Making the Right Career Move: Choosing Between Multiple Job Offers

Imagine this scenario: you’ve finished your job applications and completed successful interviews. Like you hoped, your phone has been ringing off the hook. But there’s a problem — you’ve received multiple job offers. How can you choose between several offers to find the job that’s right for you? Here are three factors to consider when deciding which offer to accept.

Impressions are important

You might already know at which company you feel you’d like to work, but other factors are holding you back from making that decision. Certainly, financial factors are important, but unless one firm has offered you twenty percent more than another, money shouldn’t be your top factor.

Instead, consider your excitement about the position and the company. Did you like your potential future boss and colleagues? Did the company make you feel valued? If you feel excited about the company and they feel excited about you, take that gut instinct seriously.

But a good first impression doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do your research

Even though you have a job offer, you can — and should — continue asking questions. Dig into the nitty gritty at all the companies where you’ve been offered positions. Figure out the company’s values and see if you fit in with their company culture. Learn about nuts and bolts, like, for example, the hours you’ll be expected to work. Further, if you can, speak with the individual who used to hold the position for which you’ve been hired. That person can give you the ins and outs regarding your future boss, the unwritten expectations of the position, and the company’s culture.

Long-term job growth and training are significant factors

You’re likely not going to stay in the same job forever — who would want to? So, in choosing your position, decide on one that encourages you to learn new skills in your ever-evolving field. Additionally, take into consideration if you could see yourself working at the company — and moving up — for years to come. Again, if the company doesn’t offer as much money as another but has career advancement opportunities, you’ll likely be better off working where the career — not just the job — is.

Even if you take all this advice, choosing the right place to work can still be a daunting task. Certainly, more than one job offer can seem compelling at one time, making it that much harder to choose wisely for the long term. Over the past sixteen years, Career Moves has helped more than 400 accounting and finance professionals find rewarding positions. We are here to help you decide which position is the right move in order to build a long-lasting, satisfying career.