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% 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 Adj.:
-$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.)
