Searching online looking for the position you are after and there are so few opportunities? Or perhaps you’ve been offered a job, but it’s not quite what you dreamt of. Should you take the job or hold out for your perfect position?
With so much on the line, before you make your final decision, here’s what you need to take into consideration:
- What is the economy currently like? Are there plenty of opportunities out there or have you just found one of the few vacancies?
- Do you like the vibe of the new company?
- Is it just one or two things that are not aligned in the new position with what you are looking for and how important are they to you?
- Is it a good stepping stone towards your dream job?
- How many other offers and interviews have you had? How many positions of this sort are available?
- Is your new opportunity better than the old one? Is it giving you more than you currently have?
- What’s your current situation like?
- Is the job in a company or industry where you’d like to get your foot in the door?
Once you have a better understanding of the position you’re in, you can start to think about what your decision should be and whether you should hold out for the perfect position or take the next opportunity given to you.
When you should consider holding out for the perfect position:
You are already in a good position
If you won’t gain anything more from moving, and it might even be a risk (you might currently love your team and the projects you are on and who knows what your new colleagues or work will be like?) then it’s best to stay put.
If you do enjoy your current position but want to develop your skills or try out working on different aspects of the business, review what it is you’d like and speak to your line manager about gaining these, for example through taking on extra projects or work shadowing the teams. If you love your current workplace is it actually a better option for you to gain your dream position within the company? This might take you a number of years with more experience under your belt, but take some time to consider whether this could be an ideal path to success.
You know it’s achievable
If you have all the right experience and qualifications and it’s only a matter of time before the perfect position comes along (and you are in a decent role at the moment) you can hold out.
You do need to determine whether you do have the right experience and qualifications, and a good way to do this is to find others on LinkedIn with the position you want to go into and see how closely a match between them and you is. If it’s close, it’s likely you are on the right track.
You clearly know what you are looking for
If you are going to decline offers, then you have to know what it is that you will accept. And will you get absolutely everything on your list or is it too much of an ask?
When you should consider taking the opportunity:
You need the money
Regardless of what job you are in, all jobs help you gain skills, and especially soft skills, which you can take with you into future careers. If you are out of work and need the money to live off, having work is certainly better than having none, whilst it’s also great to have experiences to talk about at an interview.
Once you are at work, you can continue to look for positions that are more suited to your future career goals. You can also learn new skills on the side, for example, a programming language, or volunteer in the realm you are looking to enter, so you have more strings to your bow and more specific experience related to the position you want to apply for.
You need the experience
If you are less sure about the company you’ve got the offer with, but it offers you such good experience in the realm you want to work in, then take the plunge. For example, if you want to become a content writer, and this job offers you the ability to do this, then it’s a great opportunity to put your name to content and start your portfolio, at which point you can go to bigger and better things with the experience under your belt.
You need the company name
If it’s not the position you are after but it’s with a company that will open lots of doors for you in the future, it’s also a great shout to take the job offer. For example, if you really want to work in marketing at a fashion and beauty company, and land an admin role at ASOS, it’s a great stepping stone towards marketing within that company. With your initial role, you’ll get to understand how the company works, who the key players are and get to know the marketing team better. You can volunteer to take on extra work to help your experience, and over the next couple of years either segue into a marketing role at the company or look for one elsewhere.
You don’t know what your dream job would look like
If you don’t know what your dream job would actually consist of, and this role gives you a lot of opportunities, then take it with both hands. Once you are in the role, you’ll get a better understanding of what you like and dislike about it, and can start to do more of what you like. You’ll also gain an understanding of how businesses work and what different teams do, and if you are interested in certain aspects of the business you can focus on getting more experience with these to broaden your horizons.
