Evaluating Job Offers

When you receive an offer

1. Say thank you – Acknowledge the offer as quickly as you can. You don’t have to decide right away, but its important to say thank you and confirm that you received the offer.
   • Most employers provide their offer via phone. With this in mind make sure you have set up your voicemail and have space to receive a message. If you answer, show gratitude and express continued interest in the position.
   • You may also receive an offer via email. Check your email regularly during your job or internship search and respond promptly.  
   • You don’t have to decide right away – Refer to the Creighton Job offer guidelines for clarity on the Career Centers expectations of employers! You do, however need to be responsive and plan to contact the employer about the decision timeline and next steps.
2. Ask to get your offer in writing – Most employers should be able to share official documentation so you can consider it more carefully. If not, they should at least be able to email details such as start date and salary so you have an informal record.  
3. Negotiating for more time –While there are many things about an offer you can negotiate, the most common is to ask for more decision time. It is important to determine for yourself how much time you need to make an informed decision before asking the organization. These conversations can be delicate – don’t be afraid to consult with a career advisor before you engage. Our general advice is to reiterate your interest in the role and explain how much time you think you need. Always end the conversation on a positive note by thanking the employer for their time.  
4. Keep in touch – It’s important to stay in contact with the employer. Make sure to return phone calls and emails in a timely manner. If you feel they’re contacting you too frequently, be proactive and suggest the date and time for your next conversation.  
5. Be an ACTIVE decision-maker – You may need to speak with other people at the organization, negotiate some details of the offer, consult friends and family, and/or do more self- and career-assessment regarding your current and future goals. While you may have time to make a thoughtful decision, you also have a responsibility to use your time wisely and not wait until the last minute. This is a great time to attend our drop-ins or to schedule an appointment with an advisor to talk through your options. 

Assessing the Offer

How in the world do you decide whether a particular job offer is right for you? Here are a few of the main factors to consider:

• Yourself: Obvious? Perhaps.  But it's too easy to fall into the trap of basing your accept/don't accept decision on someone else's desires.  This is not the time to take a job because you think you're supposed to or because your parents want you to.  This is the time when you have to consider your own wants and needs first, because, ultimately, you will be the one who has to invest your time and effort in the job.
• Salary and Benefits: This too might seem obvious, but many new college graduates have only a vague idea of what they want and need in terms of the money they'll earn in their first job.  Now is the time when you need to define your ideas about what is a good or acceptable offer, both in terms of salary and benefits.
• Job Duties: Does the job you've been offered honestly sound interesting to you?  Will it challenge you, or will it bore you to tears in short order?  Will you be able to apply some of the experiences and skills you've learned in your courses and internships?  You'll likely be spending more than 2,000 hours a year (assuming you'll be working full-time) on the job.  Certainly you want that time to be stimulating and fun.
• Company Culture: What is this company or organization really like?  For instance, do employees in the organization seem to like each other and work well together?  Admittedly, this is very difficult to judge when you're still on the outside, but you've no doubt developed at least some sense of the corporate culture from your on-site interviews.  If your head, heart or gut keeps whispering words of warning to you about the company culture, it's a very good idea to pay attention.
• Growth Opportunities: Will this job give you a chance to experience things you haven't experienced and learn things you don't already know?  Are there any opportunities for you to receive additional training so you can learn a new software program, for example, or an up-and-coming approach to Internet marketing?  And does there seem to be a good chance that you'll be able to move up in the company or organization over time?
• Your Boss: Your direct supervisor has the power to make your first job a wonderful experience or an exercise in misery.  If you have a sense that you'll be able to talk to your supervisor and learn from him or her, wonderful. But if you feel your supervisor is likely to be distant and unaccommodating, beware.  If you and your supervisor aren't on the same page (most of the time, anyway), you might be in for a rough time.
• Company Location: Will you be working in a busy city even though your heart yearns to work in a smaller area?  Will this new job force you to endure a long, dicey commute each day?  If so, is that OK with you?

These are just some of the many factors you'll need to consider in deciding on an offer. If you find yourself overwhelmed, you're not alone.  That's why it's a good idea to work with a Career Advisor in the Career Center as much as possible.  But if you carefully examine these factors and others that are important to you and then, most critically of all, make sure you remain truthful with yourself, you will make the most informed decision you can.

Offer Etiquette – Accepting and Declining offers

How to accept an Offer

• Be sure to follow any instructions that they provide via phone, email, or mail for how you can accept the offer. There is often a fair amount of paperwork required. Show excitement for the role and opportunity when you accept.  
• Once you accept, STOP LOOKING! Continuing to apply and interview for additional opportunities can harm your reputation with individuals and organizations in your field.  

How to decline and offer 

• Withdraw from the applicant pool or decline the offer as soon as possible.
• Interviewing or holding onto an offer from an employer that does not interest you wastes both your time and the employers time. It can also impact other students who are hoping for that opportunity. Holding onto an offer can damage your professional reputation.  
• You can decline an offer over the phone or via email – whichever has been your most consistent form of communication with the recruiter. Be sure to express your appreciation for the offer.
• Follow up with any person at the organization who you have come to know during the search process. Thank them for the opportunity to interview and reiterate your appreciation for the offer. You may even want to connect with them on LinkedIn.

If you sign an offer, or even verbally commit to an offer, then you should honor it.