Do Your Homework Before Accepting a Job Offer

It may seem counterintuitive in today’s tight job market to think of turning down a job offer, but what if you took a job and then found out you’d entered a lion’s den or a totally dysfunctional organization? It’s happened to many of us—everything seemed good on the surface, but inside it was another story.

You can increase your odds for job satisfaction, longevity and general happiness at work by doing some advance work—if not before applying, at least before accepting an offer.

Before you get to an interview, research the company or organization by searching on LinkedIn or Facebook for recently departed employees you can contact for an inside perspective. Use your network. Also, look for news items, S&P data, stock values and annual reports to see if the company is on good financial and ethical ground.

When you arrive for an interview, get to know the receptionist (if there is one) a bit. Notice how you are greeted. Use this opportunity, only possible when inside the building, to gather intelligence on various aspects of the company. Notice, for instance, how people relate to each other. Ask how long people you meet have worked there and what they like about being there. Observe body language and listen for oral clues to staff morale.

Try to ascertain how the company operates. Do departments operate in silos or are there functional, cross-departmental teams? How are employees evaluated—once a year or regularly, one way or 360, formally or informally?

Assemble your findings to create your own employer profile—not the one they publicize. Rate what you found against your own priorities. Then you can make at least a relatively informed decision that could make the difference between taking a job that will last or one that will disappear in a short time—or one that will be fulfilling compared to one that will make you miserable.