If you're out of work and scanning the ever slimmer pickings in the classifieds week after week, or reloading the job sites a dozen times a day, it's tempting to take the first semireasonable offer that comes your way. But unless you're reduced to searching under the couch cushions for rent money three months running, this is generally a bad idea. Much as you might want to rejoin the ranks of the gainfully employed, you would do well to carefully evaluate any offer you receive: Something might be rotten in the state of Denmark. Keep your eyes open for these seven warning signs. If you find any of them, think hard before you accept that offer. 1. The employer says company policy doesn't include written offers of employment. Most large companies won't try something like this, but a small startup might. By accepting a verbal offer, you leave yourself with absolutely no recourse down the line. If the employer reneges on a promise, you can't prove it. Salary review set for six months? Be prepared to hear, "Are you sure we promised you a raise? I can't remember saying that, and there's just nothing in the budget right now." If the employer is reluctant to put anything in writing, he's essentially saying he doesn't want to create a paper trail. 2. You don't believe in the company's mission.
Or you clash with the corporate culture. Or you disagree with the way management does things. You don't have to be truly passionate about semiconductors, but if, for example, you are vehemently antismoking, then creating proprietary software for Big Tobacco is probably not your cup of tea. Don't set yourself up for misery. Your quality of life will be greatly improved if you work for a company you believe in. Passion creates excellence, and excellence creates a thriving career. If you have absolutely nothing in common with most of your coworkers, that's OK. You don't have to be just like everyone else. But if you don't respect their beliefs--or if you actually resent them -- you'll have problems. If you're car-free by choice at an automotive plant in Detroit, you may have trouble relating to your peers. If you actively participate in protests against your company and its competitors, you may have trouble, period. How do you feel about the way management runs the company? Forget about individual management styles; one bad boss doesn't necessarily negate a whole company. What is important is whether you completely disagree with the entire philosophy of the company -- where it's going and how quickly it's getting there. Maybe you're after aggressive growth, and the company is committed to maintaining the status quo. Or maybe you're especially conservative, and the company is banking on the world adopting wireless appliances in the next three months. Unless your new title is Vice President of Making Big Changes, you're not going to have much of an effect on established policies. And if you really hate the way things are being run, it'll show. Look for a company that's more in keeping with your own way of doing things. 3. Turnover at this particular position is high.
Ask the interviewer why the position is available. If the answer starts with something like "Well, we can't seem to keep anyone in this particular position," you'll know something's up. Unfortunately, the employer probably won't be quite that direct, so you'll have to listen carefully to the response you do get and read between the lines. Is this job a stepping-stone to something better? Do people quickly get promoted? That's good. But make sure this job isn't really just a dead end -- a position people abandon once they realise there's no chance to move up. 4. The interviewer has unrealistic expectations about your abilities.
This could be the very reason turnover is high in the position. If you're being hired to handle a project that's been a financial drain on the company for the past decade, be very clear about what you can -- and can't -- do. Do you honestly expect your revisions and direction to turn a sinkhole department into the company's most profitable area in just three months? Well, gosh, then I'd like to hire you. It's flattering when people expect greatness from you, but temper everyone's enthusiasm with a healthy dose of reality. 5. The company's long-term goals don't mesh with your own.
Or the position doesn't fit into your long-term plans. Is the company in an industry that's thriving, or is it on the way down? Here's a hint: Web design firms are probably not the wave of the future. You'll have to do some market research and study the company and its industry carefully in order to reach an educated conclusion about its potential. And remember: A really high stock price doesn't necessarily mean everything's rosy. WorldCom? Global Crossing? Yeah, suspicion and paranoia can be a drag, but you should make an effort to know something about the company's financials. While you're checking out the company's future, you have to clearly identify your own long-term goals as well. Looking to start your own business? Sure, the telecommuting job as a coding drone will leave you plenty of time to pursue side projects, but the full life-cycle project management position half an hour away will give you much more of the hands-on experience you'll need. Determine what you're hoping to get from the position, and see how much of that you're being offered. 6. The salary offered has nothing to do with reality.
It happens. You did everything right -- researched the market, came up with your range, presented it to the employer, and sat back in your chair. And when the offer came in, it was for about £10,000 less than you anticipated. Be polite and succinct, but show the interviewer precisely why there's no way you can accept her offer. "When I presented you with the range I'm looking for, I based that number on several weeks of research on salary reports. I checked Web sites, read annual salary reports published in industry publications, and reviewed the ranges offered for similar positions in the area. No one indicates that I should take less than £45,000 a year. You're offering £35,000. Unless you're prepared to revise your offer significantly, I'm afraid I'll have to decline." The company may truly be clueless. You might provide them with a wake-up call, and their next offer could surprise you. Or they might shrug and say, "Well, this is all we're prepared to offer." Thank them for their time, and leave. You will find another company that's prepared to pay you what you're worth. And when you stick to your guns, you show that you truly believe in your own worth. The company may ultimately make you a proper offer. On the flip side, do not let an especially high offer convince you to take a job you really don't want. All the reasons you had for not wanting the job are still there, and the money won't keep you happy for long. Unless the money is so good that you could retire after a year, keep looking. 7. The job is a step back--or keeps you marching in place.
With every new job you take, your goal is to gain additional responsibilities. You put in your time as a junior programmer. You move into a more senior position and oversee a younger version of yourself. And then, ideally, you make the jump to project management and move on from there. But sometimes, a position is offered that's more about hands-on coding (or troubleshooting, or whatever) and less about managing workers and resources. Do you take it? Be careful. You may get yourself stuck in a rut you'll never leave. If you're certain you'll be able to take on additional responsibilities in the near future, then go with it. But if you sense that you'll be working in a vacuum, responsible for only a small part of the big picture, think twice before you accept. Yes, your mother will be proud if you get a new job. But she'll have so much more to brag about if you get the right job--the one that catapults you to stellar reviews, heaping piles of cash, and international fame. Of course, remember to stick a couple of coins under those couch cushions. Just in case. TechRepublic is the online community and information resource for all IT professionals, from support staff to executives. We offer in-depth technical articles written for IT professionals by IT professionals. In addition to articles on everything from Windows to email to fire walls, we offer IT industry analysis, downloads, management tips, discussion forums, and e-newsletters.
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