Accept or Decline How to Know if a Job is Right For You - Your Career Intel

Accept or Decline How to Know if a Job is Right For You - Your Career IntelCongratulations, youve just been offered the job That welches the hard part, right? Maybe not. Determining whether to accept the job can be just as challenging. In todays economy, its not uncommon to switch jobs every three to four years. Being able to evaluate whether a perspective job offer is a good fit for your immediate and long-term professional goals is critical.In my 15+ years of recruiting, Ive seen highly qualified job candidates ultimately turn down great jobs or accept the wrong job for myriad reasons some good, some bad. When advising candidates on whether to accept or decline a job offer, I tell them to keep the following in mindHow to Know if This Job is Right For You TipsEducate yourself about the company and the stelle.During the interview process, express your expectations and desires about the job. Ask questions about the companys future direction and its corporate culture to assess whether working there will be a good fit for your professional goals. If youre on the fence after receiving the offer, ask the hiring manager if there is someone in a ort similar to yours with whom you can speak to learn more about the company culture and opportunities for growth.Be realistic about your prospects.If you know you are a final round candidate for multiple jobs at once, youve got some flexibility when it comes to making a decision. However, if you only have one offer on the table, it can be difficult to compare that with theoretical possibilities. Honestly evaluate the applications that are currently underway and the likelihood you are to receive an offer. Dont hold out for a better offer that may never come.Let go of the idea that there is a single dream position.No job will ever be perfect. Whether its a co-worker who rubs you the wrong way or a long commute, theres a downside to just about every job. As objectively as possible, weigh the pros and cons about accepting this n ew position. If the salary is not as high as you were expecting, will you be learning a new, valuable skill or significantly expanding your professional contact base that could offset a lower salary? If the commute is longer than you want, are there opportunities for telecommuting or flexible hours? Talk to the hiring manager about how you can shape the job to better match your professional and personal needs.Never take a job out of desperation.Whether its a mismatch in company culture or lack of professional challenge, dont be afraid to walk away from a job offer that just doesnt fit your needs. If you feel like youre taking a job out of desperation, you may resent the position and ultimately underperform. This could damage your industry reputation and hurt your candidacy for future positions. Its better to be honest with the hiring manager about why you are declining the position than accept a job that ultimately will make you and everyone around you miserable.Have you ever decl ined a job offer? Id love to hear more about what considerations were made in determining whether to accept or decline job offer, and ultimatelywhy you decided the position justwasntright for you. I invite you to share your experience below.

The 2 Most Common Maternity Leave Fears And How to Cope

The 2 fruchtwein Common Maternity Leave Fears And How to Cope A new addition to your life will lead to significant changes in your home life and your work life.Everyone handles change differently, and some of the changes youll experience will be completely unique to your individual situation. But universally, we can all benefit from acknowledging that were going through some significant changes. As an expectant (or new) mother, I bet youre experiencing a wide range of emotions and feelings as a result of the big changes to your life. Some of those feelings are quite likely anxiousness and fear about your professional career. Your future at work just seems so unclear, right? I went through this, too. Ive seen it from both sides going through the transition to motherhood myself, and acting as an HR Pro behind-the-scenes at some big companies.Here are some of the common fears around maternity leave. And dont worry, Ive included my professional advice on how to cope.1. Disclosing your family plans at work.Fear of disclosing your family plans can depend on your workplace and the relationships that you have with your manager and co-workers. While not always the case, having concerns about disclosing your plans to your employer is pretty common. For example, you might fear that your employer will see you as less focused on your role, and on your long-term career overall. You may also have concerns about your employer and colleagues treating you differently.How to copeOnly reveal what your employer actually needs to know. Theres no need to get into things like dont worry boss Im only having one baby. This is none of your employers business, and it only further complicates the relationship or makes unconscious biases more prominent. If you only reveal whats necessary, understand that the perception of what you share is out of your control, and that a stab und sttzeive work environment will support your personal pursuits as much as your professional ones.2. Losing your responsibilities at work.Another common concern includes the loss of responsibilities or commitments within the usual scope of your role, as they are reassigned to other colleagues in anticipation of your maternity leave. You may fear that others will see you as a short-term contributor rather than a long-term asset within the company. This is especially true if they assume that you wont be returning to work post-maternity leave.Some expectant moms may notice a growing sense of gradual invisibility. You might feel like youre moving from feeling valued within the company to feeling unessential. The transition towards motherhood can create feelings of insecurity in a mother who perceives accurately or mistakenly that she is being excluded from long-term decision making within the workplace.Combine these feelings with sore boobs, pants that dont fit and hella hormones, and pregnancy can be a recipe for a complete and utter professional meltdown. Sometimes, I cried in my car at lunch .How to copeIf your manager is reassigning work that you are capable of, and want to continue doing, ask about it. Go straight to the source (i.e.. your manager) and figure out their intentions. Try saying something like Can you help me understand why Frank has taken on these aspects of my role? My current priorities would allow me to continue to manage this effectively.I cant guarantee this will work. But instead of jumping to conclusions and making assumptions about why tasks are being rearranged, just ask. You never know your manager might have assumed you wanted that work reassigned. That manager might actually be in the mindset that theyre helping you. At the end of the day, youll feel good knowing youve done your best to manage this situation and your reputation.I dont think we spend enough time talking about this. Pregnancy and maternity leave absolutely have impacts on our professional careers. And as career-minded moms, we need to start talking about so we can get back to t he business of enjoying our maternity leaves. Weve got to abolish the feelings that time away from work will inevitably set us back in our professional careers.--Shauna Cole is the Founder of Human Resources Pro. Shes got an MBA, is a Chartered Human Resources Professional and Senior Certified Human Resources Professional. A high-energy Mom of two boys, shes obsessed with finding the balance between career and mom life (and also, wine).Follow Shauna on her blog, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.