Tip Sheets

Handling Job Offers

You may be tempted to leap at the first job you’re offered, especially If you’ve been looking for work for a while. But before you commit to a job, it's important to

	understand the offer and the terms of employment such as hours, salary and benefits
	assess the pros and cons of the offer

Understanding the offer

To understand the offer you need to see it in writing. If that’s not possible, take detailed notes of the verbal offer, and then e-mail or fax a description of the offer back to the employer for confirmation.

When you have the offer in writing, make sure you understand the terms of employment including

	the employer’s expectations, such as hours of work, shift work, overtime, travel, and using your own vehicle
	the salary and benefits, such as vacation, health and dental coverage and pension
	any other conditions or terms, such as employee wellness programs, vehicle allowance and parking

Ask the employer to explain any terms of employment you don’t understand.

Assessing the offer

Most employers expect you to think about the offer before you accept it or turn it down. Let the employer know that you are very interested in the job, and that you will make a definite decision within a specific period of time, e.g. three days.

There are three steps involved in assessing an offer:

Look at the offer in context.

		visiting Alberta Occupational Profiles (OCCinfo) for detailed information on more than 500 occupations
		visiting Alberta Wage and Salary Survey (WAGEinfo) for salary information by occupation, geographic area and industry group
		talking with people in your network, especially those who work in the same or a similar occupation
		checking out the ALIS job postings for salaries and other terms offered for comparable positions
		asking your professional association or union, if applicable
		checking out general labour market conditions for your occupation and region

Decide how you feel about the offer.

		Will the job bring you closer to your career goals?
		Will you like the work?
		Will you feel comfortable in this work environment?
		How do you feel about your potential supervisor (if you’ve met)?
		How do you feel about the salary, benefits and other terms of employment?
		How will this job be better than your current one?
		If you haven’t been working, how long have you been looking for a job?
		What other opportunities are you considering and how strong are your prospects?

See the offer from the employer’s point of view.

		Who is competing with you for this job?
		How strong are your qualifications?
		How quickly does the employer want to fill this position?
		What is the unemployment rate and the overall labour market like in your region and industry?

Deciding how to respond

There are three ways to respond to a job offer:

Accept it.

Negotiate to improve some terms of the offer.

		Decide what you want and what you’ll accept. Think about how you will compromise.
		If there is no collective agreement, you may be able to negotiate terms such as

		health and dental insurance coverage
		more frequent salary increases
		cost-of-living raises or merit raises
		parking
		a different job title
		more interesting responsibilities

		Be prepared to demonstrate what makes you worth the additional salary or benefits you’re asking for.
		Write out the terms of your counter offer. Practise what you will say to the employer. For example, I’m very excited about the prospect of working for you. I believe I have the skills and experience that can bring about the kinds of results you’re looking for. However, the overtime expectations are a problem for me. What if we look at the possibility of my doing some of that work from home?
		Tell the employer you’re very interested in the job but you would like to discuss some terms before reaching a decision.
		Ask if there’s any flexibility in the offer and if there is, arrange to meet the employer to present your counter offer.
		Be polite, positive, professional and prepared to compromise.

If you reach a verbal agreement, ask for confirmation in writing. Then put the negotiations behind you and turn up for work on your first day ready to commit to the position and the employer.

If you decide to turn the offer down, tell the employer tactfully and express your appreciation for the offer. Follow up with a letter thanking the employer. You never know when your career paths will cross again and gestures like this keep your future options open.

A solid understanding of the terms of a job offer allows you to assess whether to accept the offer as it’s presented, negotiate for better terms or turn down the offer. Your research and analysis will enable you to discuss and negotiate the terms professionally and confidently. Then, no matter what you decide, you will be able to move forward without regret and maintain a positive relationship with the employer.

Other Relevant Tips Career Planning Step 3:  Decision-Making Negotiating Salary in the Job Search Process For more, visit the TIPS home page at alis.alberta.ca/tips

Additional Reading Change and Transitions, Making Sense of Labour Market Information and Working in Alberta: A guide for internationally trained and educated immigrants produced by Alberta Employment and Immigration. For copies of these publications:

		download an online copy or order the publication from the Publications website at alis.alberta.ca/publications
		call the Alberta Career Information Hotline at 1-800-661-3753 toll-free or 780-422-4266 in Edmonton
		visit your local Alberta Employment and Immigration service centre. To find the centre nearest you, call the Alberta Career Information Hotline.

Last Updated: March 30, 2009