As far as problems are concerned, having to decide between two jobs is a pretty good one. However, weighing your options can be an excruciating process, especially when you’re not sure how to figure out which career is better for you.
There might be a million questions running through your head: Which job offers more potential for growth? Will you get along with your coworkers better at this position than the other one? Are you willing to work more hours for additional pay? The list goes on and on. The good news is, we’re here to help!
Begin by Weighing Your Options
For starters, congratulations! If you’re receiving multiple job offers, your hard work is paying off. Now comes the tricky part. Which position should you take?
Before you get too confused or make any rash decisions, it’s essential to break down each job and evaluate the benefits and possible pitfalls of each. For many, it often helps to write these things down or to type them up on a spreadsheet.
Making a list of the good and bad things about each job can help to give you the “big picture” of each position, which will enable you to make an informed decision. Some things to consider include:
Salary and Bonuses
One of the first factors many of us look at is, of course, the salary for the job. It’s crucial, after all, to be compensated fairly for the work you do. Nevertheless, look carefully at how much you would be making and the working hours required. For instance, if one job pays more but requires long hours, it may turn out to pay less per hour than the other position with fewer hours.
In addition, consider any bonuses you could be making, such as commissions or extra pay for successful work. In the long term, these sorts of things can add up, making the salary for the job larger than it seems at first.
Benefits and Insurance
On top of salary and bonuses, it’s critical to take into account the insurance benefits provided by each job. For this, you’ll have to ask yourself how valuable the benefits package is for you.
Ultimately, it will depend on whether or not you already have coverage, such as from a spouse or partner. Overall, substantial benefits can make up for a lower salary, especially if you’re considering the job long term.
Hours
As mentioned a moment ago, you should look at the hours for each job and think about how they will affect your life. Are you okay with working longer hours? Is the salary worth the number of hours you would work?
What’s more, take into account when the hours are. After all, there are many M-F 8-5 jobs, but there are also those that require evenings or weekends. What hours are you willing to put in, and how does each job compare?
Commuting Time
Similar to hours worked, it helps to take the commute time into account. Think about how it will affect your daily routine. Does one job require a longer commute than the other? Is one more challenging for your schedule than another?
Also, it may help to add the commute times to your total hours worked for each job to get a sense of how much time you will have outside of work. A long commute can put a damper on your evening time with family and other activities, which is why it’s crucial to consider it.
Company Values and Impressions
What are the companies’ values? It’s important to think about what each company stands for and how they go about their business before you take the job. If you don’t, you might end up working somewhere that makes you unhappy.
Take a moment to ponder over some of the first impressions you made. Consider whether or not you will feel respected at work, and if your accomplishments will be recognized. If these things are important to you, this could tip the scale towards one job or another.
Growth Potential
It’s also critical to reflect on how each job will affect your future. It may be that one aligns with your goals more than another. Does the job enable you to move forward to do what you want to do potentially?
On top of that, ruminate on your chances of a promotion with each job. Some jobs offer a clear-cut advancement track, while others may be a dead end. It may be that you will acquire specific skills from a job that will help you when applying for better ones down the road.
Rapport With the Boss
Although interviews can be nerve-wracking, they are also a chance to meet your potential employer. In fact, it’s often your future boss conducting the interview. Did you like this person? How well did you get along?
You can tell a lot about how well you will like a job based on how well you get along with your boss and coworkers. If the boss likes you, the work environment will probably be a much more positive experience than the other way around.
Other Perks
Lastly, many companies offer many perks that, while nice, can be a distraction from what’s important about the job. For example, you may have been blown away by the company’s facilities, such as their fancy lounge and world-class workout equipment. However, before you’re blinded by these sorts of things, think about how likely it is for you to use these facilities.
Will you have time for them, and are they important to you?
How Does Each Job Support Your Long-Term Goals?
When applying and interviewing for jobs, you put your best foot forward and did everything you could to prove you were the right person for the job. Nevertheless, once you’re successful and now have several companies that can’t live without you, it’s time to take a step back. How do these prospects support your plans?
Begin by flipping the script. Instead of focusing on what you can do for each company, think about what the company can do for you. As mentioned earlier, some positions may have more advancement opportunities than others. If this is the case, is that the sort of path you want to be taking?
On the other hand, some jobs may appear to be dead ends or may be the highest position possible in a particular field. If this is the case, you have to ask yourself if you are okay with that. Have you now reached the position where you will be happy for the rest of your career, or do you have bigger plans?
For instance, when offered an office manager position, will you be happy to work this job potentially for years to come, or is it a stepping stone that will provide you the skills and experience needed to advance into corporate management?
When thinking about what each job can do for you, consider everything you know. It’s especially important to think about the culture and organization of the company and decide where your place is in it. It may also help to ask yourself the following:
- If you could have any job you want, which of the jobs you’re considering takes you closer to your dream position?
- At which job will you acquire more experience and skills?
- Is one job more challenging than another, and is the additional challenge a benefit to you in the long term?
- Which job has more growth potential?
Asking yourself these questions can go a long way in helping you to decide which job is right for you. It’s always important to compare the potential of each job and take the one that advances your career in your desired direction.
Assess Salary vs. Happiness
What matters to you? Is it how much money you make or how happy you are? Of course, it’s never that simple, which is why you may have to assess how much you might enjoy a particular position with how much money you will make from it.
The classic scenario goes like this:
- Job A: Helpful and compassionate people run the company, and you will enjoy the job and like how it truly makes a difference. However, the pay is minimal.
- Job B: The company seems filled with bored and angry employees, and you feel that if you take the job, you will be another one of them. Nevertheless, the pay is very, very good.
In this example, which job would you choose? Would you like to be poor and happy or rich and miserable? It’s okay if you’re not sure. There is no simple answer, and, in truth, when it comes to deciding between two jobs, they’ll rarely line up this way.
However, you may have to decide between two jobs where one pays more than the other and figure out how this compares to other benefits. At first glance, it may be tempting to pick a higher paying position. It makes sense. After all, likely one of the reasons you started looking for a new position was for the potential to make more money. There’s nothing wrong with that.
On the other hand, frequently, the higher paying job is the least desirable in some way. Maybe it’s doing something you don’t want to do, or it’s working with people you’re not sure you’ll get along with. It could also be that it requires a longer commute or more hours. On top of that, it may not have as much growth potential as the other lower-paying job.
It’s this very reason that sometimes makes choosing between two jobs so difficult. You will have to decide if the larger paycheck makes up for a job you don’t like. It’s true, a higher salary will provide more money for you to spend outside of work, which could mean nicer things, trips, and vacations, and may very well offset less desirable work.
All the same, if you’re stuck working an overly stressful job or one where you are bored 40 hours a week, more money may not be boosting your happiness very much. Personal satisfaction is an integral part of any job.
When push comes to shove, if you’re not happy with your work, you’re probably not motivated to excel. What’s more, your work may suffer for it, which could make future promotions or applying for another job more difficult.
Above all, it’s critical to be able to support yourself and your family, but if both jobs you’re considering can do that, then you should seriously think about which one you will find more fulfilling.
Look at the Culture and Environment of Each Workplace
Culture is another important factor that may weigh more heavily than salary. In fact, many employers these days like to do a cultural assessment or a personality test to ensure you will integrate well into their organization. However, this works both ways, and you should also decide if you are a good fit for the work environment.
For instance, working in a loud and busy office is excellent for some people, while others prefer a quiet and more secluded place to concentrate. If you’re social, you may thrive in an open and friendly environment such as this, but you also have to ask yourself if it’s the right place to get things done or if you’ll be too distracted to handle the position effectively.
Another job market that is growing is the number of work from home jobs available. For some, this kind of work may seem appealing, but will you have the discipline to get tasks done on time? Also, are you able to communicate effectively online and through email, or do you need face-to-face interaction to be successful?
In addition, consider the types of people you would be working with.
- Do they seem like those you can get along with?
- Do you like them, and are they likely to like you?
- Will you make friends, or are you happy with cordial work acquaintances?
You may be able to get a good sense of these sorts of things from meeting the manager or boss. Typically, at the end of an interview, you are allowed to ask questions, which is an excellent time to learn more about the specifics of the work environment. You can’t, of course, meet everyone, but you can get a sense of the place.
Also, do you like the manager? There is an adage that says people quit managers, not jobs, and there’s a lot to be said for this idea. A lousy manager or one you don’t get along with could make coming to work frustrating or uncomfortable. A good manager will motivate you and help you to learn and grow, while a bad one may foster negativity and make your job miserable.
What’s worse, a lousy manager could also make for a toxic work environment. If you’ve ever worked somewhere with a toxic work environment, then you know how it feels. It can be very tiring day after day. Even if you like the company and are passionate about its values, a negative culture can make you feel undervalued.
Overall, you’re looking for a job where you feel valued and challenged. Figuring out which job is more likely to do this will help you immensely with your decision. For this reason, finding the right cultural match is paramount.
Write Down a Typical Work Day for Each Role
Next, consider writing down a typical workday for each job. Put salary, benefits, and perks aside for a minute and take a moment to outline what you would be doing on a day-to-day basis for each position. Doing this will give you a much better idea about what you’re getting yourself into and may help you to decide the better path.
If you’re still on the fence between jobs, it’s because neither is better than the other. They both have pros and cons that make it a tough choice. As such, writing down the workday and putting the actual work on paper in front of you can really help to cut through the confusion.
Ponder the following questions:
- How will you get to work (car, bus, etc.), and how long will it take?
Your commute is part of your workday and will be a big part of your life, so include it as part of your schedule for each job, which can help you to assess the position you’d prefer to do every day.
- Who are your coworkers, and how will you interact with them?
A big part of every job involves interacting with others. Consider how you would do this in each job and whether or not you’ll be able to do so effectively and efficiently. Add the daily interaction you expect to have each day to your schedule.
- What will you be doing most days?
For this one, think about what the actual work is. Will you be at a desk crunching numbers on a spreadsheet or moving about? It’s important not to be distracted by large work events and look at the average daily grind.
- Does either of the jobs require you to travel?
You may not be traveling every day, but if the job involves frequent attendance at conventions or corporate meetings in another state, then it’s worth considering. Does traveling bother you, or are you happy to do it?
- Where can you go for lunch?
This one may seem silly, but your lunch break will be a significant part of your daily routine. Are there any restaurants readily available in the area that you would have time to go to, or will you have to bring your lunch? How will this affect your life in each position?
Once you have an outline of the daily work routine for each job, you can put them side by side in front of you for easy comparison. At this point, does one of the jobs stand out from the other? Which is more appealing?
You may also discover that you’re not sure about certain aspects of the jobs. It may be prudent to put together a few questions for your potential employers, gather more information, and then come back to your lists.
Envision yourself going through a typical day in each role. It may be that a particular detail jumps out that helps you to make your final decision. If the jobs are similar in all other respects, it could come down to something small, such as more potential options for lunch or a more comfortable commute.
Figure Out What Matters to You
Lastly, it’s critical to figure out what matters to you. That is, which of the above factors do you find the most important? It may be that some of the perks don’t matter as much to you as others.
For example, many companies now have workout equipment available for their employees. As lovely as this may be, if you’re not a workout person, already have a gym membership, or prefer to jog outdoors, this perk may be of little value to you.
Also, certain factors may not matter to you as much as they would for someone else. For instance, some people hate to commute in traffic to and from work, while others may not be bothered by it and even find it relaxing. Another example would be a company that offers free car washes as a perk, which might be appealing for someone, but if you take the bus to work, not so much.
It may even help to create a score sheet. First, rank the listed pros and the listed cons for each job. You can also assign them a score based on how important they are to you, such as a number between 1 and 5, with 5 being things that matter the most to you and 1 being the least. For cons, you can assign them a negative score (-1, -2, etc.).
You can then tally up the scores for each job. Simply add the numbers together. The total score will rise with each pro and fall with each con. You’ll then have a numeric total for each. Which one is higher? That’s the job with more value for you.
Of course, a method such as this is not for everyone, and it can be difficult to quantify certain factors, such as rapport with the boss. Nevertheless, this will provide you with more information to help you make your final decision.
Trust Yourself to Make the Right Decision
Overall, it comes down to your gut. Small things you may have noticed could make all the difference. Were employees frowning and quiet while they worked? Was the boss checking emails while you were speaking? Details such as these can point to potentially more substantial issues. In which job environment did you feel more at home?
Ultimately, after you’ve made your lists and done your research, it’s up to your inner voice to tell you which job is the correct one. Take a step back and look at everything. Assess the information, all of it. Ask yourself:
- Is your research pushing you toward one job or the other?
At this point, there may be a clear winner. If there isn’t, trust your intuition. Chances are, with all of the information in front of you, part of you has already made the decision.
- What do you want out of each job?
Make sure you listen to what you truly want. Even if one job pays more than the other, the best decision now may be the job that will make you happier, rather than richer.
- Which job makes you the most excited?
If one of the jobs makes you eager to get started, you may have found your winner. After all, if you’re excited about it, you’re far more likely to push yourself to excel in the role.
Furthermore, by all means, listen to your friends and family, but if their advice is pushing you toward one option, but you think you’d be happier with the other, listen to your inner voice. After all, you’re the one who’s going to work there.
Enjoy Your New Job
In the end, no one knows you better than you. Trust your intuition and listen to your gut. Sometimes, you have to take a risk and jump into the job that excites you the most.
And remember, the job market is full of opportunities. What you want now may not be what you want in the future. Take the job that’s best for you, and that will enable you to grow and develop. Keep your options open, and continue to explore new opportunities. Enjoy your new job. The future is bright!