So, you scored a job offer. Sweet!
Now, it’s time to squeeze every ounce of juicy benefits out of this deal before you sign the dotted line. One of the most dire rookie mistakes professionals make is verbally accepting the offer and then trying to get more out of your deal shortly after the fact.
Try to contain your excitement until after you’ve hammered down job details that are vital to your long-term growth, success and financial earnings.
Here’s what to consider before accepting that exciting job offer:
Chances are, your boss will try to lowball you. After all, they have everything to gain from undercutting your market value. Most companies leave a little wiggle room in the salary range in case you decide to counteroffer.
So, counteroffer.
Research your market value, make a list of achievements and goals, and highlight what a great cultural fit you are. This should create golden case for more money. This shows you know you’re worth.
A lot of professionals are worried about coming off too greedy. With proper hard evidence, and a reasonable asking number, countering an offer is far from unheard of.
Be confident, and have this tough conversation sooner rather than later. This one tough conversation can make or break your earnings for the rest of your year (and beyond).
If you’ve already negotiated your salary, this is the perfect time to make sure you address any concerns you want to negotiate outside of the paycheck. Flexible work hours, sign-on bonus, relocation packages or profit sharing are just a few fundamental requests to consider asking. Remember…ask you just might receive.
Read: Denied a Raise? 6 Alternatives You Can Negotiate
“Also, confirm the type of environment in which the company examines growth; do employees aim for certain targets or become specialists in certain subjects?” says Pete Kazanjy, founder of TalentBin. “You also want to inquire about the tempo of promotions along with the organization's willingness to invest resources (both time and money) into its employees.”
In other words, don’t keep your head down and hope someone promotes you after you accept the offer.
Clarify exactly what you’d be responsible for and a three-month plan to reach your goals. Don’t leave any room for surprises or a bait-and-switch mess on your hands.
Make sure you’ll be set up with the tools you need to succeed.
“Likewise, make sure that if you want some special software that you can get that ahead of time,” says Sarah Weinberger, software and systems engineer and CEO of Butterflyvista Corporation. “That is definitely something to agree to ahead of time, not after it is too late. I am thinking of text editors, graphic editors, comparison tools, visual development environment tools, etc.”
But this could also be a sign of late nights, working on the weekend and a general lack of flexibility. Such on-site perks, like dry cleaners and game rooms, are rampant in Silicon Valley. Not every company that offers these perks has a hidden agenda of encouraging their people to work ‘round the clock, but it’s worth it for you to make sure the culture isn’t toxic.
“What is the work environment like?” suggests Zarin Ficklin, lead designer at HQ, a design and development agency. “How flexible is the company? What value does the tech company place in your skill set? For example, some tech companies really value design while others treat it is an afterthought.”
Read: 5 Interview Questions to Reveal a Poor Company Culture
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