Several Job Opportunities and How To Choose The Right One

For those that truly push for opportunities in their job search, it isn’t uncommon to be found with two or more job offers presented to them.  However, most companies extend the offers with the sincere hope that those candidates go to work for them, and put a limited window of time to decide and sign the paperwork.

This makes decisions difficult –figuring out where to spend the next few months of an internship, or even heavier, the next few years of a job, is no easy task.

The way I look at it is to think about five major factors that go into the decision: happiness, location, compensation, continuity, and career impact.

Picture yourself in 10 years. What’s your ideal work environment?
Photos: Hoklife, GE, Shutterstock

You Can’t Buy Happiness, But You Can Work In It

Coming from someone who has enjoyed several previous work opportunities, and experienced some that were terrible, your happiness is critical to whether you’ll excel in a job or not.  Read further into the descriptions and ask both HR and employees at the company what you would actually do in your role.  If these realities do not excite you in hearing them, it’s probably because you won’t enjoy your potential future job.

Compensation: Reality Check

In the end, we all need to earn a means of living, and having a larger paycheck is never an unfortunate thing.  But!  Make sure you’re doing a job for what it’s worth to you as well as what it pays out – several of my friends have chosen a position only for the money, and moved back to a smaller paycheck closer to home in the end.  Know what you’re looking for both in money and work.

The country is well connected, but make sure you enjoy where you’re located! http://www.patmullins.com/pollution.html

Location, Location, Location!

If you’re a home body, you shouldn’t get a job far from home.  If you’re an explorer, make sure you’re comfortable exploring alone, especially if there’s no intern community where you’ll be headed.  If you’re somewhere in-between, ask people who have gone far from home about living away from home and school – don’t choose somewhere you might hate, simply because the job rocks.

Continuity: Where The Job Goes In The Company

If you land a job at a company that you’ve loved for the longest time, go for it.  Chances are, you love it for the technology or work they produce, the work culture they uphold, the people you’ll be working with,… the list goes on and on.  First jobs or internships are the perfect opportunity to explore what you like, and potentially grow in a company further down the line.

Do you think the interview’s quality and its people match up with the company’s reputation?
http://tinyurl.com/howdiditmatch

Career Impact: Balance Big Names With Big Aspirations

Many of my friends end up going to big brand names over an opportunity that’s less known or secure.  There’s nothing wrong with this approach, as it’ll help build your resume, and you may love what you do at those big companies.  But!  Make sure you wantto work there, not just that you want their logo on your work history.  Don’t be afraid to put yourself first.

No job is going to be 100% chipper and happiness ALL of the time, but if you love the majority of what you do, who you work with, and where you are, you’ll be golden.

Looking for other tips?  Check out Emily’s advice on social media and how to leverage those channels for your career!

Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/amoreschi or email me at amoreschi@wpi.edu!

Until next time,
Adam