Things to consider before accepting an offer
Firstly, all of us in Careers would like to say a big congratulations on receiving your offer! This is excellent news and all your hard work in the application/interview process has obviously paid off!
Whether you have received one or multiple offers, choosing your path for life after university is a big decision and it is one that really should not be rushed. If you need to take some time to reflect, this is absolutely fine – you can thank the organisation for their offer and agree on a day when you'll get back to them. Most job offers are likely to be made over the phone, so it is important to get a full offer in writing and this is something that you can request, if you have not already received it.
When considering a job offer(s), there can be lots of things to think about. For instance, you might want to take the following into consideration: what the job involves, whether it supports your career goals, the prospects of the employer, what the progression potential is, the suitability of the workplace/location, the salary, and what the work/life balance might be.
In some cases, you may have received an offer whilst you are still waiting to hear back from another opportunity you applied to – again, you can negotiate some time to decide. However, the time may come where you have to weigh up your options and make a decision before having a response to all of your offers – then you will need to decide whether it is worth risking this offer for other applications that you are waiting to hear back from. Of course, you can’t predict that you will be successful but you may feel that the other opportunity has more positive outcomes for you long-term. When you do accept a job offer, it is good practice to withdraw all your other pending applications/reject other offers.
For Further Study offers, you should think about: your interest in the subject, your reasoning for choosing postgraduate study, the location of the institution, your study/life balance and your current finances. It is also important to mention that in some circumstances with further study offers you will be able to accept as many offers as you received – once you have made your final decision, you should inform the provider that you wish to study with,
If you need more help with considering your offers, book an appointment to discuss this further with one of our Careers Consultants. Should you have received multiple offers, learn more about rejecting an offer.