How to Evaluate Multiple Job Offers

If you are one of the fortunate few to begin benefitting from the slow-going jobs recovery you are in an enviable position.  Furthermore, if the offers number more than one you truly are in an exceptional position and can count your lucky stars for your luck, diligence, experience and brilliance.  In a recent New York Times editorial, Thomas Friedman opines about the factors necessary to get a job at Google.  Casting aside the importance of GPA and test scores, Mr. Friedman’s piece cites leadership, humility, collaboration, adaptability and a love of learning or relearning as critical metrics to assess success.  These same attributes likely are the factors that can help you evaluate multiple job offers. 

Here is how it might work.  First, employing your skills at Excel, create a spreadsheet that gives you a quick assessment table to compare and contrast the offers.  On one axis, list the offers that you have received whether it be one or many.  On the other axis, list the factors of leadership, humility, collaboration, adaptability and a love of learning.  You might want to also include other elements that are important to you in a job such as ethical behavior, salary, perks, health care coverage, 401K, free lunch, Friday beer bashes, free donuts in the morning, etc.  You get the idea.  Assign a point system to each of the cells and rank them based on fit and preference.  Once you have assembled your spreadsheet, evaluate each job offer based on the total points and see how each stacks up. 

For the first five factors I mentioned above, let me elaborate on what to consider and to pose questions you should ask of yourself..

Leadership.  Does the new position give you the latitude to both lead and learn new leadership skills?  Is the company itself a leader? Have the people with whom you interviewed demonstrated leadership to you.  Is your potential boss a leader and have you seen evidence of such skill?  You may want to scour the Internet, including Google to look for signs and validation. 

Humility. Does your moral compass resonate with that of the potential employer? Does the company seem to have the intellectual fabric to both learn from you and teach you new tricks?  Do you believe you are open to be accepting of new ideas and the means of accomplishing what you are being hired to do?  Do you have an ego that can be left at the door in the morning?  At the same time, have those with whom you interviewed struck you as being open and accepting?  Have they demonstrated an equal measure of humility and ownership?

Collaboration. Do you have the courage and mentality to team play?  Are you able to join forces with others in pooling your intellectual talents and creative ideas based on your experience.  Has the company and those with whom you interviewed demonstrated mutual commitment to both cooperative and collaborate through their word and/or actions in the marketplace?  Do you get a sense of team from your interview experience and from what others outside the organization say or write? 

Adaptability.  Does the company demonstrate operational flexibility?  Do they conduct their business with flexibility in both ideology and action?  What do their customers say about them both privately and publicly?  What is the company’s track record in the industry.  Has its record over the years demonstrated its ability to adapt to change.  There are many examples of firms able to adapt such as IBM, 3M, P&G and Google.   There is also an equal number of firms who have not. 

Learning.  How is your learning curve and thirst for new knowledge?  Do you sense that the role to which you have been offered includes a road map of learning at the firm?  Does the culture encourage expanding the employee knowledge and skills?  Does the company have a training department?  Does the company sponsor post college education?  Does it boast a high number of degreed employees and does it have ongoing relationships with academic institutions? 

While these are not the only metrics to evaluate job offers, they do represent an important basis to compare and contrast the characteristics that will lead to a good decision and selection. As you evaluate the offers based on the criteria, consider also your passions, interests and abilities.  Assess each position based on the characteristics spelled out in the spreadsheet.  Rate each one and when you have completed the exercise, tally the results.  In the outcome is your answer. 

What to do if your job sucks!

You are into the 11th month of your new job.  There is no psychological lift from your work. The boss is a serious micro manager.  You are not having much fun.  You are at your wits end and see no relief ahead.  What should you do? 

This scenario likely applies to more people than one might imagine. Perhaps even you. Rest assured you are not alone. The good news is that the situation is not fatal and there are ways to manage the pain. Here are some ideas.

 

1. New gig.  Well you could look for a new job but in the current environment, job searches are lengthy at best.  It is an option that exists but it is not certain.  And as the saying goes don’t put all of your effort and thinking into one basket.  So while you are looking here are other means to an end.

2.  Relax.  Take a deep breath.  Count to ten. Take a 20 minute walk around the block. Take a sprint on the beach.  Sit back. Decompress and come to your senses.   

3. Endure. Don't quit.  The job market is still in turmoil.  You have a paying gig and are still able to pay for the roof over your head and three square meals a day.  Consider yourself fortunate. There are 11.8 million Americans without gainful employment.  Be thankful you are not one of them.

4. Divert. Find other outlets for your creative energy and drive. Volunteer with non-profits who likely could benefit from your talents. Join your professional trade association and get involved.  Head a committee, run a meeting, staff a conference, add to your network, mentor a student.  The list is likely endless of activities to engage and be engaged.

5. Enhance and improve. So the job is not what was promised. The boss is mean and never lets you run with it.   You are weary of just taking orders. Well back up and take a fresh look at your performance, your habits and your demeanor. Are you delivering at your level or just getting by?  Are you cutting the boss a break and giving her or him the benefit of the doubt.  

 

6. Focus.  Look at the glass half full, not empty. Maintain perspective. Consider a strategy under which you try to help the boss see things your way or at least in a different light.  Take her or him to dinner or lunch.  Encourage them to talk about their passions and motivations. This may give you a clue about how to influence their hot buttons.  It might even set the tone for improving how the boss treats you.  In any case it's worth a try. 

7.  Change the scenery.  Look for opportunities to move.  Are there other positions in the same company that fit your professional skills and aspirations?  Now that the real estate market is on the upswing look at renting a new apartment or buying a new house, preferably one with a view that enables you extend your vision beyond four walls. A perspective with a wide vista might just open you to new possibilities.

8.  Shock. For extreme therapy, visit an outplacement center, unemployment office or job fair.  See how the other 11.8 million are adjusting to life in the "slow lane" or "no lane."  It likely will give you some fresh perspective on your life in the faster lane. 

Virtual Attraction: Five Rules of the Road for Building your Online Presence

As the job market continues its snail’s pace recovery, it bears noting that now more than ever your virtual footprint should well reflect your achievements, professionalism, savvy and hire-ability. There is no room for compromise when it comes to your profile and track record or what I call your Virtual Data Points. When an HR person or an executive recruiter goes looking for evidence of your worth on the web, make sure it screams your value and integrity.

In celebration of the birth of a nation, here are five road rules to consider to insure that your background and virtual profile send sparks above the rest.

1. Be authentic. Your voice is your word. Don’t embellish beyond reality. Tell the truth. Speak from the heart. Your authentic voice has a way of shining through and shining true.

2. Be strategic. When you blog, tweet, comment, answer questions, post your status or an image or video, consider well what it says about you from the outside. Do you come across smart? Do you portray professionalism and knowledge? Does what you say reflect your true character? Can people divine your value and passion? Are you positioned the way you want?

3. Be a sculptor. Fine tune what you say and how you say it. Whether it is a profile on Facebook, a chirp on Twitter or an answer on Linkedin, think about the content you create. Make sure it leaves the impressions you hope and expect. Fashion your words so that they speak well about your abilities, character, knowledge and thought process.


4. Be a thought leader. If you want people to think well of you, give them something! Add value. Impart wisdom that is yours. Say something meaningful and helpful. Add to the stream, don’t subtract from it.

5. Think before you post! A great rule of the road from time immemorial, “don’t say it, if you don’t want to see it.” Too often in haste, we make left hand comments that later have the potential of diverting our reputation off the straight and narrow. Don’t let it happen. If you want to post out of humor, anger, frustration or fear, first consider the consequences.