When to Turn Down a Job Offer

When to Turn Down a Job OfferWhen to Turn Down a Job OfferWhen does it make sense to turn down a job offer? Even if youre desperately seeking employment if you know the job isnt going to be a good fit it can make sense to decline the offer. Its better not to take the job in the first place than it is to have a job that doesnt work out a short time later. There are some circumstances, especially when youre in a difficult financial situation, where it may make sense to accept a position you dont want. When To Turn Down a Job Offer There are many good reasons to decline an offer. The job may not pay enough money, the job responsibilities might not be what youre looking for, there may not be room to move up the career ladder, or you might not feel there is a good fit between you and your future boss, co-workers or the company. You might have another offer thats much better. The job offer may be conditional, and you may not be willing or able to meet the requirements. Evaluate the Offer Even though receiving a job offer is the goal of every job search, it is important to carefully evaluate any offer to make aya the job is right for you.If youre not koranvers about the position, or if your gut is telling you that this isnt the job for you, ask for more time to make a decision. When should you consider turning down a job offer? If you have a chance to meet your future boss, your perception of the character and management style of your prospective supervisor will be an important consideration. If you have serious doubts that this individual would be a positive and supportive boss, proceed with caution. Ask for the opportunity to meet with other staff who report to your prospective supervisor and ask some neutral sounding questions How would you describe her management style?What do you like most about his as manager?What type of mentoring have you received? Since most workers change jobs frequently in the vergammeln economy, it will be important to evaluate wha t and how much you will learn in a new job. Will accepting this new job help you to make a strong case for future jobs or might you stagnate in your development? Does the organization have a solid training program in place for junior employees? Money Matters The financial standing and market position of your prospective employer will be another critical issue to evaluate. Is the company expanding? Is the company financially stable? Are their products and services well known and respected? Organizations which are floundering will often need to cut budgets and lay off staff. Opportunity to Advance For entry level or junior positions, you will want to determine if the company frequently promotes individuals from the job you have been offered. Jobs with a clear and realistic career path will have greater value as you launch your career. If the employer cant demonstrate a clear growth pattern within a reasonable time frame, then you might consider turning down that offer. Likewis e, if you discover that the employer has a poor record of retaining new employees, you should be cautious. Compensation and Benefits Of course, compensation and benefits are a reason that many offers are turned down. Make sure that you are aware of salary standards for the job and industry. Review online salary sites for survey data for similar jobs in your location. However, dont give the initial salary too much weight as a factor in deciding on an offer, particularly if there is a definite pattern for salary increases over time and you will develop valuable skills in the job. Heres how to compare employee benefit packages. Accepting the Offer If you decide to accept the job offer, its important to be sure that you are clear on the details including compensation (salary and benefits), work schedule, time off from work and your job responsibilities. You dont want to be like the job seeker who discovered the normal hours for the job he had already accepted were 50 hours a wee k, rather than the 40 he expected. If you have any questions, the time to ask them is prior to accepting a job. Declining the Offer If you do decide to turn down an offer, it will be important to do so in the right way and at the right time. I recently heard about a person who got up and walked out in the middle of an interview saying this wasnt the job for him. Common courtesy means being polite, even if you know you dont want the job. Plus, there may be other opportunities at the company which are a better fit. If you decline tactfully, you may have the opportunity to be considered for a different role. Typically, it is best to take some time to consider an offer even if you are leaning towards turning it down. Write a polite letter expressing your gratitude for the opportunity to explore the job. If you found that the job didnt tap critical skills or interests, but the employer was impressive, you might inquire about other more suitable positions. Similarly, there are times d uring an interview when it becomes clear that the job isnt right for you. If the company is appealing, but the job isnt, you could politely share your interest in other positions more in line with your strengths at the conclusion of your interview.

Advice for Veterans Starting a Business and Entrepreneurial Career

Advice for Veterans Starting a Business and Entrepreneurial CareerAdvice for Veterans Starting a Business and Entrepreneurial CareerAdvice for Veterans Starting a Business and Entrepreneurial CareerStarting a geschftliches miteinander can be a perfect fit for veterans.In addition to showing great bravery and dedication to our country, serving in the military provides a valuable education that provides numerous opportunities for success later in life. Armed with discipline and drive, veterans have a particular skill set that makes them ideal candidates to start a business. An entrepreneurial quest offers the benefits of flexible, hands-on work. For many vets, this type of challenge is just whats needed to bring a sense of structure and purpose to life outside of the work theyve done serving our country.If youre a U.S. veteran starting a business but youre unsure exactly how to begin, here are some tips and resources that can help get you moving in the right direction.1. Do your resear ch.You may be the very best at what you do, but unfortunately, if theres no demand for it, you will have a large uphill battle that may not prove to be worth your time. Thats why its imperative to research your market before you put in your time, money, or other resources.To start, you must first decide where you want your business to be Will it be something local or will it be online? Once you know your location, youll want to consider your competition How many other businesses are there doing what you want to do? How much do they charge for their services? Can you be competitive and still meet your costs? Is there room for growth? All of these are important factors in both establishing a business plan and finding funding.Beyond that, theres a lot to think about before starting a business. Youll want to consider what type of business (sole proprietorship, limited liability company, corporation, etc.) youre going to start and what effect that will have on you. Will you be the sole o wner or will it be a joint venture? How will this affect your taxes and other infrastructure? If these are things you arent too well versed in, research is essential, and a good place to start is the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). They have a comprehensive list of business structures and the tax implications of each to help you in your process.2. Write a business plan.Now that you have an understanding of what your industry and company structure will entail, its time to start putting together the information about your business.This can be a tough task, but dont let this challenge hold you back. You can start small choose your business name. Once you have that, draft up what you know your business will do, what goals you want to accomplish, how youll market your business, and details about your competition that you found in your research. Dont forget to plan for how youll address any problems that may arise.If you get stuck along the way, remember there are plenty of guides and tu torials online that can help you understand what youll need to do to get started. You can find general business plan tips here, and this guide on Military.com shows an example outline of a business plan. This can help you get going, as you can fill in the elements you know and discover where you need to do more research or what questions you still need to answer.RelatedBeing Your Own Boss Tips for Beginner Entrepreneurs3. Find your funding.There are numerous VA small business loans available, and some are even geared specifically toward veterans with lower credit scores. You can start off by contacting your local banking institutions to binnensee what kinds of programs they might have available. You can also find valuable resources for veterans through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.Of course, you can always opt to provide your own seed funding, especially if you have the funds readily available or dont have a lot of initial costs for getting started.Most startups have many stories of relying on credit cards to make ends meet early on. If thats something youre considering doing, there are several smart credit card strategies to get you on your way. For example, you can use a credit cards introductory 0 percent interest financing to buy equipment and pay for upfront expenses.If you have the cash to pay your credit card bills in full, you can consider using a cash back rewards credit card to maximize the value of your business purchases. Chase credit cards like the Freedom and Freedom Unlimited offer 1 percent and 1.5 percent cash back on every purchase, respectively, which means you can put those savings on your upfront purchases toward growing your business.But, like with anything else that comes with starting a new business, you need to weigh your options. There are other options that are good for getting rewards on your purchases as you get your business up and running. One is the Discover it Cashback Match card which, for a certain amount of time, offers 5 percent cash back on purchases made on Amazon and other stores, plus unlimited 1 percent cash back on all other purchases. Practically every major issuer offers a card with cash rewards or promotional financing, so if either of those strategies appeals to you, shop around for one that makes sense for your wallet (and your credit).4. tischset up your business.Now that you have all the finer points of running your business smoothed out, its time to put it all into action. Youll want to register your business name with your state business and get your tax ID number. This is also the time to get all the licensing and other legal documents youll need. A local Veterans Business Outreach Center, through the Small Business Administration (SBA), can help you with training, counseling, and mentorship to help you get your business off the ground on solid footing.5. Do what you love and know.Building a business around something you already know and love puts you one step ahead of the g ame. The less you have to think about just getting through your day, the more time youll have to spend thinking creatively about growing and improving your business.There may be a lot to learn about running a business, but there are resources for veterans out there to help you along the way. Most importantly, they dont all require you to spend additional money, as youre likely tightening your budget as you get your business up and going. In fact, the SBA has a free training program, Boots to Business, that offers a three-part workshop to help veterans understand some of the basics of starting and running a business. Any active military members who are currently transitioning out of the military, as well as their spouses, are eligible for this training program.Ultimately, the goal is to inspire, empower, and equip all veterans with the knowledge and resources necessary to move forward on the path to entrepreneurship. Military training builds a young person up to do noble things, and it is with this in mind that we strive to support all aspiring veteran entrepreneurs in their goal of business ownership and success.Click on the following link for more advice on transitioning careers.Make sure your resume is in tiptop shape. Hire a TopResume professional resume writer todayRecommended ReadingHow to Get Your Military Resume in Shape for a Civilian Job SearchThe Modern Guide to Career TransitionJobs for Veterans What to Consider Before Accepting the Job

How to Be More Likable in Interviews

How to Be More Likable in InterviewsHow to Be More Likable in InterviewsIn interviews, when you know youre being judged on what you do, what you say, and how you look, its understandable to get self-conscious and do all that you can to put your best foot forward. However, theres a balance that needs to be found between coming across as likable and wasting energy on trying too hard to be liked.To that end, below are some key points that will help clarify bedrngnis only what likeable means but also how to appropriately exude likability while staying authentic and real.1. Why are you trying to be more likable in the first place?First, its important to ask Why is likablea quality that you want to exude and what would being likable really achieve?The fruchtwein obvious answer in this context is you want to land the job. Likable = better chances at getting hired, right? Correct.In addition, humans have a natural need for acceptance and to feel a sense of belonging. So being likable is a ch aracter trait most of us are hoping to have and express. In other words, its more than okay to try to likable. Its natural and good in the context of a job interview. So dont get down on yourself for trying to be more likable.2. What does being likable mean to you?Its also important to ask yourself What does likable mean to me? Do I want to appear confident and self-assured? Or do I want to appear compassionate and relatable?These are two very different sets of characteristics, and both could be liked by the hiring manager depending on the role youre interviewing for.No matter what you think it means, when youre clear on what likable means to you, then you can tailor your stories and anecdotes when speaking with hiring managers, highlighting those qualities that you want to stand out and be remembered.3. Are you trying to be likable to the right people?Have you ever met someone and no matter what you said to them, no matter how hard you tried, you felt awkward and like you said some thing wrong?If so, remember that the people who take more energy and patience to communicate with are possibly the kinds of people that youre wasting your time on. Youll know that your energy is worth it if, when speaking with someone, the conversation feels good, and enhances your mood and mindset.Of course, you wont get along with everyone not everyone will like you, and thats okay. As my dad used to say, Theres not a single person in the world that EVERY single human likes, and if there were, that person would be very boring.So save yourself for the people who offer value back to you and with whom communication is easy. Never forget that just like its natural to want to be likable, its natural that not everyone you interview with will find you likable.A final noteUltimately, you cant control what people think of you and how much they like you. And trying to be more likable, however you define it, is okay. But pretending or trying to impress the wrong people wont work for the long term.I have a saying that I live my life by You can never say anything right to the wrong people, and you can never say anything wrong to the right people.Natalie Fisher is best known for helping professionals land their dream jobs and achieve explosive salary growth (even with little experience). Get started by downloading her free guide The Ultimate Situational Interview Q A Guide.