Job Offers

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Evaluating the offer

Here are key areas a student should evaluate when they receive an offer:

1. The Position Itself

• Job Responsibilities: Are the duties and tasks a good fit for your skills and interests? Will the work be engaging and challenging, or is it a role you might quickly outgrow?
• Career Growth: Does the company offer a clear path for advancement? Are there opportunities for professional development, training, or mentorship?
• Work Environment: What is the company culture like? Is it collaborative or more independent? How does the management style align with your own work preferences?
• Work-Life Balance: What are the typical working hours? Is overtime expected or required? What are the company’s policies on paid time off, sick days, and remote work (if applicable)?

2. The Company and Location

• Company Culture and Values: Do the company’s mission and values resonate with your own? How is its reputation in the industry?
• Financial Stability: Is the company financially sound and growing? This can impact job security and future opportunities.
• Location and Commute: Where is the office located? What is the cost of living in that area, and how will it affect your salary? What is the commute like, and is it a manageable distance?

3. The Total Compensation Package

• Base Salary: While not the only factor, it’s a significant one. Is the salary fair for the position, your experience, and the geographic location? Research industry standards using resources like Glassdoor, Salary.com, and discuss with your career coach.
• Benefits: A comprehensive benefits package can be worth a lot. This includes health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement plans (like a 401(k) with a company match), and life insurance. Understand when these benefits start and what, if anything, you will pay out-of-pocket.
• Additional Compensation: Does the offer include a signing bonus, performance bonuses, profit-sharing, or stock options?
• Relocation: If the job requires you to move, does the company offer relocation assistance to help with moving expenses?

4. Making a Decision

• Request an Extension: If you need more time to evaluate the offer or are waiting to hear back from other companies, it is perfectly acceptable to ask for a reasonable extension on the deadline. This shows you are taking the decision seriously. Be polite and professional in your request.
• Contact the Career Center: Your career coach is here to help. You can schedule an appointment to discuss the offer, negotiate, or create a pros and cons list to help you make an informed decision.

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Accepting the offer:

1. Formally Accept the Offer: The first thing you need to do is formally accept the offer, ideally in writing. A simple email is sufficient and shows your commitment. Be sure to confirm the key details of your employment, such as your job title, start date, and salary. The email template provided below is a great starting point for this.
2. Discontinue Your Job Search: Once you have accepted an offer, the ethical and professional expectation is that you will cease your job search. This means withdrawing any outstanding applications and canceling any upcoming interviews. Continuing to interview after accepting an offer is not only a bad look but also a disservice to the other companies and candidates.
3. Maintain Communication: After you’ve accepted, it’s a good idea to stay in touch with your new employer. This shows you’re enthusiastic and proactive. You can send a follow-up email a few weeks before your start date to reconfirm the details, ask any questions you have, or simply express your excitement again. This is also a good time to ask if there’s anything you can do to prepare for your first day.
4. Confirm Logistics: Don’t forget to nail down the logistical details. This includes confirming your start date and work location. If your role is remote, make sure you understand the company’s expectations for communication and equipment. If you’ll be working in the office, ask about parking, dress code, and what to expect on your first day.
5. Inform Your College: Many colleges, including Wake Forest, have a “First Destination Survey.” This is a crucial tool for your college’s career center to understand where graduates are finding jobs and to help future students. Please take a moment to let us know where you’ve landed by completing the survey below.

Declining the offer:

Sometimes, after all your research, you may decide a job offer isn’t the right fit. That’s okay! The key is to decline the offer professionally and respectfully. This keeps the door open for future opportunities with the company and maintains a good reputation for both you and Wake Forest.

1. Be Quick and Clear: Don’t wait until the last minute. The sooner you let the company know, the sooner they can move on to other candidates.

2. Phone Call is Best, Email is Required: The most professional way to decline is with a brief, courteous phone call to the hiring manager. Follow up with a formal email to confirm your decision.

3. Be Gracious and Thankful: Start by expressing your sincere gratitude for the offer and the time they spent with you. Thank them for the opportunity to interview and learn about the company.

4. Keep It Brief: You don’t need to give a detailed explanation. A simple statement like, “After careful consideration, I have decided to accept a different opportunity that better aligns with my career goals” is all you need. Don’t go into specifics about what you didn’t like about their offer.

5. Leave on a High Note: End the conversation positively. Wish the company and the team all the best. This ensures you leave a good lasting impression.

A renege is to go back on a promise or contract. Reneging on a job offer is a serious professional action that can have lasting consequences. For a student, it means that you have verbally or in writing accepted a job offer for a full-time position or an internship, but you later withdraw that acceptance. This usually happens when a student receives a “better” offer from another company after they have already committed to the first one.

Once you have formally accepted a job offer, your job search is over. You should not be applying for, interviewing for, or accepting other positions. Reneging on a job offer means you have accepted a position but later decide to decline it, often because you received a better offer. While you might feel this is the right move for your career, it comes with serious risks that you need to be aware of.

• Damaged Reputation: Reneging can significantly harm your professional reputation. The recruiting and hiring community is a close-knit network. If you back out of an offer, word can spread quickly, making it difficult for you to get another job in the same industry or with a different company in the future.
• Strain on College Relationships: Colleges work hard to build and maintain relationships with employers to create job opportunities for students. When a student reneges, it can damage the college’s relationship with that employer. This can lead to the company being less likely to recruit at your school in the future, harming the prospects of other students.
• Loss of Future Opportunities: That company may have been a great place for you to work in the future. If you burn that bridge by reneging on an offer now, you’ll likely never have the chance to work there again, even in a different role or later in your career.

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What if I am invited to interview or get another offer?

After you’ve accepted an offer, you may still receive interview invitations or job offers from other companies. This is a common situation, but it’s important to handle it professionally. Here’s how:

1. Politely Decline the Interview: If you are invited to an interview, you should politely and professionally decline it. You can thank the company for their interest but let them know you have already accepted a position elsewhere. This is a respectful way to handle the situation and shows your commitment to your current employer.
2. Politely Decline the Offer: If you receive a job offer, you must decline it immediately. You should not try to leverage this new offer to get a better deal from the company you’ve already committed to. Doing so is highly unprofessional and can lead to both companies revoking their offers. A simple email or phone call stating that you have already accepted a different position is the appropriate course of action.
3. Do Not Renege: It is essential to understand that an offer is a binding commitment. You should not renege on an accepted offer because a new, “better” offer has come along. The consequences, as outlined above, can be severe and long-lasting.

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If you are in a situation where you are seriously considering reneging on an offer, follow these steps:

1. Contact the Career Center Immediately: The OPCD is your best resource. Make an appointment with your career coach. They can help you navigate this difficult decision and understand the potential consequences. They can also help you communicate with the employer in the most professional way possible. Do not take this step alone.
2. Evaluate Your Reasons: Before taking any action, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of why you want to renege. Is it a better offer? A personal or family matter? A significant change in your living situation? Having a truthful and clear reason will be important in any conversation you have.
3. Communicate Professionally and Promptly: If you do decide to renege, you must do so as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more difficult it is for the employer to find a replacement. It is recommended to have this conversation over the phone, followed by a formal email. Be apologetic, brief, and honest. You do not need to share excessive details, but a polite explanation is better than no explanation at all.

Remember, the goal is to protect your professional reputation and the reputation of Wake Forest University. While at-will employment means you can leave a job at any time, reneging on an offer before you’ve even started is a serious matter that can have lasting consequences.