Comparing Two or More Job Offers

Comparing Two or More Job Offers

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When comparing job offers, you really need to compare all aspects of each job offer.

Congratulations! Let's say that after much preparation and hard work that you have received three job offers. Now you have to decide which is the best offer. Is the best offer always the one paying the highest salary? Well, when you also look at each company's benefits package, you might find a very different story, as illustrated in the table below. Why are benefits important? Benefits can add up to 30 percent to your total compensation.

This example is purely a financial analysis of the three job offers, and does not take into consideration many other important factors that job-seekers should also evaluate before deciding on a job offer. These other factors are discussed after the table.

	Worldwide Widget, Inc. New York, NY	The Widget Company Chicago, IL:	Best Widget Corporation Atlanta, GA:
Base Salary:	$53,000	$50,000	$47,000
Sign-on Bonus:	$1,000	$3,000	$2,500
Cost of Living Adjustment:	-$2,300	-$200	+ $1,000
Medical, Dental, Optical:	$3,000	$4,000	$4,000
Life, Disability Insurance:	$1,000	$1,500	$1,000
Company Car:	$2,400	$3,600	$3,600
401(K) or Pension Plan:	$4,400	$6,000	$4,500
Total Compensation Package:	$62,500	$67,900	$63,600

As discussed in our Salary and Job Offer Negotiation Tutorial, there are many other factors that job-seekers may want to consider when deciding whether to accept an offer, including:

Reputation of the company
Corporate culture
The work itself (in terms of interest, challenge, etc.)
Timeframe for advancement
Quality of community (life, schools, etc.)
Relocation expenses
Dependent care
Overtime/Comp. Time policies
Professional memberships
Health club/country club memberships
Bonus/Raise policies
Vacation time
Paid holidays
Sick/Personal days
Work hours, including flex-time
Telecommuting options
Tuition reimbursement
Profit sharing
Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)
Employee Assistance Program
Parking, commuting, expense reimbursement

Obtain the salary you deserve! Take advantage of all of our expert free Salary Negotiation and Job Offer Tools and Resources.

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