Candidates come in all shapes and sizes. There are passive candidates who are looking for the right opportunity.  There are candidates that have lost their job and been out of work for a while. There are candidates who have recently left their role for one reason or another and are looking for their next opportunity. There are college graduates who are seeking their first opportunity, and there are people that are re-entering the workforce. As a candidate which one are you?

Any way you look at it, all of the above need to ask the question: “Which job is right for me?” Sometimes as a candidate, there is a necessity to get back to work to pay your bills, eat, and support your family. Sometimes unemployment comes so quickly that you don’t have the flexibility to be picky about the kind of role you choose. The economic climate is uncertain and taking a reduction in pay for a job that you are overqualified for may be a necessity. 

This being said, if you are not in the above bucket, the most important thing you need to understand as a candidate is that you should be interviewing the interviewer more than they are interviewing you. As a candidate, you should consider these 10 following questions before accepting any offer:

1)   Is this something I would enjoy doing? Do the job duties align well with my interests and strengths? 

2)   Is this better than what I currently have, or comparable, if you are out of work? There is no sense in making a change if you can’t improve your current situation.  You should never compromise for the wrong position.

3)   Does the company culture align with me? Are the people you would be working with people that you could consider friends outside of work?  Do they have the same values that you have? How is the dress code? Are you okay with theirs?

4)   What kind of future opportunities does the company offer? If you want to advance your career, does this company have these kinds of opportunities?

5)   What are their expectations as an employee? Are they looking for a Monday- Friday 8-5 person, or are they going to ask you to work late, weekends and come in early. For some this may not be an issue, but for others, it could be a big concern.

6)   How is the company doing financially? You really don’t want to go from one bad scenario to the next, so do your research and choose a company that is growing, expanding or has a real future. 

7)   Money. Will this position allow you to live the lifestyle you need and want? If not, you may become disgruntled in the future. If there are perks other than money- it still may be worth considering.

8)   How is the commute? If the drive is an hour each way, how does this fit into your lifestyle?

9)   How are the benefits? What kind of benefits does the company offer? How do they feel about time off? What are the holidays offered? Are their stock options? How is the 401k? Does the company have an Employee Assistance Program? Does the company offer educational assistance?

10)   How well do you think you would work with your manager? The number one reason people leave companies is because of management, so can you see any areas where there may be any friction? 

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