job seeker’s guide to comparing multiple job offers...one) to a job offer, or you can compare two...

Job Seeker’s Guide To Comparing Multiple Job Offers

Courtesy of Distinctive Career Services, LLC

www.distinctiveweb.com

(800) 644-9694

http://www.distinctiveweb.com/

Courtesy of Distinctive Career Services, LLC | (800) 644-9694 | Page 1

JOBSEEKER’S GUIDE TO

COMPARING MULTIPLE JOB OFFERS

You may find yourself in a position where you are choosing from among multiple job offers. Or

perhaps you’re evaluating how a job offer compares to your current position. This guide — and

worksheets — will help you with your decision.

The first step to deciding which job to take is

clarifying what you want in your next position.

This will help you assess whether the job you’re

being offered is taking you in the right direction.

So let’s start with defining your “ideal” job. Use

the “Your Ideal Job” worksheet to clarify what

your dream job looks like.

Next, once you know what you want, you can

compare your current job to job offers you

receive.

Make sure you’re making an apples-to-apples comparison. For example, if both jobs offer health

insurance, you need to dig deeper and compare the specifics of each health insurance plan.

For example:

Your Current Job Proposed Job

Premium Deducted Per Pay Period $200 $500

Type of Plan PPO PPO

Deductible $750 $500

Co-Payment (Office Visits) $50 $25



You want to determine not only the amount being deducted from your paycheck each pay period

for your health insurance premium, but the total costs you’d be expected to pay annually. For

example, if you are generally very healthy, a health insurance plan with a Health Savings Account

(HSA) might make sense, even if the deductible is significantly higher.

Your Current Job Proposed Job

Premium Deducted Per Pay Period $800 $300

Type of Plan PPO HSA

Deductible $750 $2500

Co-Payment (Office Visits) $50 N/A*

* With a Health Savings Account, you wouldn’t have a co-payment. However, you would be responsible for 100% of

your health costs until you met your annual deductible.

In this example, in the proposed budget, you would have an extra $500 a month ($800 minus

$300) that you could spend or save, and once you met your $2500 deductible, your HSA policy

pays 100% of covered expenses after that.

So consider the total costs involved when comparing job offers — especially benefits — and make

sure you’re making an accurate comparison.

WORKSHEET: YOUR IDEAL JOB

What are the most likely job titles for the position you want?



Describe your ideal employer. Size, culture, location, structure (public, private, family-owned,

franchise, nonprofit, etc.)

Describe your ideal job – the position you would most like to have. Responsibilities, who you

would report to, who would report to you. Would it involve travel? How much? What are your

feelings about meetings (daily, weekly?) Do you want to work independently, as part of a team,

or both? Do you like short-term projects or long-term projects?



What industry or job field are you considering?

What do you want your next job to do for you that your last job didn’t do? What do you want to

be different about your next job?

Desired Salary

What are the most important benefits — other than salary — that would prompt you to go to

work for a new company?



SAMPLE IDEAL JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Pharmaceutical Sales Representative or Medical Sales Representative

Industry: Healthcare Sales

Location: Omaha, NE (first choice) / Lincoln, NE (second choice) / Des Moines, IA (third

choice)

Compensation: Annual salary from $65,000 to $75,000

Bonus of 5-15% of annual salary

Full health and dental benefits

One to two weeks vacation

Work Environment: Supportive district manager

Solid initial training; lots of continuing education

Opportunity to be rewarded for hard work and sales results

Future Growth: 3-5 years – Sr. Sales Representative

5-7 years – District Manager

Other Considerations: Up to 50% travel in region (gone no more than 3 nights in a row)

HOW TO COMPARE JOB OFFERS

There are several ways to compare job offers. You can compare your current position (if you have

one) to a job offer, or you can compare two different job offers against each other, or you can

compare your current position against multiple job offers (lucky you!). The “Comparing Two Job

Offers” worksheet will help you assess the opportunities.

You can use the worksheets in a variety of ways. You can list specific details for each category —

for example, for “Base Pay,” that may be a specific number:

Current Job Potential Job #1 Potential Job #2

Base Pay $42,000 $38,000 $45,000



Or, you could use a “Plus/Minus” system to assess whether a job is a better match to your ideal

job profile:


Length of Commute + + -

You can also rank the criteria within a specific category, giving each line a score between 1 and 3

(if evaluating your current job against two possible jobs) or 1 and 2 (if evaluating your current job

against another job, or two job offers against each other). The higher number in each line

indicates the “best” fit so that when you total the category, the higher number “wins.” For

example:


“Interesting” Work / Creative Work 1 3 2

Challenging Work 2 3 1

Opportunity for Advancement 1 2 3

Chance to Contribute 1 3 2

Indoors/Outdoors 3 2 1

Work with Other People or Alone 1 2 3

Supervise Others N/A N/A N/A

TOTAL 9 15 12

In this scenario — for this category, anyway — Potential Job #1 aligns most closely with your

dream job. You would want to assess the other categories as well, but when looking only at the

“Nature of the Work,” this gives you an objective view of what might be a better fit.



WORKSHEET: COMPARING TWO JOB OFFERS

COMPENSATION


Base Pay

Overtime/OT Policies

Incentives/Bonuses/Profit Sharing

Relocation Expenses N/A

Stock (Employee Stock Ownership)

Cost of Living Adjustment

Pay Raises (Annual? Merit-Based?)

BENEFITS


Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance/Vision Benefits

Child Care/Dependent Care

Life/Disability Insurance

Retirement/401(k)

Paid & Unpaid Vacation/Time Off



Tuition Reimbursement

Company Car

Professional Memberships

Additional Perks

(Free Lunches, Massages)

Other:

SCHEDULING


Schedule (Set Schedule or Flexible?)

Evening/Weekends Required?

Length of Commute?

Family Friendly? (Adjust Schedule

for Children’s Events?)

NATURE OF THE WORK


“Interesting” / Challenging Work

Opportunity for Advancement

Chance to Contribute

Indoors/Outdoors



Work With Other People or Alone

Supervise Others

COMPANY CULTURE


Do You Like the People?

Forward-Thinking People/Company

Company Reputation

Values in Alignment With Yours

Organizational Structure

(Family-Owned vs. Corporate)

Good Environment

(Do People Enjoy Working Here?)

STABILITY


Industry Growing or Dying

Company Stability (How is the

Company Doing Financially?)

Startup Company vs. Established

Company

Growth in Products/Services

Diversity of Clients



(Number, Type of Clients)

Innovative

OTHER FACTORS




FREQUENTLY-ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT JOB OFFERS

You’ve interviewed with a company and things went well. The next step is the job offer. In most

cases, it’s a simple process — they offer you the job; you accept. But sometimes there are

circumstances surrounding the job offer that complicate the process.

Here are strategies for how to handle the situation when a challenge arises.

QUESTION:

I’ve been interviewing for several jobs simultaneously. What if two companies offer me a job?

ANSWER:

This is a great situation to be in! It feels wonderful to be wanted, doesn’t it? Sometimes, it’s an

easy decision to make. But it can be a difficult decision if you like both companies. Of course,

there are advantages and disadvantages to each job, and that can help you make your decision.

A “pros and cons” list can be a good way to objectively evaluate which position is the best fit.

Possible categories to assess can include: salary, benefits, work/life balance, company culture

and reputation, commuting time/telecommuting, if you will find the work challenging and

interesting, who you will be working with (and for!), industry stability, and whether the job fits

into your long-term career plans.

This guide and included worksheets will help you in assessing your options and making a decision.

A more likely scenario, however, is that you will receive one job offer before the other. So what

do you do if the job offer you get isn’t from the company you want?

QUESTION:

I’ve interviewed with two companies. I’ve been offered a job with Company A, but I want to see

if I get an offer from Company B (which is the company I really want to work for). How do I handle

this?

ANSWER:

Do you have an idea of when Company B will be making a hiring decision? That can influence how

you handle your response. If you’ve interviewed with both companies, and you expect a response

from Company B in the next 48-72 hours, you may be able to “stall” Company A by requesting

the offer in writing so you can review it “before accepting.”



You can also take this opportunity to negotiate the offer, which may buy you some additional

time. In the meantime, if Company B hasn’t told you when the hiring decision will be made, you

can contact the hiring manager and ask about a timeframe. You may even mention that you have

been offered another position, but theirs is the job you really want, and you wanted to follow up

to see what the timeframe is for making a decision before you let the other company know if you

were going to accept their offer.

However, there’s that old saying, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” You may not

receive a second job offer. And if you put off Company A for too long — or don’t act “interested

enough” — you may even lose that job offer.

In some cases, you may be better off taking the job with Company A and then seeing what

happens with Company B — which leads us to the next scenario.

QUESTION:

What do I do if I accepted a job with Company A, but Company B offered me a job after I started

my new position?

ANSWER:

If you’ve already started working at Company A, this puts you in an uncomfortable position. Your

current employer has invested time and money in the hiring process, and has put resources

towards training you and getting you up to speed with the company. So don’t make the decision

to leave lightly. Again, assess the pros and cons of both positions.

But if you are going to make a change, make it quickly. You will be burning bridges, but you don’t

need to make it any more difficult than it needs to be. Offer your resignation to your new

supervisor in person. Don’t put it in an email or text message. Be gracious. Thank them for this

opportunity. You may even want to explain that you were surprised to be offered your “dream”

position, and it’s an opportunity that you just couldn’t pass up. Offer your two weeks’ notice, as

you would if you were a long-time employee.

Letting your new boss know right away also holds true if you have accepted the job at Company

A, but haven’t yet reported to your first day of work. If you are going to revoke an accepted offer

of employment, let the company know as soon as possible. Don’t wait to let them know — and

don’t just fail to show up for your first day of work. While the company may be disappointed with

your decision, the sooner you let them know you’re taking another job, the better.



And what do you do if you let your current boss know you’re accepting a new position, and they

tell you they don’t want to lose you?

QUESTION:

I was offered a job, but when I turned in my resignation at my current company, my boss made

me a counter-offer to stay. What should I do?

ANSWER:

This is a tricky one, because Careerbuilder.com says that there is an 85% chance that an employee

who accepts a counter-offer will not be working at the company in six months. Many times, it’s

because the employee was fired, not because they received another job offer.

If you are in the midst of working on a key project when you get another job offer, your boss may

offer you more money to stay so that the project can be completed. However, when the project

ends, you may not be assigned to another key project because you’re seen as “disloyal” or a

“flight risk,” or you may be asked to train other employees on your major responsibilities and

tasks in case you do get offered another job — because the company doesn’t want to be caught

in that same position again.

From a personal perspective, there was obviously a reason why you were looking for a new job,

and a higher salary isn’t usually the only reason. Even if your current employer matches the salary

offered by the other company, the counter-offer won’t address other reasons why you were

considering a change.

Sometimes, you may feel like the “grass is greener” in another company’s field, so you apply for

a position that you wouldn’t even necessarily accept, just to see what else is out there.

QUESTION:

What if I interview for a position, but I don’t really want the job?

ANSWER:

While most of the time you will not be interviewing for a job you don’t want, sometimes it can

be worthwhile to apply, even if you don’t think you’d be interested in taking the job. You never

know — you might find that you really would want to work for the company!

You can also use the opportunity to practice your interviewing skills. When honing almost any

skill, practice makes perfect — and getting the chance to interview gives you valuable practice

for when the opportunity arises to interview for a job you do want!



However, interviewing for another position does have risks.

QUESTION:

My current employer has an informal company policy that if they find out you are looking for a

new job, they’ll fire you. How do I look for a new job without jeopardizing my current one?

ANSWER:

If your current employer finds out you are looking for a new position, they may begin planning

for what they would do if/when you took a new job … which might end up forcing you out of your

current role. Your co-workers may no longer regard you as a team player. Your supervisor might

be hesitant to give you a major project or additional responsibility, for fear of being left in the

lurch if you decide to take another job.

Try to keep your job search confidential — at least, as much as you possibly can. This means not

posting your résumé publicly to job boards, only applying for positions that you would accept if

the job was offered to you, and letting any recruiters you are working with know that you’re

looking to keep your job search quiet. You should also never use your work email and/or work

computer for your job search, and this is especially important in a confidential job search. Keeping

your job search confidential also means being strategic with your LinkedIn profile. Turn off your

activity notifications on LinkedIn so your contacts won’t get emails when you update your profile.

And don’t list that you are looking for a new position in your LinkedIn profile. Instead, make sure

it meets LinkedIn’s guidelines for “profile completeness” and you will be more findable.

Speaking of confidential, it’s not always possible to keep things from your past hidden in a job

search.

QUESTION:

I interviewed with a company yesterday and they mentioned that a background check is a

standard part of their hiring process. I’m worried what a background check will reveal. What

should I do?

ANSWER:

Don’t wait until you’ve been offered the job to address significant negative issues, such as a DUI

or a bankruptcy. You don’t want any issues to “surprise” the employer. If you know a background

check is part of the hiring process, you will want to disclose information during the interview

process (or on the application, if it asks you about current or previous legal or financial problems);

otherwise, you risk having the job offer rescinded when the background check reveals an issue.



The most common reasons for not passing a background check are errors of omission,

misstatements of facts, and financial and legal problems. Also, your job application is a legal

document, so all information on it must be accurate. If a background check identifies a

discrepancy you cannot explain, you may lose the job offer.

Another important consideration is that if the job offer is contingent on a successful background

check, do not give notice to your current employer until you’ve passed the background check.

Otherwise, you might find yourself without a job entirely, if there is a problem with the

background check at the new company, and you’ve already given your notice at your current job.

Let your new employer know that you will be giving your current company your notice once their

offer has been finalized — meaning, when you’ve cleared the background check.

According to a survey conducted by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), 69

percent of employers conduct a criminal background check as part of the hiring process. You will

be asked to provide permission to conduct the background check, and you likely will have to sign

a release form. If a conviction is revealed through a background check, the employer must

consider the nature of the crime, its relevance to the proposed job, and the time that has passed

since the offense. If you’re seeking a sales job, a recent arrest for theft is relevant. If you’re

applying for a position as an auto mechanic, an arrest for soliciting prostitution — especially if

the arrest was several years ago — probably isn’t relevant.

QUESTION:

I’ve been led to believe that I’m getting a job offer — the hiring manager talked about salary and

benefits, and even showed me which office would be mine … but I haven’t heard anything from

him in two weeks. Now what?

ANSWER:

There are many reasons why a job offer might be late-arriving. Most of them are out of your

control. For example, the hiring manager might have had an unexpected project or emergency

come up that delayed the job offer. Or the human resources department may have had difficulty

connecting with the individuals you listed as references. And sometimes, the hiring process is

simply put on hold.

This is why it’s important to ask in the job interview about the timeline. If the hiring manager says

you can expect to hear back in one week, you can follow up after a week and ask if there is

anything he or she needs from you to move the process along. If the answer is no, ask if it’s okay

to follow up again if you haven’t heard anything in another week. By getting permission to follow-

up, you don’t have to worry that you’re being a pest.



But what if you didn’t ask about a timeline, or get permission to follow-up? Unfortunately,

sometimes you may think you’ve received positive feedback that signals that a job offer is

forthcoming, and the offer never comes. In this case, the follow-up call might yield the

information that the position has been offered to someone else.

QUESTION:

What if I don’t get offered the job? How do I find out why I wasn’t selected?

ANSWER:

The easiest way to find out is to ask. You can send the hiring manager a thank you note that also

requests feedback on your candidacy; however, you’re unlikely to get a response unless you

follow that up with a phone call or email. And a phone call will probably yield your best chance

to find out why, if you can get the hiring manager on the phone.

However, keep in mind that the reason given for most hiring rejections is that another candidate

was “more qualified.” That doesn’t necessarily mean that the individual had technical

qualifications that more closely matched the job’s requirements. Sometimes, it’s also a matter of

“fit” — whether one candidate or another fits in better with the company culture.

Sometimes, if you can get feedback from a hiring manager, you can use the information to

position yourself better for the next opportunity. For example, you may find that it’s desirable to

have a specific credential or educational background for the type of position you’re seeking. But

don’t get too hung up on why you didn’t receive a particular job offer. Instead, focus on what you

can do differently in your next interview — recognizing that every “no” gets you closer to your

ideal “yes.”

Finally, as several of the scenarios outlined above demonstrate, the hiring process does not

always work out, so following up with the hiring manager to thank him or her may lead to a job

offer, especially if the top candidate turns down the position, withdraws his or her candidacy, or

cannot pass the background check.

If, however, you consistently find yourself getting job interviews — but not job offers — then you

might consider what you need to change in your interviewing style, or the types of jobs you’re

interviewing for — that will increase your chances of securing the job offer.


job seeker’s guide to comparing multiple job offers...one) to a job offer, or you can compare two...

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