Written by Nicholas Merlau
Edited by Madelynn Dodds
Graphics by Madeleine Kaiser
Changing careers can be a strenuous time in the current job market climate. You may have even gained gray hairs from the ordeals of navigating this monumental change. Fortunately, you’ve probably discovered that many of your skills can be easily applied to different industries in the job market. If you have been granted multiple job offers… congratulations! But hold your horses for a second, my friend. We must understand how to distinguish
concrete offers from non-concrete ones. Strap in and get ready for the job market to bow down at your feet!
Changing Careers for a Better Salary
Like many, you want to make a career change to get more options for higher-paying jobs. If your base salary was $50,000 for your previous job, you probably want to switch companies to use those skills within a higher-paying position. Maybe your previous career turned you into the Tasmanian Devil from Looney Tunes every time you walked through the door. With that said, your value for a stronger work-life balance as opposed to an all-consuming black hole of a job is essential.
Whatever your reasons are, don’t sell yourself short while marketing your capabilities. Your motives for changing careers could be to receive increased pay, greater benefits, be involved in a progressive work culture, or have the opportunity to show your value as an employee. Sound enticing yet?
A Concrete Offer
Sure, discussing your needs and wants within your position is great for you and your potential employer to agree on. However, a concrete offer is a conversation that develops into the employer sending you an email, or printing a physical copy, with your necessities for the position written down. Anything else cannot be categorized as a concrete offer. For example, a verbal agreement will not suffice as a legitimate offer.
Being on the same page with your interviewer, and having what you discussed established in a contract is a concrete offer. All the confusion relating to the salary, benefits, and responsibilities will vanish if it’s written down. Of course, you want to change careers without losing salary… so don’t let this happen to you! Some applicants rely too much on HR to
discuss compensation. Typically, HR isn’t as familiar with the position you’re applying for as much as your future boss is. Communicating with HR is a part of the application process, but what they promise you will differ from what a future coworker will. This is why verbal agreements aren’t concrete.
Think about it: You, or someone you know, have accepted a position you are excited about with the promise that you will receive x, y, and z benefits. For example, “I just got hired for this advertising and marketing position where I get all of these benefits and I’ll work closely with great clients!” Then, on the first day, you realize there was a significant communication barrier. You’re not getting paid as much as you thought, you’re in a dimly lit office space making TikToks to sell color-changing LED lights. On top of it all, you don’t receive the benefits of a proper working space… let alone medical or dental insurance. If we had a dollar for every time that happened, then we wouldn’t have to work!
Negotiating Offers Without Losing Salary
With the situation you’re in, it’s not uncommon to negotiate written offers. You could get a better offer after accepting another one. Maybe one of the other companies you’ve applied to has offered you something more enticing (like a better salary). If you’re in this situation, go to your boss or supervisor and explain to them the offer the other company has granted to you. Your boss will either try to match, compete, or decline altering your salary.
For example, if you tell your boss you will be paid $5,000 more annually working somewhere else, they might try to compete and pay you $6,000 more annually. Afterwards, reach out to the other company and explain the little bidding war your boss is having to try to keep you. If the other company offers you more than that, explain their offer to your boss. Once you have decided, don’t waste any time and take the offer! Ultimately, you will either be paid more at your current company or another company. Yet again, be sure to have it “written in stone!”
Another situation could be your boss not wanting to raise your pay to match the opposing company. Get a written document that lays out the rival company’s promise to you for better pay, more benefits, company culture, more vacation, etc. The same can be said if your current company has the best offer tailored to you. Accept the offer and… look at that… two companies you admire tried to win you over as an employee.
Accept the offer you think is best. For instance, bonuses are great, but what are they comprised of? Applicants accept a job offer because their future boss tells them they will get a $5,000 bonus on top of their $85,000 salary. However, it could just be the first year you are employed with them and not an annual bonus for the years to come. This leaves a lot of employees in a perplexing position. So, keep your eyes wide open while looking at your offers.
Declining Offers With Class
Whether it be a previous, current, or a future company, be sure to never burn your bridges. There may come a time when that company you were considering opens up a new position. Unfortunately, you never notified them about your disinterest and left them hanging.
There are ways to prevent ruining your reputation with a company. Reaching out to employers either by a phone call or a well-written email is ideal. Convey to them that you are flattered by their interest in you, but ultimately can’t accept. Be honest and transparent about your circumstances. This creates a level of understanding and respect. Thank them and be sure to keep in touch via LinkedIn.
It is crucial to know how to NOT decline a job offer. Ignoring your employers and colleagues will not look good years from now if you ever want to work for them. Communication is key with any company. Secondly, you don’t want to write a Russian novel’s length of reasons and justifications for why you’re declining their offer. Be brief and polite. Lastly, do not procrastinate on notifying them. Reaching out to them as soon as possible is indicative of respecting both their company and their time.
Be Proud of Your Successes
Accepting, declining, receiving, and negotiating offers is an art. Even if you’re lucky enough to land that purpose-filled career with the salary you want, always keep your options open. Changing careers is in the palm of your hand!
Test out more tricks up our sleeves by reading our other blogs!
Have a Super Day!
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