We know you’re excited about this new job offer. But before signing on the dotted line and updating your LinkedIn page, you want to be assured that you are indeed stepping into a role that has you completely covered and prepared for the next stages of life.
You need to ask yourself important questions like, “Does the role challenge me enough that I’ll want to do it for the next few years?”, “Does the company offer engaging career advancement options?” and “Does the company offer a competitive benefits package so that my well-being is protected?”
With these and other questions in mind, here are three vital things that should be on your mind before you jump on board with a new company.
Salary expectations
First and foremost, know your worth and negotiate a fair salary for both you and your employer. Feel confident that you are bringing a highly valued skillset to this role and company, and because you will meet and exceed expectations, ask for a vacation period that fairly compensates your time at the office. Not everyone is equipped with the business acumen and tact that negotiation requires, so approach the conversation with the mindset that your potential employer has already demonstrated that they want to invest in you. So, you have permission to ask for a salary worthy of the best candidate. A word of wisdom in outlining your proposition: strike a clear balance between being respectful and confident.
You can research salaries on Glassdoor, as well as through staffing and recruitment firms such as Robert Half, which annually update their salary guides. It’s in poor taste to ask someone their annual earnings outright; however, you can ask them to give you a range of what they believe the annual income to be for their specific role, industry, and city.
Long-term fit
Perform your due diligence in researching the company to ensure that it is the right fit for you in the long-term. Beyond ensuring that the company’s values align with your own, consider things such as commute, office culture and daily working hours. You’ll want to know things like whether overtime is expected, but only compensated with your annual salary. This will help you make an informed decision as to whether the role will fit into your daily routine, and is therefore sustainable in the long run. After all, succeeding at a job is a marathon, not a race, and you want to make sure you won’t burn out and jump to a different employer.
Benefits
Money is important, but it’s not everything that’s needed in order to seal the deal. Some companies offer impressive benefits packages to compensate for lower salaries, whereas other companies feel they can offer lower-grade benefits coverage because they pay a higher wage. If you won’t receive adequate benefits, you’ll need to decide whether you’re willing to pay out of pocket for extensive medical bills, prescriptions, and massages in order to cover what your company won’t. Over time, these things do add up, which doesn’t help your goal of improving your net income in the first place.
So how do you get ahead in life if you are considering a new job that offers better compensation, but not the right benefits? There are excellent coverage plans available in Canada, such as with TD Insurance.
TD Insurance has coverage plans for accident and sickness insurance, life insurance, home insurance, car insurance and credit protection. They even offer real-time advice to help you make an informed decision. There are also preferred rates for students and alumni of certain universities, organizations, and employer groups, so do your research. Check out the TD Right Fit Coverage Assessment on their website, which asks you brief questions regarding your current living situation to help you make the best decision.
When you’re in the market for a new job and you have a potential employer ready to support you, research all of your options so that you can feel reassured that you’ve chosen the best possible option for your future.