be to flip a coin or use the old “eeny meeny miny moe” tactic, your career deserves more thought and consideration. Or maybe you think you know which company to pick but still want to be 100% sure you’re making the right decision?
Let’s take a look at what to consider when choosing between two job offers, how to make your final decision.
What to Consider When Evaluating Job Offers
One simple but super helpful way to compare job offers is to create a comparison chart that goes over each of the following factors.
Pay
Comparing the pay between two different job offers seems straightforward—just see which one pays more, right? Not exactly. Look beyond the line by line number comparison and ask yourself: Is the pay enough for you to live on? Is it worthy of your skills, experience, and knowledge? Are there any commissions, bonuses, overtime, or stock options? Does the company offer pay raises and if so, how often?
Benefits
Benefits make up a big portion of a job’s compensation package. Find out what type of benefits each company offers and when you become eligible for those benefits. This can include everything from health insurance coverage for you and your family, vacation and sick leave, retirement plans, and tuition assistance to gym memberships, movie discounts, and flexible scheduling.
Commuting and Parking
The Hawaii gridlock is real and our public transportation is inconsistent, at best. It’s a good idea to figure out how long it’ll take you to commute to each job, what parking options are available, how much it’ll cost you, and whether the company offers any reimbursements. For some, a $100 monthly parking fee and sitting in two hours of traffic, five days a week, might be a deal-breaker.
Job Duties
Even if the two jobs are similar it’s a good idea to have a strong grasp on what you’ll be doing every day when you walk through the doors. Do you like the job duties of the role? Are you confident that this is something you want to do? Will the duties give you the job satisfaction you’re seeking? Do they align with your long-term career goals?
Company Culture
For many people, the character and personality of the organization, known as company or organizational culture, is more important than salary. While it is tricky to judge a company’s work culture until you actually start working, there are some basic things to consider. What is the company’s core mission and values and how do they align with your own? What is the work environment like? How does the company define success? Are employees appreciated and valued? Company social media can be a helpful window into the company culture and help you determine whether it’s right for you.
Your Career Path
Yes, getting this job is important right now. But take a step back and look at how each of the jobs will help your career five or even ten years down the road. Will the job challenge you? Will it expose you to new experiences? Will the job offer you opportunities to grow your skills and your network?
What People Say
If you’re missing any information, don’t be afraid to reach out to the companies for clarification. Now that you’ve already received a job offer, you are well within your rights to ask any questions you need to determine if you’ll accept the position.
Related: Questions to Ask Before Accepting a Job Offer
Be aware that some information may be harder to get a non-biased answer from such as what the company culture is like or how management handles issues. The best way to find this information is through other people who currently work there or have in the past. Check out online reviews or tap into your LinkedIn network and see if anyone you know has connections to people who work at the company.
Once you have information about each job, map out and visualize what a typical day will look like for you and how that will impact your life. Be honest with yourself. Does it excite you? Does it make you happy?
A job is so much more than the salary; it’s going to be affected by what matters most to you. A higher pay rate may be important to you on paper but if you’re spending 40-plus hours a week in a shark tank with competitive company culture, you need to evaluate if that’s truly what you want out of a job.
At the end of the day, no one can make the decision for you. You’ll have to put a lot of thought and research into choosing the right job offer for you and your career.
Find a job
If you’re not happy with your job or career path, ALTRES Staffing may be able to help. We understand the local job market and match qualified candidates with Hawaii’s leading companies every day. We offer jobs you won’t find anywhere else, and one interview will give you access to hundreds of jobs. Best of all, our services are FREE for jobseekers. You can search our current positions, or just reach out if you need guidance. We are happy to help!
Sign up for our newsletter
Sign up for our monthly HIVE newsletter and get tips for finding a job, managing a business and advancing your career right in your inbox.
You’re living the dream! You’ve received job offers from two really great companies and you don’t know which one to pick. Good for you—you’ve worked hard and you deserve this! So, how do you make a smart choice between two different job offers?
Tempting as it might be to flip a coin or use the old “eeny meeny miny moe” tactic, your career deserves more thought and consideration. Or maybe you think you know which company to pick but still want to be 100% sure you’re making the right decision?
Let’s take a look at what to consider when choosing between two job offers, how to make your final decision.
What to Consider When Evaluating Job Offers
One simple but super helpful way to compare job offers is to create a comparison chart that goes over each of the following factors.
Pay
Comparing the pay between two different job offers seems straightforward—just see which one pays more, right? Not exactly. Look beyond the line by line number comparison and ask yourself: Is the pay enough for you to live on? Is it worthy of your skills, experience, and knowledge? Are there any commissions, bonuses, overtime, or stock options? Does the company offer pay raises and if so, how often?
Benefits
Benefits make up a big portion of a job’s compensation package. Find out what type of benefits each company offers and when you become eligible for those benefits. This can include everything from health insurance coverage for you and your family, vacation and sick leave, retirement plans, and tuition assistance to gym memberships, movie discounts, and flexible scheduling.
Commuting and Parking
The Hawaii gridlock is real and our public transportation is inconsistent, at best. It’s a good idea to figure out how long it’ll take you to commute to each job, what parking options are available, how much it’ll cost you, and whether the company offers any reimbursements. For some, a $100 monthly parking fee and sitting in two hours of traffic, five days a week, might be a deal-breaker.
Job Duties
Even if the two jobs are similar it’s a good idea to have a strong grasp on what you’ll be doing every day when you walk through the doors. Do you like the job duties of the role? Are you confident that this is something you want to do? Will the duties give you the job satisfaction you’re seeking? Do they align with your long-term career goals?
Company Culture
For many people, the character and personality of the organization, known as company or organizational culture, is more important than salary. While it is tricky to judge a company’s work culture until you actually start working, there are some basic things to consider. What is the company’s core mission and values and how do they align with your own? What is the work environment like? How does the company define success? Are employees appreciated and valued? Company social media can be a helpful window into the company culture and help you determine whether it’s right for you.
Your Career Path
Yes, getting this job is important right now. But take a step back and look at how each of the jobs will help your career five or even ten years down the road. Will the job challenge you? Will it expose you to new experiences? Will the job offer you opportunities to grow your skills and your network?
What People Say
If you’re missing any information, don’t be afraid to reach out to the companies for clarification. Now that you’ve already received a job offer, you are well within your rights to ask any questions you need to determine if you’ll accept the position.
Related: Questions to Ask Before Accepting a Job Offer
Be aware that some information may be harder to get a non-biased answer from such as what the company culture is like or how management handles issues. The best way to find this information is through other people who currently work there or have in the past. Check out online reviews or tap into your LinkedIn network and see if anyone you know has connections to people who work at the company.
Once you have information about each job, map out and visualize what a typical day will look like for you and how that will impact your life. Be honest with yourself. Does it excite you? Does it make you happy?
A job is so much more than the salary; it’s going to be affected by what matters most to you. A higher pay rate may be important to you on paper but if you’re spending 40-plus hours a week in a shark tank with competitive company culture, you need to evaluate if that’s truly what you want out of a job.
At the end of the day, no one can make the decision for you. You’ll have to put a lot of thought and research into choosing the right job offer for you and your career.
Find a job
If you’re not happy with your job or career path, ALTRES Staffing may be able to help. We understand the local job market and match qualified candidates with Hawaii’s leading companies every day. We offer jobs you won’t find anywhere else, and one interview will give you access to hundreds of jobs. Best of all, our services are FREE for jobseekers. You can search our current positions, or just reach out if you need guidance. We are happy to help!
Sign up for our newsletter
Sign up for our monthly HIVE newsletter and get tips for finding a job, managing a business and advancing your career right in your inbox.