We asked W. P. Carey Alumni: What should be taken into account beyond salary when considering and assessing a job offer?
Here are 3 considerations for offer assessment they shared
- Work/Life Balance
- Career Growth and Development Opportunities
- Be Aware of Knowledge Gaps
Work/Life Balance
Beyond focusing on salary, I recommend considering the company’s culture around work/life balance and flexibility. Being able to balance your personal and professional commitments is not only important to your overall wellbeing but also your professional success. Many employers allow for flexibility in scheduling, hybrid or remote work, and promote prioritizing important personal obligations when they arise. This demonstrates that they value their employees’ well-being and understand the importance of a healthy balance. I encourage those seeking new opportunities to ask about how their potential future employer supports employees’ work/life balance and what opportunities for flexibility they provide.
Hannah Kirkman, ‘14 W. P. Carey B.A. Business Communications, Ventra Health
Career Growth and Development Opportunities
Besides salary, when negotiating it is important to consider career growth and development opportunities available for employees. What can the employer do to help you grow and gain new skills and knowledge? Are they a learning organization where you might be exposed to new things that might be challenging, but will help your career progression? When interviewing for new roles, you are not only getting interviewed, but you should also interview the employer to assess if it is a good fit and if it is an offer that you should entertain/negotiate.
Karen Vargas, ‘17 W. P. Carey Marketing & Business Global Politics, Copa Health
Be Aware of Knowledge Gaps
Be wary of things the employer knows (but you may not) that shape their perceptions and objectives. They often know everything they want about you, but you will need to learn as much as you can to make a sound decision. With a job offer here are just a few potential gaps in knowledge a candidate will want to get clarity on:
- What is the tangible value the role is providing to the organization – what key results or outcomes are being achieved and how – this is not always obvious from a job description and is influenced by key factors like technology investments, policies and practices.
- How are decisions actually made, and how much authority/empowerment does the role have? Will you constantly be asking for permissions and reviews before taking action? When, why and how?
- What’s the story behind this role – how long has it existed and why is it open? If the prior incumbent left, why did they do so?
Nathan Deily, ‘10 W. P. Carey Executive MBA, Nth Venture
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