What to do After You Receive the Offer Letter?
March 2021
By NTI
You have made it through the job process, aced the interview, and you are comfortable with the prospect of working there.
Things are looking good, then you receive the job offer. What should you do next?
“You make sure you are reading the document carefully,” said Alan Hubbard, NTI’s Chief Operating Officer. “You want to make sure everything is in there that you talked about in the interview. If you have questions, don’t be afraid to reach out to the hiring manager.”
There is more to consider than what you will get for your salary.
“Before you save yes, you’ll take the job, consider the entire compensation package-salary, benefits, perks, work environment, the schedule, and the hours,” wrote Alison Doyle at www.thebalancecareers.com. “Also, consider the job description and if you would be happy working at this job with this company.”
“Weigh the pros and cons and take some time to think about the offer. You don’t have to say yes right away if you are going to accept. Ask the employer when they need a response. If you have two offers to consider, use a comparison list of pros and cons to help you decide which one to accept.”
What if you have checked out the benefits, but there is still a question about the salary?
“Salaries are negotiable,” said Hubbard. “You might want to ask for a meeting to review everything and see if any changes can be made.”
“Another tip is to make up a budget and see if that works for you. If you really love the job, there might be changes you can make to your lifestyle. It might be worth cutting down from eating out three times a week to once a week. This has to work for you.”
What if you are lucky enough to receive two job offers at the same time? This is where the list comes in handy again. Write the pros and cons of each job and see how they match up.
The final step is whether to accept or decline the job offer. While the letters might be different, you want to make sure you are taking a formal approach.
“If you don’t accept the job, you still have to let the employer know,” said Hubbard. “This is very important because you don’t know whether you will be meeting this person again or might want to reconsider the company at some point.”
If you are sure you aren’t going to accept the job, make sure you let them know right away. You want the note to be brief without a lot of details, and make sure you thank them for the opportunity.
NTI helps Americans with disabilities and their caregivers find at-home employment with free training and job placement services. You can register at www.nticentral.org.