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Now you are waiting for definite job offers!

Generally the earlier you hear something the better. A delay could mean that you are classed as a 'possible' and your chance of an offer may well depend on someone withdrawing.

If, meanwhile, you get an alternative job offer, you could mention this to the delaying organisation - such a situation has been known to spur on the firm you are still interested in to make a decision.

What Constitutes an Offer

If you have a verbal offer following an interview, make sure that you get it in writing as soon as possible an organisation which seriously wants to employ you will make the effort to do this.

A formal offer of employment will be in writing and often takes the form of a letter which outlines the terms and conditions associated with the offer. These should include:

• Date of offer
• Company Job title or position offered
• Department and Location
• Date you will start work
• Salary and method of payment
• Hours of work and holiday entitlement
• Period of notice to terminate employment on either side.

The letter should be signed by an employee of the organisation who is competent to make such an offer, often a Personnel Officer/Manager. It may also contain other terms of employment such as details of the company rules, pension fund information, details of future salary review, etc. It can also contain conditional clauses such as:

Offer conditional upon:

• obtaining a degree
• obtaining at least a second class honours degree
• passing the company medical examination
• suitable references
• acceptance of the offer before (date)
• satisfactory completion of a six month probationary period, etc.

Ask yourself:

• Can you can meet these conditions?
• Are the terms and conditions offered those which were outlined at the interview?

Before acceptance, seek clarification of anything you do not understand or which you feel has been omitted.

KEEP THIS LETTER SAFELY AS IT FORMS ONE HALF OF YOUR CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT

Problems

Although your first reaction to the offer of a job may be euphoric, it is important that you evaluate realistically the implications of accepting (and declining) it.

This becomes especially important if you are in the fortunate position of having several offers to choose from, or having one offer and other applications 'in the pipeline'.

You may be unsure of the offer, you may need more time to consider, you may be waiting for the results of other interviews which will not arrive before the offer deadline. In these circumstances you should:

a) Acknowledge the job offer by return, expressing your appreciation and indicating that you will be giving your decision in writing (within the next week, by (date)).

If the job offer has a time limit for acceptance, and you have interviews outstanding, it is possible to write and ask for the time limit to be extended. Most employers will concur with a reasonable time extension.

Immediately get in touch with employers in whom you still have an interest, and from whom you are still awaiting a response. Explain that you are in receipt of a rival offer and that you are now under pressure to make an, employment decision.

Such an enquiry may prompt some employers to speed up their decision whether to make an offer or not. However other employers may not be able to do so, and you will have to decide whether to take the risk of declining the job offer in hand, in the hope of one which might not materialise.

b) Do NOT accept the offer on the basis that you can change your mind and decline it later.

This can reflect badly on you, your course, and the University, and is unfair to other students who may catch the backlash from this employer who may have sent 'regret letters' to the other candidates and now has to recruit for the position all over again.

c) Try to see a Careers Adviser as soon as possible to discuss the situation.

Factors that may influence decisions:

Finally, the time will come for you to decide which offer to accept. What should you consider in making this decision?

You will want to consider both immediate and longer range factors. Immediate factors, such as type of work, salary, tend to be more concrete than longer range factors, such as opportunities for promotion, company culture, quality of management, etc.

Because immediate factors are more concrete they can unconsciously become a bigger part of your decision. Longer range factors, however, are really the key to determining whether you will be happy with your choice for at least the first few years.

When so many employers (at least on the surface) look so similar, it is not always easy to spot the essential differences that will help you to choose the best possible match for the unique blend of personal skills, experience, aptitudes and values that you, as an individual, possess.

What is a 'good employer' for your friends might be a terrible choice for you. It pays therefore to spend a bit of time in looking behind the public image of an employer, finding out as much as you reasonably can so that when you make the choice you have made it on the best available evidence.

The following checklist might help you to clarify what you need to know before you decide to accept a job, and if you are in a dilemma, to sort out what factors are really important to you.

It is by no means exhaustive, and you will probably have questions of your own. Bear in mind that few people are in 'ideal jobs', some jobs adapt to the people in them, and that a rash leap into an uncongenial job could mean months of misery.

First Impressions

Has the recruitment and selection process given you:

a) Sufficient information about the organisation and its activities, the jobs on offer, and the benefits package?

b) An opportunity to feel that your skills/abilities/intellect have been fairly tested?

c) An opportunity to meet the people you would work with (especially recently joined graduates).

• Are they friendly/aggressive/welcoming/patronising?
• Do they look happy?
• What is staff turnover like?
• What is morale like?
• Is there a team spirit?
• Do people seem committed to the employer?

Evaluating Employers

1. The Job

The work you will be doing is a key consideration in making your decision. Your work should be personally challenging and satisfying - it should be a good match for your skills and interests.

Knowing what you might be doing in the future is not easily understood, yet your future opportunities are probably more important to your long term satisfaction. Work which is interesting and challenging this year could seem routine next year. You should know your desire for greater challenge and variety in the future can be satisfied. Consider therefore:

• What will I actually be doing?
• What responsibilities will I have?
• How early will I assume these responsibilities?
• What deadlines will I be working to?
• What pressures will I be working under?
• What intellectual demands will the job make on me?
• What physical demands?
• What skills and abilities and knowledge will I use?
• What values do I hold which may conflict with the job?
• What might I expect to be doing over the next three to five years?
• How much freedom do employees have to determine their own job movement and responsibilities?
• What could be done if an employee doesn't feel challenged or satisfied?
• How do promotional opportunities become available?

2. The Organisation

Do the answers to the above questions match up to your expectations of the job?

• How big is the organisation? How small?
• How stable/profitable/successful?
• Is it expanding, or contracting?
• Would I like to be associated with its product/services/values/ethos?
• Is it a 'rigid' organisation where job descriptions and status are clearly defined or is it a more fluid organisation where jobs change and develop in relation to demand?
• What about the organisation culture?
• Is it entrepreneurial, bureaucratic?
• Is it innovative, does it require high skills or just a good level of competence?
• Does it work within a tight framework or does it take risks?
• What does the employer feel like to you?
• Does it seem friendly, aggressive, steady or unpredictable?
• What is the status of the employer does it have a good reputation amongst the workforce, the public, in the marketplace?
• Does it have a history of growth?
• Is it known for innovation?
• How does it compare to other organisations in the same field?
• Does it have a good reputation?
• Is it going places?
• Could I work within the structure of the organisation?

3. Working Environment

The work environment will also influence your choice of companies. You will want to choose an environment in which you feel comfortable.

Work environments may be formal or casual, structured or unstructured, elegant or simple. You may have preferences based on your personal style.

Consider:

• What is the atmosphere like in the workplace?
• Can you imagine yourself working there?
• Are the offices/workshops/laboratories well-organised, pleasant, cramped, untidy or antiquated?
• What are the social and sports facilities like?
• What are the eating facilities like?
• Are there medical and other facilities on site?

4. Working Conditions

• What hours will I expect to be working?
• Will I be expected to work unsocial hours?
• Will the work involve travel, being away from home?
• Are there shift systems? Flexitime?
• Holiday entitlement, not including the statutory ones?
• Does this change with seniority?
• Will I be expected to join a union?
• Is there a probationary period?
• Will I be happy to accept the conditions associated with the job?

5. Rewards

Normally, salary is not the deciding factor, but an unusually high or low offer may sway your decision. You will want to be paid a salary which is fair compared to the 'going rate'.

You may also want to receive an attractive benefits package including insurance coverage, private health care, relocation assistance, profit sharing, luncheon vouchers, pension scheme, car, etc.

Bear in mind that high salaries often mean high risk and enormous pressure. Do you actually want to be a burnt out yuppie by the time you are 30?

Consider:

• How much will I earn immediately?
• How much will I be paid after deductions?
• How much can I expect to be earning in 5 years time?
• How is salary progression achieved by merit? by service? by a combination of factors?
• When will my salary first be reviewed?
• How often after that? ... on what basis?
• Are there any fringe benefits/subsistence allowances?
• How much can they be valued at?
• Do all the factors associated with salary match my minimum requirements?

The job vacancy mentions 'salary negotiable'. How do you deal with this one?

You do not want to price yourself out of the market but remember you are a valuable marketable product with a realistic street value!

You need to research salaries in this occupational field, check your responsibilities within your job description and calculate what you need/want to earn.

Decide on a minimum figure that you are willing to accept and then use your negotiating skills!

6. Location

Where you work is obviously a prime consideration:

• Where is the job located?
• What is the town or city like?
• Where will I be able to live? Distance from work?
• How much will it cost to live there in terms of accommodation, travel to and from work, upkeep can I afford to live there?
• Are there any personal reasons which would make living there difficult? Distance from family?
• What does it offer in the way of entertainment, sport, culture and shopping?
• Will I be happy to live and work in that area?

7. Training

The training you will receive should be of interest. You want to be sure you receive the guidance needed to be successful in your job. Training will help you develop the skills you need to be successful.

Consider:

• What sort of training is offered?
• How long does it last?
• Is it 'on the job' or in a classroom?
• Is there a management training scheme which will involve rapid job rotation early in your career?
• Is the training individually tailored to your own development needs?
• Will you be offered functional, technical, managerial and inter personal skills training?
• Will there be scope for you to develop or introduce your own ideas/suggestions?
• Will further study be required for professional examinations? If so who pays the fees?
• What are the pass rates? What are the consequences of failure?
• Do I feel that the training which will be offered gives the experience and qualifications I am seeking?

8. Prospects

If you are ambitious you will want to know how and how quickly you will advance.

Consider:

• Will prospects be dependent upon obtaining professional qualifications?
• How interested does the firm seem to be in the personal and career development of staff?
• How is your performance assessed?
• Are there regular performance reviews, appraisals and career development counselling?
• Is there a fixed career path or career progression?
• Are there opportunities to change jobs/functions/locations within the same organisation?
• Will I be promoted on merit?
• Does the company reward hard work?
• Are the prospects for men and women the same?
• If it is part of a larger organisation, does that mean you have the option to move between companies?
• Do the prospects associated with the job meet my career expectations?
  

This content is © The University of Hull. Edited and reproduced with kind permission from John Franks - Head of Hull University Careers Service. All Rights Reserved.