What if you were given the chance to hold a higher position in your company but you have to choose between two of them? This is indeed a rare scenario and you should feel really fortunate if it happens to you. Having multiple good options is a great boost to your confidence, but of course, you will still feel the pressure of having to make a decision as to which of those choices you should grab and which one you ought to let go.
When it comes to making the right choice, it is important that you identify the factors that really matter to you in terms of your new job. The job that you will choose should be the one that addresses such factors and whatever concerns you may have about your job. In making this kind of decision, it is vital that you consider what can give you fulfillment or satisfaction.
We all have our own idea and standards of what makes a job great. This explains why not all of us choose to become doctors or lawyers perhaps, and some would even find happiness doing the so-called “blue-collar jobs”. Our aim here is to make you understand the different factors that you need to pay attention to when you are made to choose between two great job offers.
1. The kind of work you will do
The tasks to be given to you and the exact work you’ll be doing every single day must be focal point of criteria for satisfaction. The truth is that if you end up with a job that is far from being satisfying, even the huge amount of money you can get from it wouldn’t matter. You may just wake up one day feeling like something isn’t right with your job. The most important things to take into consideration are:
• Physical environment
• Challenge
• Variety
• Autonomy
• Opportunity to make decisions
• Supervision/Leadership
• Career potential
• Possibility for promotion
• Opportunity to learn and grow professionally
• Responsibilities involved
2. The financial aspects of the job
Your potential salary is without a doubt a very important aspect of a job offer. Of course, how much your salary and bonuses are will affect your ability to support your needs and provide for your family perhaps. Thus, it is recommended that you also analyze what it takes for you to live a comfortable life. Take time to weigh your career options in terms of the salary, incentives, and other benefits they will give you.
3. Workplace relationships and culture
You will have to spend so much of your time doing your job in the workplace. This makes it crucial that you develop a feeling of belongingness and also establish a great relationship with your co-workers. There is no way you could avoid disagreements and other conflicts with your colleagues, but you should at least be comfortable being at work with them. And the only way you could find the right work environment is for you to know first your own needs in relation to: title or prestige, recognition, culture, people, and work relationships.
4. Balance between your life and work
There are so many good reasons you should try to maintain a balance between your professional life and your personal life. Thus, it is necessary that your job allows you to have some leisure time on a regular basis. In order for you to find this balance, you need to examine your own lifestyle and figure out the things you should get out of your job aside from money and prestige. Consider such things as the job’s travel requirements, flexibility of schedule, and the work schedule itself.
How you could achieve work and life balance depends on your personal and career planning and goals. And so, it is a must that you know what you want your career to become and how you hope your life would be.
Cecile Peterkin is a certified career and retirement coach, and a registered member of the Career Professionals of Canada and the International Coach Federation. She is also the Founder and Senior Career Strategist at Cosmic Coaching Centre, provider of career and life management services for middle managers and mid-career professionals across Canada, United States and Europe.