How to Decide Between Two Jobs

This situation is often the best worst thing. Two great, but very different opportunities are on the cards and choosing between them can be highly stressful. Its never an easy or simple decision when you’re evaluating all aspects of the job, especially when you’re having to decide on things such as salary and lifestyle. Here are some useful strategies to make that decision making process run smoother.

Firstly, comparing the opportunity of two jobs is best done with a list. Make two columns for each employer and add in the following factors: Salary, hours, commute, growth opportunities in and outside the company, level of rapport with prospective staff, personal days, perks, company values and reputation. Whether you’re using excel or a notebook, this is the quickest way to draw a conclusion and get you thinking about the variables involved with both companies. The effectiveness of this method depends largely on you having complete information about each offer and the job responsibilities.

Listen to your gut. If you noticed any red flags during your interactions with either organisation, don’t ignore them. Picking up on these minor inconsistencies might just be enough to get you off the fence. It’s important that you evaluate the potential relationships and this is not something to be neglected, if anything, these professional relationships might mean more for you than the job itself. You need to identify what it is you want out of your career and align it with the two jobs in contention. There could be an opening for you to negotiate an aspect that is holding you back from accepting the offer. There is no harm in discussing your questions or requests with the organisations, if you hold back on doing that, you may end up regretting that later.

Lastly, handle turning down your offer as politely as possible. Along the lines of thanking the employer for their interest in you and essentially keeping the door open for future conversations. There is no point burning bridges, especially if they end up needing someone with your skillset and you’re on the job hunt again.