You have been pounding the pavement, and your head against the wall, looking for a job in this economy. And just when you are ready to give up, you get a big, fat job offer. At first blush, it is a dream come true and you are ready to clock in first thing Monday morning. But don’t rush out and buy new pantyhose just yet.
Although a job offer is always nice, it is very important that you don’t reactively accept a position without considering some very important issues, even in the part-time employment arena.
Salary. It is a cinch to determine the going rate for any given position by simply going online and finding a salary calculator. There are tons of them out there and they will tell you what people in your city are getting paid for the jobs they are doing. Keep in mind, however, that if you are choosing the option of part-time employment, your salary is often affected by not only the decreased hours you are working, but also by the fact that part-time workers are often paid at a lesser scale than their full-time counterparts.
Work-Life Balance. Sometimes the clock just works against you. If you desire to see your child off to school in the morning, but your potential job entails a 45 minute rush hour commute, it is time to do a little soul searching. Beyond the morning shuffle, it is important to determine how much time you are truly willing to work, commute and travel.
The Ladder. If you are not only looking for employment, but also a springboard to your next position, it is important to ask questions now. Opportunity for growth can be as crucial in your career as the salary you receive. It is your call whether to accept a job with little chance for upward mobility, but it is vital that you know the reality of the position.
Office Ethos. True story. Early in my career I was hired for a position and it was requested that I attend an all-company meeting prior to my start date. Turned out that the staff was called together to discuss the low employee morale pervading this workplace. I took the job anyway and you can probably guess that it was a mostly miserable experience. Learn from my mistake; ask questions of the hiring manager upfront regarding office dynamics and employee satisfaction. It might save you a lot of headaches.
Commitment. Is this really the type of job you want or do you consider it a bandage until something better comes along? There is nothing wrong with transitions jobs as long as you remember that while they will supply you with a paycheck, they will also set you back on the time you can spend securing the position of which you truly dream.
