Evaluating Your Job Offer

Evaluating job offers can provoke anxiety, particularly in a challenging economy. Many attorneys feel pressured to take the first offer that comes along, even if it is not consistent with their goals; or else they feel they must accept a second-choice offer because it will expire before they have heard back from their first-choice employer. If you are in this situation, discuss it with your counselor immediately; there are often ways to buy yourself more time and to expedite a decision by the employer for whom you really want to work.

Remember, too, when you’re considering a job offer, just as the employer evaluated you, you should evaluate the employer making that offer. While many people understandably feel compelled to accept an offer if it is the only one received and there are no other potential offers in the pipeline, this may not be the best course of action. Before you accept any offer, it is extremely important to satisfy yourself that the organization is one you want to join, and one which will serve you as you continue along your path. The last thing you need is to join a company that is being investigated by the government or has so much turnover that people with whom you interviewed have either left or will leave shortly after you arrive. Of course, you can’t guard against every possible contingency, but you can try to be alert to potential problems.

You’ve probably already done a good deal of due diligence on this organization during the interview process, but it’s a good idea to go back over your notes and to perform additional research. Also, recall your meetings. How did your interviewers behave? Were they respectful to you and to each other? Do you trust them? Do you see yourself working with these people every day? How will you get along with your supervisor? These questions might seem very basic, but the interview process is a time when everyone is on their best behavior. If you experience any major red flags during this “courtship” phase, don’t ignore them. Follow your intuition. If you think these red flags will be serious issues for you, be realistic about whether or not you will be able to deal with them; and if you still decide to accept the offer, at least you can go in with your eyes open. Your next job might not be your final stop, but it should be a strategic move, so take some time and reflect; and, of course, your counselor is always available as a sounding-board.

Of course, there are many other factors and life decisions that will influence and impact your decision. The Job Offer Checklist, which can found in the Search Organizer Workbook, can help you organize and prioritize your thoughts and feelings so you can intelligently decide whether an offer is right for you.