Job search tips: weighing up the benefits before taking a job

There’s a good chance that during your career, you’re likely only to move company between 3 to 8 times. Believe it or not, the Coronavirus pandemic has actually meant an increase in the number of stuff being poached by top companies, particularly many companies can start to offer the perks of remote work. Considering moving job is such a rare occurrence, it’s critical that you weigh up the pros and cons carefully before making that move. Careersaas’ staff share our top five tips to consider before signing on the dotted line for your next career, with a specific focus on benefits.

Stocks and shares

In the tech industry, provision of stocks and shares either to tempt a new candidate or to persuade an existing employee to stay is commonplace. With your new offer, is the company offering you stocks and shares? When do they vest, and is there a minimum time that you’ll need to stay with the firm? Stock options can be lucrative, particularly if a company is in a high-growth stage. Make sure to check with the recruiter to see if this is an option.

Salary negotiations

The most obvious one, but perhaps the trickiest. When it comes to salaries, these vary wildly from firm to firm. However, you can use Careersaas’ Career Portal to roughly learn what your local market value is for a specific career track. Another tip is to flick through Glassdoor prior to acceptance, to see if any other employees have reported their wage. When it comes to you accepting an offer, make sure you’ve requested amount that’s comfortable for you!

Retirement plans and pension schemes

This is becoming more commonplace in 2021. Companies are provisioning pension schemes and retirement plans for staff, and will even offer to put away some money each month and contribute to your scheme in some cases to persuade you to join. Again, it’ll be important to see the vesting schedule and compare to your current job before making that all important decision.

Benefits and perks

Yeah, maybe a kitchen full of snacks may not be an idea of heaven for everyone, but there are plenty of perks company’s are providing in the office that may sway your decision. Whether it be learning opportunities, on the job training or travel to other offices, find out very early on what some of the important perks of the job are. It is absolutely OK to ask your future manager this before you sign on the dotted line, and will likely spark a fun conversation.

Meet the people

We at Careersaas all agreed that the number one most important thing to do is to meet your team, and if you can, some of the other groups around you. Having the opportunity to speak to your future colleagues will help you make a decision (particularly if you’re undecided), but it’ll also provide a window of opportunity for you to peek in and view the company and team’s culture. In addition to that, one-on-ones with your peers should give some fair indication of what you’ll be working on a daily basis.

Need more help making a decision? Head over to our Career Advice section for more hints and tips.