Accepting a job offer should be a strategic decision for candidates in this job market.

According to CNBC, “Today’s job market is the job market is still hot — for now”.  Given the advantage candidates have due to the labor shortage, it is more important than ever to have career goals and to take a strategic approach to accepting a job offer.

There are many factors to consider as you weigh a job offer. It is important to have done research about the company and its values as well as whether the salary is in line with the local job market and whether it is worthy of someone with your experience, in line with your short and long-term objectives. It is also important to determine how the effort and level of competitiveness you have experienced in you job search. Based on your experience, can you expect other well-matched offers? If you are inclined to accept the offer, then it is important to have a negotiation strategy while still maintaining a positive interaction with the company.  Experts suggest that it is important to evaluate, your expected quality of life, the types of work you want to do, and the trade offs you are prepared to make. 

 In advance of your job search, hopefully, you have set your career and life objectives.  Thinking about what is truly important to you in your professional and personal life will help you focus your search and to weigh offers effectively.  One question many job seekers should consider is what will make you excited to come to work in the morning. There is more to career satisfaction then money, however, salary is important. Glassdoor can give you some comparisons of what others in these roles in your area are making. It is helpful to think about how your experience, skills and accomplishments would put you in the top percentage of the salary ranges you find.

Salary is only one part of total compensation.  It is important to understand the benefits and flexibility offered by the employer.  Given the tight market, it might be a good time to negotiate some remote workdays or other desired perks, like continuing education and training, mentorship etc. 

Other factors to consider are the job responsibilities. It is helpful to think about what is required and what skills you most want to be using in your next job.  How much autonomy do you need?  What types of initiatives do you want to be part of? It is helpful to understand what it looks like to achieve expected goals and targets as part of this job so you can decide if you can be successful in achieving these targets.

In determining whether to move forward with an organization, you should try to understand what the work environment is like.  Based on your research, will you be able to thrive and be happy in this culture? It is a good idea to check with your network to get a sense of the workplace culture. If possible, it is helpful to have thought about or even developed other options, so you can decline the offer if needed.  If this offer and organization is not the right fit, be sure to have your reasons thought through and to be respectful and polite so that you could keep the door open for the future. It is important not to ignore red flags or gut feelings about an organization. 

Hire Outcomes HR is a pro-active recruitment organization. We are always searching for right candidates for our clients and the right career fit for you.

We are setup to serve clinics, medical practices, hospitals, nursing care facilities, assisted living residences, group homes, home healthcare organizations, wide range of other healthcare service providers. Our goal is to help you find the career you searching for. What set us apart is our personal process to get to know you and your needs and aspirations. For more information go to

Source: How to Evaluate, Accept, Reject of Negotiate a job offer, Rebecca Knight, Harvard Business Review. Greg Iacurci, CNBC,JUN 1 2022,