With an offer on the table, deciding what is the best decision for yourself can be very challenging. Here at Linkfield Life Sciences we speak to people on a daily basis on what they are looking for with their next position and what they hope to gain by taking that next step. Below, we look at some of the factors you might want to consider when considering a new position. Why not download our Offer Comparison Chart to fill in to help you compare your options as you go through the article.
It's Offer time
For the purpose of this article, let’s consider that you are at the stage where you have gone through the interview process and a final offer is on the table. Whether you are at the beginning of your career or towards the end, this is a big decision and here at Linkfield, we have found that it is usually a renowned “Yes!” or that further consideration needs to be made. As much as I would like to do this article on how to say “yes”, it wouldn’t be much help so what we talk about below are some of the things we think are worth considering when you have that offer.
How important is the money?
The financial package is most often the first thing that people consider, and something that is very difficult to overlook. Most of the time, the offer that you are considering will be of a higher salary but when shares and bonuses become involved, especially around this time of year, there can be some big lump sums to walk away from.
We also come across quite a few cases where people are looking to move into Regulatory affairs from a different career area. This can often mean they are looking at up to a 50% pay cut, but they take it because in the long run their financial prospects are much higher than if they stay in their current sector.
The financial package is a big factor and is your reward for the amount of time and effort you put into your work, but it is worth considering why you are interested in leaving your current position in the first place and looking at what else the new role has to offer.
Feeling unsatisfied in their current position is usually the main reason people start looking at new opportunities. A lot of factors contribute to how satisfied you feel about what you do, with each person having different weightings for each factor. We have listed some of the main ones below, but when considering your offer make sure to add in your own and decide which ones are most important.
- Company Culture
- Challenging work
- Stimulating work environment
- Work/ life balance
- Do you like your senior managers?
- Do you feel valued by your peers and managers?
As well as considering these points you can also run through a few scenarios and try to let your subconcious make the decision. We have listed a few which we find helpful;
- When thinking of your Monday morning commute, which role would you rather be travelling towards
- Picture yourself 5 years ahead from now, looking back from each jobs point of view, which one do you think you would tell yourself to take?
- Which role gives you the work/ life balance you are looking for? Think carefully on this one as your work is a huge part of your life so a job you enjoy will leave you happier than doing a job you hate for more time at home
Future Career Prospects
Even if you don’t know where you want to go next, it’s good to have opportunities there should you want to explore them in the future.
Some people have their career path or next few steps planned out, if you are one of these people then you should consider if the offer you have on the table will take you further towards that goal?
Others are just looking for a change to what they are currently doing. If you are one of these people, then the other factors we have previously mentioned might hold more weight when you make your decision, but it is never a bad thing to check where your next position will lead and if you like the look of it.
If you are still unsure then hopefully filling out our Offer Comparison Chart will help you decide.
natalie@linkfieldgroup.com
02071 835 059