Please click here if you'd like to return to RippleMatch's Career Discovery Fair.
After revising your resume countless times, building professional relationships throughout college, and making it through the interview process, you finally have an offer in hand. While this is an incredibly exciting time, it’s important to take a step back and consider the offer you’ve received before excitedly emailing back your acceptance. Your first job has the chance to lay a great foundation for the rest of your career. On top of that, you want to make sure the offer you receive has fair pay and good benefits. Whether or not you have competing offers, you should still be sure that the job you accept is the right one for you, and you’re not just accepting it because it’s the first offer you received.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the questions you should ask yourself before accepting an offer, how to negotiate for higher pay, and how to make the most of your first few months on the job once you do accept your offer.
How to decide if you should accept your job offer
When you’ve just finished up a months-long job search, even considering turning down an offer can feel wrong. However, you should never accept a job offer on the spot and you should ask yourself the following questions before committing to the position:
How were you treated throughout the interview process? Even though you’re interviewing for an entry-level role, you deserve to be treated with respect. The attitudes of the people you interacted with throughout the process can give you an indication of how you might be treated on the job.
What did you learn from your interview? Think back to when you asked the question: What makes working here special? If that answer didn’t make you excited about the company, you might not be happy if you accept the job.
What are the opportunities for professional development and upward mobility? A lot of the work you do in an entry-level role might feel like grunt work, so it’s important to understand the bigger picture. What kinds of opportunities do you have to gain new skills? Find a mentor? Progress through the company? Before you accept the offer, consider if the role can lay a solid foundation for your career, or if it’s simply a job.
How do you feel about your would-be coworkers? Hopefully you had the chance to meet multiple employees during your interview process and you have a sense of the company culture. You don’t need to be friends with your coworkers, but consider if you would feel comfortable working in that environment.
What are the hours like? Is it a typical 9-5 job, or are work hours more flexible? Make sure you’re comfortable with the expectations before accepting the offer. If this wasn’t brought up during the interview process – ask. You’ve already been offered the job, so there’s no harm in asking additional follow-up questions.
Is the job fully in-person, remote, or a hybrid situation? While some companies are allowing their employees to work remotely or decide how often they return to the office, others are requiring that employees return to the office full-time or for a few days a week. Can you picture yourself enjoying full-time remote work, or would you prefer to have an in-person aspect to your job? If the job does require you to relocate, can you see yourself living there for a few years? Before committing to a job, you should get familiar with the location and determine if you could be happy living there. If you're considering whether or not you should relocate for a job, check out our article '7 Things to Consider Before Relocating for a Job.'
Do you care about the company’s mission? If you like the job, the company’s mission may not matter to you. But it’s worth asking yourself if you’re passionate about the company’s values and mission before accepting or rejecting the job.
Do you have any other offers on the horizon? A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush – it’s true for job offers too. You shouldn’t turn down a job because you might at some point get another offer, but you also shouldn’t accept right away if you’re still waiting on a few post-interview decisions to come in. You’ll need to pay attention to the decision deadline on your offer, but don’t feel rushed into making a decision. If you’re interviewing elsewhere and they haven’t gotten back to you on timelines, it’s worth checking in to let them know you have an offer on the table. However, if you just started your job search and your first offer doesn’t feel right for a number of reasons, turn it down and keep looking.
What are your salary and benefits? It can be hard to evaluate fair pay when it’s your first job. But it’s important to do your research and negotiate if necessary – we’ll take you through the best way to do that.
How to Negotiate For the Pay You Deserve
Just because it’s your first job doesn’t mean you can’t negotiate for a higher salary. But asking for more money or benefits can be intimidating, especially if you don’t feel like you have any leverage. Here’s how to navigate the process:
Research industry averages and determine if you’re being offered competitive pay. Sites like Glassdoor, Indeed, LinkedIn, AngelList and PayScale are all helpful tools to research your potential salary range. If you have any friends or family in a similar role and you feel comfortable asking, you can reach out and ask them what their pay is to compare it to what you’re being offered.
Negotiate up. Your employer will most likely try to work with you to lower the number that you state, so it’s good to give a slightly higher number than you actually want. For example, let’s say you’re offered $50,000 starting salary, but you’d really like $53,000. In this case, ask for at least $55,000.
Remember that negotiation can be about more than salary. You can also negotiate paid time off, benefits, flexible hours, bonuses, and overtime, to name a few. Prioritize which is most important for you. For example – you may be happy with your starting salary but are looking to have more paid vacation days. Don’t be afraid to ask even if it’s not a salary-specific negotiation. For more ideas, read our article on things you can negotiate in your job offer that aren't tied to salary.
If you have another offer, ask the company to match it. If another company is offering you more money but you would prefer the other job, ask the company you want if they can match it. There’s a good chance they’ll do it. However if they don’t, you need to be prepared to take the other offer, or accept the one that’s offering less money.
For more guidance on negotiation, check out “How to Negotiate a Higher Starting Salary for an Entry-Level Role” and “3 Ways to Figure Out What Kind of Salary to Expect For Your First Job.”
Navigating Your First 6 Months on the Job: How to Make a Good Impression and Connect With Your Coworkers
You’ve negotiated your pay, accepted your job offer, and either moved into a new apartment or set up a new desk for your work-from-home station. In other words, you’re ready to start your first real job. Along with excitement, you’re probably feeling a bit nervous and maybe even wondering if they picked the right person for the job. Before you stress yourself out too much, remember that the company hired you for a reason. You have the qualifications and the potential to succeed in the role and hopefully grow with the company. However, it can still be helpful to have a list of things to think about your first six months on the job.
The First Month
Be friendly and have a positive attitude.
It sounds obvious, but being open to feedback and willing to take on any task with a smile is a must-have attitude for your first month on the job. This time period will include a lot of onboarding and you’ll experience a big learning curve, so it’s important to be positive even when things feel tough.
Take notes and ask questions.
During your first month, it’s normal to have a lot of questions. Take notes while training so you’re not asking the same question over and over, and also keep a list of running questions to ask. Check in with your supervisor on the best way to ask questions – they might find it helpful to meet with you periodically to answer your questions rather than answering them as they come up.
Observe the behavior of your coworkers in the office.
One of the most intimidating things of adjusting to a new job is navigating the office culture. Do people take long lunches every day, or do they eat at their desks? Do people freely talk in the office, or does most communication take place over Slack? Do people leave or sign off right at 5 p.m., or do they stay past 6? While you don’t need to do exactly what your coworkers do, it can be helpful to follow the status quo while you’re still new on the job.
Put in some extra time.
It’s not a great look to be the last one to get in and the first one to leave when you’re still new to the company. Depending on how late your boss works, it might not be realistic for you stay later or be available online later than them every night, but observe how late your coworkers stay or are active online and try not to end your workday sooner than them. As you settle into the role, you might have more flexibility with your working hours, but play it safe to start.
Keep personal calls and social media to a minimum while working.
This doesn’t mean you can’t step out if you have to set up a doctor’s appointment or deal with a personal matter. But if possible, try to take care of personal calls before or after work, and avoid scrolling through social media. It might seem harmless to take a quick 5 minute break to check your Instagram, but your manager might notice if it starts to become a habit. Even if your role is virtual and your manager is miles away, it would benefit you to form good work habits early on, and avoid practices that inevitably break your concentration and can slow down your learning significantly.
Be extremely detail-oriented.
It can be tough to create great work while you’re still learning the ropes, but you can take care to make sure everything you do is error-free. Whether you’re scheduling meetings, writing emails, researching, or writing code, double-check your work to create a good impression of your ability. You don’t want the early feedback on your performance to center around constant errors and lack of attention to detail.
Connect with your coworkers.
Your first month is a great opportunity to connect with your coworkers. It’s totally natural to start a conversation either in-person or online with, “I’m new here. I would love to chat over coffee to get to know you and find out more about how I can do my best working here!” Establishing those connections early on can not only help you build relationships with your coworkers, but provide you with valuable insight on navigating the company culture. Plus, if your job is fully remote, it might take that extra effort for you to connect with your coworkers and begin to build relationships.
The First 2-6 Months
Talk to your supervisor about taking on additional projects or tasks.
It’s good to spend the first few months on the job getting comfortable with your responsibilities. But once you have a handle on things, it could be beneficial to volunteer for new initiatives or projects that come up. The amount of extra work you should take on will probably depend on the kind of company you’re at. Large companies, for example, might prefer that you stick to your job responsibilities. Smaller companies or startups, however, could encourage you to branch out and work on additional projects. Before you bring up a new idea or volunteer for a project, be sure you talk to your manager about whether or not taking initiative is encouraged, and how much you can expect to move beyond your immediate tasks.
Get involved with employee resource groups or interest groups.
Once you’re settled in, consider joining any employee resource or interest groups your company offers. This can be a great way to connect with coworkers from different levels of seniority and can even help you find a mentor. From resource groups for women to intramural sports teams, this can help you form deeper connections than you would from just talking over coffee.
Take advantage of any opportunities for professional development.
Does your company offer skill training? Lunch-and-learns? Access to virtual or in-person speakers or networking events? Taking advantage of these opportunities early on can make you a stronger employee and increase your chances for a promotion or pay raise after your first year.
Check in with your supervisor about ways you can improve
If your supervisor doesn’t do this already, you should request to check in every three months about what you’re doing well and what you can improve on. At the six month mark, it’s also worth asking what kinds of skills you need to acquire to progress within the company, and what is the typical timeline for promotions.
6 Months and Beyond
After the six month mark, you should feel comfortable and confident in your role. Depending on the trajectory at your company, you might be eligible for a promotion in another six months to a year, so be sure to check in with your supervisor about what that path looks like. Regardless of if you stay with the company for your next role, take this time to gain new skills and learn from people more experienced than you. Soon, you’ll be the one giving advice to entry-level employees on how to navigate their first job!
If the Job Doesn't Work Out: What To Do If You're Laid Off or Aren't Happy in Your Role
What to do if you don't like your first job
Everyone wants to find the perfect job. And with all the emphasis on finding a dream job right out of college, it can be disheartening to be a few months into your first job and realize it’s not what you thought it would be. The reality is, you may not like your first job. You may feel stuck and assume the only way to proceed is to quit and never look back. However, it’s perfectly OK and normal if you don’t feel fulfilled in your first job. Before you make any rash decisions, recognize that there are other options and strategies to consider before giving your two weeks notice – below are seven things to do if you don’t like your first job, or check out our full article on the topic for more advice.
- Identify the problem – figure out what is and isn’t working
- Talk to your manager about the issue
- Continue working hard while you figure out next steps
- Network with people in the industry or role you'd like to transition to
- Don't burn bridges – remain positive while working there
- Give yourself enough time to adjust to the role and the job
- If all else fails, consider looking for a new role
Trying to find a new job when you realize the first one wasn't a great fit can be difficult. If you're considering starting the process over, be sure to check out our entire guide on finding a job and navigating the hiring process.
What to do if you lose your job
Losing your first job sounds like a nightmare – but whether you were laid off due to budget, organizational changes, or even performance issues, things happen. When you lose your job for the first time, you might feel lost and completely unsure of what to do next. But you don't need to panic – read our article that explains what to do after you lose your first job, or check out the highlights below:
- When you're let go, be sure to talk with human resources about things like severance pay, health insurance, reason for termination, and future letters of recommendation.
- File for unemployment. If you were laid off, you may qualify for unemployment and it can help you while you get back on your feet.
- Reformat your resume and LinkedIn to reflect the new position you're seeking.
- Let your professional connections (former internship supervisors, professors, former classmates) know that you are job-seeking and ask if they can be on alert for any openings.
- Treat finding a new job like a full-time job. Dedicate time every day to revising your resume to fit the job description, creating cover letters that will help you stand out and connecting with those who can get you in touch with the hiring manager.
- As you apply for jobs, keep everything organized. Create an excel sheet with the jobs you’ve applied for, the date you applied, who the hiring manager was, and the status of your application.
Losing your job is a challenging time, but don't give up. There are times that you will get discouraged from the lack of interviews or calls, but just keep pushing forward. Surround yourself with supportive friends, give yourself a break once in a while (because we all know job hunting can be draining) and know that things will work out. You secured your first job – you'll be able to secure another one!
For more advice on navigating your first job, check out our entire collection of articles here.
Please click here if you'd like to return to RippleMatch's Career Discovery Fair.
