The Job Offer

RetirementJobs.com Staff Writers
Article 8 of 8 from "The New World of Job Searching"

Your Job Search: The Job Offer
All your hard work - the resume tweaking, the anxiety, the frustration, the researching, the interviewing and reference checking has finally paid off. Congratulations, you have just been offered a job!

Chances are you get this news in a phone call. You have a flush of success and a relief you haven't enjoyed in months. Affirmation that you're worthy of employment - you're a whole person again. More than ever, it is important to put your emotions aside and ask some important questions before you even consider accepting the offer.

Your Acceptance Criteria
Hopefully, before you receive your first offer, you've set some standards that you will use to guide your decision process. The key factors to establish in advance are:

1. Employment Status - Is the job as a regular employee or as a contractor?
2. Pay - What is your preferred pay level and what is your lowest acceptable amount?
3. Health Benefits - Do you or don't you need health benefits and need the benefits be comprehensive or merely supplemental to Medicare or other insurance? How much are you prepared to pay?
4. Other Benefits - What are your requirements for life insurance, disability income, and other essential insurance and welfare benefits?
5. Paid Time Off - What are your minimum expectations for paid holidays, vacations, and other paid time off?
6. Retirement Income and Savings Plans - Are you hoping for a traditional employer-paid defined benefit pension (not very likely in most industries) or at least an employer-matching savings plan? A minimal savings plan should provide an employer match of 2% to 4% of your total annual pay.
7. Work Schedule and Flexibility - Do you have expectations for a reduced, compressed or nontraditional work schedule? Would you hope to work some or full time at home?
8. Growth and Development - Is the opportunity train, grow and advance important to you?

Try to get your acceptance standards in place before you confront your first offer.