POLL: You have 2 job offers: which criteria would ultimately sway your decision? (Pick one)

The weight has got to fall somewhere in the b and d universe.

In a balanced life (which too few of us have), loving what you do is vital to good physical and mental health, and contributes to your ability to build great personal relationships.

And, if the job isn't fun, either you're not doing it right, or you're doing it with the wrong people. We all need to be in places in which we can have great working relationships with people who treasure our contributions and uniqueness.

In order of importance:

- Smart motivated coworkers.
By working with the best, you're going to learn a lot more and at a faster rate than being surrounded by mediocrity.

- Small team, early stage startup.
There's no way to get enough equity for a chance at making 'Fuck You' money outside of an early stage startup, besides being a C-level executive hire. Your influence on the company is going to much greater when there's a team of 10 than when you're just a single cog out of thousands.

- Product you believe in
The smaller the company is, the more important this is. If you believe in the product, everything else (equity, experience at the company, etc) becomes more valuable, since you presumably believe that the company as a whole has a shot at becoming successful.

- Culture
A culture where performance is measured in terms of getting work done is far preferable to a where the metric is how well you conform to a schedule of being in front of your desk from exactly 9 AM to 5 PM. Having some latitude surrounding schedule makes me a much happier and more productive employee. With a forced 9-5 schedule I'd be spiteful of it and would likely work exactly 40 hours, which is fewer than I do with some freedom.

when I was young I'd have chosen d. Then I had a b. phase. In the last 10 years I'd take an a. job

I'd like to ask everyone responding here who dismissed salary as a key motivator: Would you accept a job that you felt offered significantly LESS (20% or more) than what you believed you were worth if you were convinced your work-life priorities would be met by that job?

B. Job responsibility, I would want to make sure it was something that would keep me active and motivated and not just sit and collect a check.

My initial reaction was b but after some serious thought, I would choose e. You may like a job responsibility but if you will have the same responsibilities in 5 years would you still be interested.

Whether I was looking for an actual career path or not, the opportunity to grow and learn can contribute to making you a more valuable employee whether you stay with that company or not. If you are left with little opportunity for personal and professional growth then you are short changing yourself.

For me, F: {other]

I'd attempt to pick based on whichever offer held the most promise for long term happiness. This would be decided upon by a *combination* of factors including salary, environment, challenge, commute, etc ...

The choice would depend on the stage of working life at which these job offers are made. During the early part of career, that is, during the first 2-3 years of entry as employee, I would choose the job with criterion 'e'. Al a later stage, say around 10-12 years after entry into employment, my choice would be for the job with criterion 'b' and at a very senior stage my choice would be for the job with criterion 'd'

Arvind Nande;~ Entrepreneurship and Management Development Consultant

The old saw says it best..."Show me a man who loves what he does and I'll show you a man who'll never work a day in his life." Those of us who have been blessed by finding employment in something that we love to do are some of the happiest folks in the work place. I have to say I agree strongly with Gail et al about growth and development. Not necessarily "climbing the ladder" (the Peter principle is valid) but growth personally and professionally.

As long as I can meet my true needs (and this means avoiding the trap of debt to "keep up with the Joneses") and provide for my family (needs not wants) then I advise young folks to find their passion. They'll be good at what they love and that will generally take care of the rest (competitive salary, benefits, etc.) Spending the better part of your life working in something you don't enjoy "because it's a job" is a miserable career.

-dB

Our vocational school graduates run into this dilemma and ask for help. One told us once that she would take the first one who called, all else being equal.
Since most of our graduates were laid off their jobs when they come to us, I think job security would be extremely important in this economy.
Next to that, a job where people can make a difference would also rank high in any economy. One example was a student who had worked 20 years at a local large customer service company. She thought she'd retire for the company but got a pink slip out of the blue. After she graduated she found a job she loves working with a child adoption agency. She came back to the college and told us when she was laid off, she thought it was the worst thing that ever happened to her. Now, she realizes it was the best thing that ever happened to her because she got to go back to school, get new skills and now has a job she absolutely loves helping to build families.
Job satisfaction ranks very high on the list. The hard part is discerning at the offer stage, which job will provide the more satisfaction.

e. Clear Growth Options/ Career Path

I couldn't agree with you more on your first Other criterion, Mr. Gershik. The people you work with can either help make or break your work day.

My 2nd criterion comes sort of close to Steve G.'s 2nd one in that I need to feel challenged: that great feeling that comes from taking a business need and going through the steps of implementing it in the client's environment resulting, among other things, increased efficiency and successfully solving the problem at hand. Believing that the job you're contemplating will improve/help a company convert their abstract ideas into concrete reality is a big plus for me.

Just went through this decision last month. Ended up taking a large pay cut to work for someone I felt was most able to be a good mentor and help me transition from manager to director.

I had this situation come up last year. After being on unemployment for 1 year, I was presented with two offers in the same week. I came up with a combo of E and F.

One was a position that the pay was awesome, however, would have me holed up in a cubicle farm and not be very creative or strategic in my role.
The other was the head of the HR function for an organization that needed help and the company acknowledged that fact.

While the pay would have been better in the first role, I chose the 2nd, as the 1st position would not do anything for my career goals. It would be been a job, one I probably would have been miserable in.

I chose the position that would be best for the direction I want to take my career and what I could get excited about each morning and still be excited about on the way home in the evening.

I had posted earlier my answer to this question based on my own outlook and job situations that I had faced thru 42 years of my career before retirement. I have subsequently been following with interest the various responses to the question. As expected, each answer is based on the particular job situation the person answering is facing today or faced before.

Basically, there can be no standard or permanent answer to the question since the choice of a particular job-offer by any person depends upon (or should be influenced by) the following crucial criteria:
~ prevailing job-market situation
~ prevailing socioeconomic conditions
~ degree of satisfaction or frustration in the current job
~ future prospects in the current job
~ current age (career stage on the timeline) and current domestic situation
~ competency requirements of each job-offer
~ perception of own competencies
~ level of confidence as regards ability to meet the job-performance requirements
~ the reputation of the company offering the job both in the market and with the current and past employees, and
~ stability and growth prospects of the company offering the job

Arvind Nande: Entrepreneurship & Management Consultant

b. If I like what I'm doing I'll do it better.

Followed closely by C. The cost of benefits provided more than makes up for salary.

I would probably say e or f - great question! I'd say e if the opportunity for growth was in personal development more than for career growth (this is why I also said f)

F. Culture-values based, ethical, diverse, learning organization, collaborative, socially responsible
D. I don't care about trendy but fun matters
B. The work itself-challenges, non-routine, lots of people interaction

[F]: FOLLOW YOUR BLISS*

and take a job which is bringing you closer to the fulfillment of your calling.

and work without thinking about your Resume: is this position ok for my resume?, will my cv look ok afterwards, what if... blah blah...

just YOU and Your BLISS. Just Focus and Performance

and Good Luck

All the best

Waldemar

* "Follow Your Bliss" is attributed to Joseph Campbell

Tough question...
For me, depends on the stage of life where you're in at the moment.
For me, the answer is B. Nothing is more frustrating than waking up to the alarm tone and feeling bad because you'll be doing something you do not like, and when it's Friday you post on Facebook: "Yuppy!!! It's Friday"; and when it's Monday the post would be: "*@#$, Monday :("
But, also, I feel like D would count. When B is already granted, you have to look around and see if you fit in with the people you work with; because your working place is like your second home. The more fun your "second brothers" are, the better you'd feel at your "second home".
And at last, the benefits really make you "stick to a company" for a long time, as the B and D are granted. Companies that let employees study an extra degree, that have health assistance and etc. tend to have faithful employees.
This is just my way of seeing things. I'm 24 and I'm an Electronic Engineer at Mozambique

I've discovered that it's impossible to know a job actually entails until you are in the door and doing it. It seems like everyone from the hiring manager through the company CxO lies, either overtly or by omission about their company and your potential job. .

Though problems with a-d can be deal breakers, you can't count on them. Unless you are a CxO with a contract (and even then), they are all subject to change without notice.

Some will change radically and rapidly as jobs are redefined or eliminated, key team players move to other jobs, projects are cancelled or started without rhyme or rational reason. "Benefits" aren't protected except for union workers. A fun atmosphere can be destroyed overnight by one policy decision that's beyond your control.

Employers have clearly demonstrated during the last decade that regardless of the slogans they spout, employees are not an important "asset", they are the most disposable and most easily replaceable overhead burden.

So, I'd have to say e, interpreting it to mean how you think the job might help you toward achieving your future career goals, i.e, how well it might prepare you for the next one, how good will it look on your resume.

For me it's the job, followed by flexible work options - i.e., option to work remotely, unusual hours, autonomy, etc. I do largely creative work and find that creativity goes hand in hand with flexibility.

Having said that, the other stuff also matters, i.e., everyone wants to work with good colleagues and few people (esp. with kids and/or mortgages) can afford to accept a significant salary cut.

For me it is C and E. But not for the surface the answers would suggest. The "benefits" and the "growth" has more to do with tomorrow. In today's economics you have to ask "Will this company be here tomorrow? Will it make an offering to the markets that will drive it to continue to improve and grow? And as we have seen in the past three years - What drives the leaders of the company - ego, greed, or compassion?

So, good question which has no simple one line answer. In all of this jobs/economy/wars time we find ourselves, I have become more convinced that the only constant in life is change and my challenge is to adapt!

I can not give a single a single point as an answer. b,c & d would all factor into my decision as long as a was acceptable. Challenge and responsibility in a technology job is a significant key for me as both a manager as well as design resource. To me company benefits in many ways can out weigh salary as long as salary is within an acceptable range. Trendiness is another factor that is a factor to a technology resource. Many resources need to be on the bleeding edge of technology while others are looking to make sure that technically they do not have to push themselves. I don't need bleeding edge but on the flip side I do need to be challenged or have the flexibility to try new ideas and concepts as they may apply. A key here is understanding risk management in the design as well as the ROI. Trendiness is something that should not out weigh design longetivity.

E. and B. respectively.

C and e for me. Thanks.

With medical costs the way they are today comprehensive health insurance is what would sell me on an employer.

With medical costs the way they are today comprehensive health insurance is what would sell me on an employer.

e. Clear Growth Options/ Career Path

And this is why I ( took alot of flak for it too ) supported obamacare at its inception, its flawed but a start, it was killing us under bush pushing towards extremes in the gdp to budget overruns

f. Other - The one that best aligns with my principles and goals.

a and e

A lot of factors! Total compensation: pay and benefits. Location/easy commute to/from. Culture: a lot of mostly non-verbal clues from walking through the office (are people seemingly tense, are there pictures and indications of personality in their workspaces, are there a lot of personal conversations, are people professionally attired, etc.). Opportunity to contribute to policy-making vs. being a technician. Opportunity for growth (training, advancement) with proof of others who have done so. Growing business vs. stagnant. Ingenuity, innovation vs. waiting for competitors to lead.

This is a real, present question for me.

My answer is F - Fulfillment. I want to accomplish something as worthwhile as possible according to the values of my worldview.

Given a tie between two jobs in that criteria, my next answer would be B followed by A, C, E, D.

The most suitable answer is "E", b/c clear career growth and career path is very important for an individual, and may you find this option in several organization, but most important along with this is management approach (mean clear goal "mission, vision and values") if this issue is very clear for any organization either small or large organization you may get success as you and your company desire.

In today's time, F is the only answer and it relates to the integrity of the management team you will be working with over your career. Today, many managers, including those in the C Suite, no longer provide respect, honesty and spirit of team in the workplace. Many treat their fellow employees in a deplorable manner and see them as dispensable at every turn. I would look for a company the proves they value their employees' talent and are successful in sustaining a positive brand image. Social media has provided a braod platform for job seekers to find out what truely happens behind the front doors of a company. Use it to your advantage to find a culture that aligns with your values and ethics. What's posted on their walls doesn't mean much - ask what other employees think.

It all depends on your age. If you are just out of school then you are more than likely after the higher bucks and or the most fun job. If you are a family man already then you more than likely want better benefits. If you are over fifty then you want better benefits and (f) job security.

My choice would be A. Ed makes a good point about life stages. I am about to turn 60, have been laid off twice and am now earning 50% of my salary at my last job. I'm assuming, since I had two offers, that I had chosen to apply for both jobs. That means they were worth pursuing in the first place. At my stage in life, just before retirement, my priority has to be maximizing pre-retirement earnings.

Clear career path, clear advancement opportunities

F.)...All the Above would sway me...Picking one makes you one dimensional.

e)

F for fit in terms of: how the organization's mission fits with my values, how my skills and experience fit with making a meaningful contribution, and cultural fit.

Clear growth options with tha maximum stimulation. It's great to love your job!

Higher salary.

option e

It would be a combination of a (Higher Salary) and b (job scope).
However, if I have been offered, I must have already understood the job scope and accept the possible challenges and ready for the jobs. So in reality, I might go for A which would be deciding factor if both jobs carry the similar scope of work. If the scope of work differs greatly, then i would measure the $ with the scope of work accordingly.

Yes! I have been agreed for F. The service and products we introduce must be first important thing. Everyday we wake up and sell happiness for all people, the people happy with service and products then we can expand our job. If not you choosed wrong careers

I actually am in this position right now. I am in IT/Telecom Sales, and the main driver for my decision is not wanting to have to cold call. I am done carrying a bag or spending all day calling people to find leads. IMO, companies that have people in the street and/or calling businesses all day, unsolicited, are just wasting time and making their employees depressed, since cold calling is almost always depressing over time. I have been very successful at it and still hate it. To me, cold calling is marketing. Sales people should be given leads and marketing should find them.

I have worked for a company that used marketing and paid services to provide inbound leads for the past 5 years, and also had web chat and inbound calls, and my job was to sell, develop referral customers and agents, as well as channel partners from there, and found that to be a very viable, rewarding model. (My company was profitable and just got bought by a competitor that fired everyone... which is crazy, since I know I could outsell most of their team immediately). I am also looking for stability, as telecom has been very volatile over the past 12 years. The worst part of every new job search for me is starting over with vacation, seniority, losing promotions, etc. Luckily, a customer called me the day we were acquired to see if I was okay and available, and then offered me almost everything I wanted, with growth potential, higher salary, the ability to work from home at times, and much more. Very glad to land on my feet. Other companies are offering good salaries, but it would be at least 50% cold calling and years to get into management again, and I am not willing to play that, since I have choices.

I was in this position 2 years ago, and as a result my view is that the answer depends on the person and their personal experience. Actually it was not much fun and one of the more stressful times of my life in making the decision. In my case, having worked for small companies for several years, two of whom went bust and resulted in me having to look for a job, the opportunity to work for a larger, established company with more stable growth prospects was a major factor in my decision.
Therefore, my response would also be F - Other.

B. The job responsiblity day to day .

Salary plays a role. But also important is environment. Making good money and being miserable is no longer an option for me. Life is too short.

B. I was in a job where I could have been content to stay with a high salary. I recently moved because I wanted to make sure that my daily responsiblities were clearly defined and I would feel like I was making a difference. Salary was slightly better, benefits not as good as the last job, but B and ultimately E. helped make the decision a no-brainer.

Flexibility in scheduling and positive, supportive atmosphere for employees. Clear organizational policies and procedures, clear goals for company and employees. A place that serves the customer and supports the employee in this endeavor and you can feel good about the fact that you are employed there. Anyone know of such a place????

The most important criteria is (e), assuming that one has set a goal for oneself. It's funny, but of the countless people I've interviewed over the years, when asked a question about career path, plan, or goals, more than 90% answered "I don't know" or words to that effect. I never hired one of them. As the old saying goes, if you don't know where you're going, any path will take you there. People with no clear goals make terrible employees because they'll be off to the next misadventure when something catches their eye.

The next criteria is (a). If two jobs appear to provide the same opportunity for meeting one's personal goals, pick the one that pays the most. And, of course, when one achieves one's goal, it's important to set another goal right away. Having goals gets one out of bed in the morning and provides the incentive for the effort and dedication required. But the importance of making more money should never be underestimated. While there's no need to make vastly more than is needed to meet one's financial goals (taxes are too high and investment risk too great today), having financial problems is an excellent way to keep one's goals out reach.

Note that these two are most important because the amenities of any given job - flexible hours, supportive co-workers, a great boss, whatever, can change in a flash. Being comfortable shouldn't be the goal; accomplishing your life's goals - whatever you determine them to be - while keeping the bills paid, should be.

Definitely The Job (responsibility, day-to-day), the more interesting and challenging the opportunity, the more growth, both personal and career, can be expected.

My answer would be F - Other. We'll assume I've already done my homework on the Company and know that it is fiscally sound with a strong balance sheet and continued revenue potential. Further, we'll assume they are "selling" something that I believe in. While the other answers (A-E) would be part of my decision-making, the number one consideration for me in taking a position is my direct supervisor. I have taken a job because the Company and CEO was great - and left shortly thereafter because my supervisor was terrible. I do agree with Steve and others that the team is also key. But I've also worked with a fractured, disfunctional team and when your manager is strong, they will handle any team issues that arise.

In scale of importance: B, C, A, D, E. I think career is a very personal something. The most important factor is to confront with constant challenges and new situations.

Great responses everyone!

I had this situation come up last year. After being on unemployment for 1 year, I was presented with two offers in the same week. I came up with a combo of E and F.

One was a position that the pay was awesome, however, would have me holed up in a cubicle farm and not be very creative or strategic in my role.
The other was the head of the HR function for an organization that needed help and the company acknowledged that fact.

While the pay would have been better in the first role, I chose the 2nd, as the 1st position would not do anything for my career goals. It would be been a job, one I probably would have been miserable in.

I chose the position that would be best for the direction I want to take my career and what I could get excited about each morning and still be excited about on the way home in the evening.

e

Between two jobs, being equal in pay and job description (position), I would say it is always, for me, the people with whom I will be working; that would seal the deal.

If you Love your job but hate the people you work with, I believe you will soon not enjoy your job. If you dislike your job but Love the people you work with, I believe you will soon enjoy your job.

Thus, for me it is all about the people I am spending my entire day working with to accomplish a common goal. I really love my team and have been on a team which the resouces did not get along. Even one bad egg can destroy the team's morale and causes discord amoung the entire team.

I would say F - and that would include the management - their strategic vision and leadership capacity, and second, another F - the offering/product/service and its possibility of success in the market and whether or not (okay, that's a third F) I am capable of significantly contributing to this success.

The option not listed was 'the job that best fits your lifestyle'. This will include things like how much travel will be required, how many hours/work will you put in, how long is the commute, how will this impact your lifestyle? I have friends who sacrificed their family life for a job and later had large regrets,and are now on second families with a new perspective of how important work is. If the job will not fit into your lifestyle, you will be miserable.

Cindy, your observation is astute! I imagine that the list of choices could span the alphabet, but personal lifestyle- especially if family will be impacted by employment choice - is a serious consideration for another reason too. In addition to familial impact, the potential to get typecast or 'stuck' in a position or industry is a real issue.

The offer from whichever company offers the combination of the greatest challenge and the best opportunity to succeed.

I'm a salesperson, so I would be looking for a company whose solutions I passionately believe in. Solutions that really do help customers accomplish their goals.

B or E - the day to day duties are important to me. Are they things I'm passionate about and gifted to do. Secondly, is the opportunity for growth. It's hard to stay in a place if you are stagnating.

F - Ideally, I would like to find out if the company carry out their business in-line with their core value. If the company is not doing business in the way they say they should be doing, it will be a miserable job. This is because A to E can be changed on a dime.

g. Financial stability of the companies making you the offers. If you're making a great salary with great benefits, but the company goes under in 2 years, what are you really making?

Job Responsibility, Job Role, all the way. Mainly, the contribution of the position towards organizational goals and its tandem with career goal.

There should be parity between authority and responsibility. No matter where the position is held in the organization chart, there has to be job satisfaction. This naturally results in job efficiency, higher productivity, greater output.

So the higher salary, company benefits & fun environment will automatically follow. After all, which professional organization would let go of a boon to its own prosperity. A win-win for both!

@ Paula,
I would say yes. I would take a 20% reduction if I thought the product served a great purpose and if the environment was right for me.
People are afraid to take a cut in pay for the same job as they see it as a detriment. I see it as a challenge to once again prove to myself that I can build myself back to the higher amount and beyond. It creates a drive and purpose for you to prove that your value is authentic not just perceived. I would actually enjoy it.

Paula, I too did so just about the time I married even though the lower income meant a few hardships. The overall job-satisfaction as a result, and the contentedness in the family situation were a great motivation to work hard and perform well and within a short time I was able to land a few job-offers with the same degree of work-life balance bu with much higher pay. Eventually I ended up with an enviable job with the UN and retired. As such, I am a firm believer that work-life balance does ultimately lead to a highly enjoyable and rewarding career.

arvind agreed 100% that is why i responded as i did

B AND E in combination, impossible to have B only and not realistic to decide based on E only either.

Right on, Steve. I would say "F"-- Have fun. In that, we are in full agreement, because working with great people doing great things IS FUN, and fun is the primary biological motivator that makes people WANT to get up in the morning and start their day.

Together, let's put the fun back into work!
Belldon Colme
belldoncolme@gmail.com