Tips for deciding between multiple job offers

In today’s Sydney Accounting job market, employers are competing against each other to hire the very best Accounting talent. For skilled and in-demand job seekers, you may find yourself in a great position where you have a number of job offers on the table at the same time.

Whilst it is easy to be excited by a plethora of offers and choices, once that initial excitement wears off, you’re going to have to choose the one that fits the best. Not an easy task and if you are not careful when reviewing your options, you can lose sight of your priorities and end up exchanging a job you’re currently not happy with for one you’ll be equally as unhappy within three months’ time.

So, how can you ensure you make the right call when deciding between multiple job offers?

REVISIT YOUR CAREER OBJECTIVES

With several great opportunities to choose from, it can be difficult to evaluate job offers objectively, and you run the risk of disregarding the reasons why you were looking for a new job in the first place. When it comes time to make a decision, start by thinking about what your goals were at the beginning of the job search (read more here about the steps you should take before applying for your next accounting job). What were you looking for out of your role? A pay-rise? Good culture? Flexibility? Convenient location? Career progression?

The simplest way to make sense of these requirements across the various job offers is to create a checklist by dividing your priorities across Must Haves and Nice to Haves; our Richard Lloyd job offer evaluation worksheet is a good starting point. This will help you prioritise the things you’re looking for and make it easier to focus objectively on what is being proposed to you across each job offer.

COMPARE EACH JOB OFFER AGAINST YOUR PRIORITIES

Now that you have your priorities straight, it’s time to start comparing each job offer against these initial goals. List the positives and negatives for each role, this could include:

• Remuneration – Don’t just think about salary here, but look at each offer as a total package. Are there any benefits included, such as a company car or laptop? What about additional bonuses and incentives for good performance? These extras can make a big difference to the overall package of a role, so make sure you take them all into account.
• Culture – Money isn’t everything, and company culture has a big influence on whether you’ll be happy in a job long term. Consider what kind of impression you got from the different office environments, how the hiring processes were conducted and the way you were treated throughout them, as well as what you have heard from current or previous employees.
• Lifestyle impact – Your job affects more than just the time you spend in the office. It’s important to keep in mind the kind of work/life balance you can expect. Consider the distance between the office and where you live and the commute you’ll need to endure, along with the degree of flexibility you’ll have with your hours and place of work.

Do your research on anything you’re not 100% sure about. If the benefits scheme is confusing or you feel like you haven’t seen enough of the culture, then do what you can to get as much detail as possible. If you’re conducting your job search through a recruiter, they will be the perfect source to find out additional information and to ask any further questions you have about the roles so you can evaluate the offers objectively.

Once you have the clarification you need, review which of the roles tick more of the Must Have and Nice to Have boxes that you outlined at the start. Having a great location, culture and salary is one thing, but if flexibility was the one thing you were really looking for and it isn’t being offered, then it’s likely that none of the former things will make you happy. Remember to also weigh up any additional positives that weren’t on your original wish list.

THE TIEBREAKER: GUT FEELING

Deciding between multiple job offers is a tricky business, but by refocusing on your career and personal objectives you can ascertain the role that will be the best fit for you in the long run. If something about one job isn’t clear, there’s no harm in going back to the employer to seek clarification or even ask for one final meeting (often an informal coffee can be advantageous).

Remember, if there are several parties involved and you have multiple job offers, at least one of them is going to be disappointed. Make sure you’re considerate to everyone concerned by being honest and maintaining timely communication. One of the worst things you can do is to play one party off against the other as it never ends well. The Sydney Accounting market is connected and you don’t want to find yourself with a tainted reputation.

If you’re stuck and need advice on finding the right role, talk to a Richard Lloyd Consultant. We pride ourselves on only putting you forward for roles that we believe fit your career criteria and prefer you choose the most suitable opportunity for you, even if this means that we don’t place you. Hopefully, our knowledge of the Accounting profession and our professionalism throughout the process will ensure you come back to us when you’re next ready to look for a new role, or are looking to hire people yourself.

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