I Have Two Job Offers Which One Do I Take

Spoilt for choice: How to decide between two job offers

by Kirsten Kock Your application efforts have been successful: You have a contract offer – no, stop, even two. Not an entirely unusual situation. But one that brings with it a number of questions: How do I figure out which job offers the best overall package for me? How do I contrast the offers? For example, should I go for the lower-paying offer if it’s otherwise a good fit?

Take your time to decide

All of this and probably much more will be going through your mind – that’s why you’re asking for some thinking time first. That’s perfectly fine. Maybe the offer is very extensive. You may want to discuss it with your family first. Or you simply need some time to weigh everything up. They will certainly be happy to grant you this time, if necessary with a fixed deadline. You should keep to this deadline. Don’t overdo the decision period so that the offer is not withdrawn. In addition, asking for a few days to think things over can certainly lead to movement within the company. If there is serious interest in you, the offer may be improved or a draft contract may be submitted more quickly than originally planned. However, do not speculate on such developments when you ask for a cooling-off period.

Contrast the two jobs

Now, a pro-con list? No. A pro-contra list falls short. You are likely to weight relevant points differently than would make sense. Work with a decision matrix, which can be structured as follows: To find the criteria that support your decision, recall your original goal definition. At the beginning of your job search, you already thought about what is important to you in a new job, what would be a must, and what would be a nice bonus. On this basis, you can now well decide which parts of the offer fit this. In particular, take a close look at these aspects:

Salary,
Location,
title,
company reputation,
Work content,
Work commute
Corporate culture

Don’t be afraid to include items that may seem superficial, such as possibly commuting to work. If you have to drive three hours every day, it can be grueling in the long run. Therefore, include your family as well. After all, the decision to take a new job naturally affects your personal life in terms of finances or time commitment, for example. If necessary, you may have to draw up the decision matrix several times until you have identified the points that are important to you. Base your evaluation on a scale of 1-5. Experience shows that this is a good basis. Less is not enough and more becomes too confusing. Another important point: Don’t be lured by short-term offers. Think a little more long-term. What are the career opportunities? Are there opportunities for further training? Are there flexible working time models that can be adapted to your life situation if necessary?

Still not sure which job is right for you? Flip a coin!

Despite an intensive discussion, you have not yet been able to clarify for yourself which offer is the better one? Then now is the right time for what may seem like a strange approach: Flip a coin. Experience has shown that an unconscious preference quickly emerges. The coin is only the tool to get on the track of the gut feeling. This is an important criterion anyway: It may all sound and seem so nice, but if something in you resists a certain offer, don’t ignore this feeling. Take a closer look. Perhaps there is an opportunity to get to know the team and your future workplace in advance, for example during a trial workday. Then you’ll be a big step ahead right away. You will get a deeper insight into your future working environment than interviews or company descriptions can provide.

You know what you want

Congratulations! You have made the decision for a new position. Surely you are excited or even nervous. At the same time, you probably feel relieved. All of this is just right. However, in your euphoria, don’t forget to finish your application process cleanly. After all, there is still the second offer and possibly other open applications. So withdraw the second application. Communicate openly and kindly that you have received a more suitable offer. Thank them for the opportunity and their efforts – because who knows – maybe the company will be interesting again in the future. Also, do this promptly after your decision so that there is clarity for everyone involved. That way, the company will be more likely to remember you positively should contact be made again or even a new application. The same goes for recruiters you’re in contact with, because it’s also true that you may need those contacts again later. Also remember to adjust your online profiles, for example at Xing, to the changed status.

Conclusion: Be brave!

A decision with such far-reaching consequences as the choice of job is particularly challenging. Feel free to seek support: from experts, your family and via tools such as the decision matrix. Be proud that you have a choice. Take that confidence with you into your professional future. KNOWLEDGE FROM 30 YEARS OF CAREER CONSULTING

Valuable tips for your career transition

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You have two job offers at the same time – or even more – and have to choose one. This may sound like a luxury problem, but it is often not easy to solve. After all, the course of your future career depends on your choice. Our tips can make it easier for you to make the right decision.

Tip 1: Set priorities

You want to develop your career and actively start looking for a new job by submitting several applications. With great success: You not only receive invitations to several interviews, but also acceptances for several jobs at once. If one offer stands out particularly positively for you, then the choice will certainly be easy for you. The situation is quite different if two or even more offers arouse your interest. Suddenly you are in a quandary: Which job is right for you? To find out, you should proceed in a well structured approach. After all, your professional future is at stake here. It is precisely this scope that can cause a great deal of stress. But you must not let this impress you or make you nervous. But how should you act when you receive at least two responses to your application and make the best decision? By keeping a cool head and approaching the matter strategically. The starting point for your considerations should be Your wishes and needs that you associate with the job change. Put another way: Set priorities – and make a list of them. Make a list of what you wouldn’t want to do without in your new job. What is particularly important to you goes to the top, and what is less important goes to the bottom. The ranking could look like this, for example:

Job security
a higher salary
better opportunities for further training
a friendly team
promotion opportunities
flexible working hours

Behind the ranking is the question: Which of your wishes does which company fulfill best? Of course, this is important if you want to be satisfied with your job and the additional benefits. That’s why you should always keep your priorities in mind. Preferably even before you apply. That way, you’ll choose more quickly between more or less interesting offers. Especially when you are under pressure and have to make the right decision as quickly as possible, a rationally drawn up ranking list is helpful.

Tip 2: Think long-term

Where do you see yourself in five or ten years? This question may seem redundant and even annoying to you in job interviews. But if you have several acceptances for a job and have to decide on an employer, it plays a role in your personal plans for the future (more on this in the next tip). And keep in mind: In times of a shortage of skilled workers, some companies may make you big promises and hold out the prospect of quick successes just to win you over. That can be tempting. But it’s better if you think long-term. Example 1: You want to change jobs for family reasons, for example because you’ve had a baby. In this case, flexible working hours, short commutes and job security play a key role. A permanent employment contract is more important to you now than fast promotion opportunities. Example 2: You are a young professional or career starter and want to climb the career ladder as quickly as possible. In this case, pay particular attention in the job interview to whether the company offers you a good salary and opportunities for advancement.

Tip 3: Find a decision-making method

The decision-making process can be made more objective by systematizing your most important criteria. systematize. To do this, assign them more or fewer points depending on their priority. Thus, a very important aspect receives five points and a very unimportant one only one point. Do this for each job offer and then add up the points for each. The one with the most is the optimal one. For a more refined result you can additionally weight the criteria individually. To do this, distribute up to five points each, as described above. In the second step, consider the extent to which your criteria are taken into account in company A, in company B, and so on. Again, distribute up to five points. At the end, multiply the number of points for the criteria (step 1) by the number of points for the weighting (step 2). The highest value “wins”. However, you may find it easier to make a choice if you forecast the consequences of a decision in several stages over time. For this purpose you can use the 10-10-10 method is a good way to do this. It is based on the answers to the following three questions:

What will be the consequence of my decision for job X in ten days?
What will be the consequence of my decision for job X in ten months?
What will be the consequence of my decision for job X in ten years?

Of course, the prediction method is largely fiction. But the more you listen to yourself and the more you find out about the company in question, the more realistic your results will be. In any case, it gets you to think concretely about your professional future. It is likely that things will come to your mind that you would not have considered otherwise. So the 10-10-10 method can help you, at least indirectly.

Tip 4: Trust intuition

Factual arguments are important when you get at least two acceptances on your application. But don’t forget your intuition. After all, you want to feel completely comfortable in your future job. This includes more than just a good salary or interesting opportunities for advancement. You usually notice quite quickly whether the chemistry between you and the new employer is right. For example, you may feel uneasy if the person you are talking to does not respond to your questions. If communication during the interview is not at eye level, you should turn down the job offer. Because: Only if you harmonize with your superiors and your team, you will perform at your best.

Tip 5: Include corporate culture

How would you like to work? How much responsibility do you want to take on? How much freedom do you need in your job? And what norms and values should your dream company represent? These questions will your future working environment considerably. For your job selection, think about whether you prefer to work …

work independently or under supervision.
have a lot of contact with colleagues or prefer to work in peace and quiet.
be relaxed and uninhibited in the workplace or if formality is important to you.

Even though it is often difficult to get a comprehensive picture of the organizational culture in advance: There are sources that can tell you more about the company. For example, the company’s website may tell you a lot about its history. From this, you can draw conclusions about the company’s core values. Or you can look at the reviews on employer portals such as Kununu.

Tip 6: Have a trial day

The company is seriously interested in you? Then be brave and ask if you can get to know the team and your future workplace in advance. Or arrange a trial workday. This will give you an idea of the layout of the workplaces, the dress code and how colleagues treat each other. A casual conversation with the employees will tell you a lot about the general atmosphere in the company and whether the social environment suits your personality. whether the social environment suits your personality. If you are supported in your job search by a recruitment consultancy, they will provide you with a lot of information about the team and your future workplace.

Tip 7: Set a time limit

The longer you take to make your decision, the harder it can be. Therefore, you should limit your thinking time. One week or two at the most must be enough. If it takes longer, you risk blurring the pros and cons of a job because of constant brooding. You also avoid giving potential employers the impression that you are pursuing a stalling tactic. Experienced HR departments quickly notice when several companies are played off against each other. Use the cooling-off period to match the offers exactly with your desired priorities. Be sure to also plan some time to listen inside yourself: What does your gut say? Your churn plans may talk through to your current executives. They may want to from changing jobs with a counteroffer. Then it’s a matter of weighing up: Is the proposal serious, beneficial to you and feasible? Or is it just an empty promise? If in doubt, a discussion may be worthwhile and subsequently open up new opportunities for you at the old company.

Tip 8: Seek advice

If you are wondering how to act in the face of several job offers, ask your environment for support. Your life partner, friends or parents have probably been at a crucial point in their professional lives. How did they decide at that time? People outside your industry have certainly also had helpful experiences that can make your own decision easier. They may bring arguments into play that you haven’t even thought of yet. This can give you new impulses for the right choice of job. job selection.

Conclusion: The complete package is what counts

You are in the fortunate position of having several job offers at once. Take advantage of this opportunity and get to know the companies that are interested. Before you make a rash decision, you should make yourself aware of

what your dream job is all about,
what kind of work environment is important to you, and
what long-term goals you are pursuing.

And don’t forget your intuition. Because only if the “complete package” of rational and emotional elements is right, you will feel completely at ease in your new job. If the mix doesn’t fit, then you’re better off turning down a job offer. And even if a decision later turns out to be unfortunate: You will certainly get the chance for a better job change more often in your professional life. Despite generally favorable conditions for applicants, the search for a new challenge can prove tough. Sometimes this is due to different salary expectations of the parties involved. Therefore, find out as early as possible about your earning potential. Our current salary overview offers you a realistic classification. ^{Image source: © Javier Allegue Barros – Unsplah.com} Robert Half stands by you in your search for your new dream job as a renowned recruitment agency in Munich with comprehensive expertise. Climb the career ladder – we will accompany you during the placement in your new job, through the entire application process and gladly beyond. Of course, we are not a recruitment agency with only one location: We are also active as a recruitment agency in Stuttgart, Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Bonn and in many other German branches. We advise applicants personally, individually and free of charge. I Have Two Job Offers Which One Do I Take.

Anna Hein

I Have Two Job Offers Which One Do I Take