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What to consider when deciding between 2 different jobs?

Written by: Charlotte Rogers
Published on: 22 Feb 2023

Deciding between jobs hero

When you are interviewing for multiple jobs at once, there’s always a chance you’ll be offered 2 or more of these roles. It’s likely that employers know you are looking around and interviewing with other companies, they may even ask you this in an interview. So be prepared. It can be a hard decision, especially when you didn’t expect something like this to happen. We have some tips and advice on how you can go about making your decision. 

What’s your initial reaction?

When you receive a job offer, there are multiple thoughts and feelings that may have been running through your head. Are you excited? Disappointed? Confused? Whatever it is you are feeling, it is completely valid. Job seeking can be an emotional journey and when an opportunity is handed to you, you may be unsure how you feel about it. 

However, it can be important to remember how you first felt when you are offered a role. Especially if you’re finding it hard to make a decision between two or more jobs. Gut feelings are usually right and can easily be forgotten when you’ve taken time to rationalise and think a bit more about it. Feelings of doubt can be 100% normal, but how strong were these initial feelings? How did the other job on offer make you feel?

There can be a lot of different things to think about. From salary to the hiring manager, make sure you are going with your instincts and not being persuaded by the employer. 

Think back to the interview stages

There can be a lot of information to absorb during the interview stage and sometimes we can forget exactly what was said. This is why it’s so important to take notes and ask questions. There is so much to take in, it can be easy to lose track of a few details here and there. However, the way the employer or interviewer made you feel during an interview, may show you what it’s like to work with those people every day. 

  • How did they make you feel?
  • What were your first thoughts about the workplace (if you had an in-person interview)
  • Were they organised?
  • Were they able and happy to answer all your questions?
  • Did they keep changing the interview date?

There are a lot of things to consider when choosing between different job offers. You may not have had a bad experience with any of the employers, so take the time to think and be very picky. If you’re lucky and all the employers seem like good choices, think back to those questions above and how they made you feel during an interview. You want a workplace that is suited to you and it’s okay to be fussy about these things. 

What would your manager be like?

When interviewing, you should have been talking to or at least met the person you would be reporting to at work. This is important, so you can both take the time to get a feel for each other's skills and what the company can offer you if you take the job. Your line manager is someone you’ll probably have to communicate with on a daily basis, so it’s important that you get along. You don’t have to be best friends, but you have to have a mutual agreement on what is and isn’t okay to you in the workplace. 

Were there any instances where you thought your possible line manager wasn’t a fit for you? When deciding between jobs, it’s key to think about the little details. It might just be the thing that pushes your decision forward and makes the process that bit easier. So, think about the way they spoke, their work culture, the values they hold in the workplace and decide whether that suits you or not. 


Compare the workplace culture

Different people have different values in the workplace. A job is so much more than just the role itself, so ask yourself, what are you looking for in the workplace? It’s important that you feel safe, respected, and able to bring your full self to work. If you are applying for a fully-remote role, what is it you are looking for in a team and company? Just because you work remotely, doesn’t mean you aren’t entitled to the same amount of support and colleague relationships that in-house employees are. 

How does the team work? Is it a social environment? What is it that is most important to you? Once you figure this out, it can be very easy to compare and pick out things that may not suit you as an individual. Workplace culture isn’t something everyone always thinks about when accepting a job offer, so take the time. 

Salaries and incentives

Jobs are more than just the salary, but money is a very important part of job seeking. If it wasn’t, would any of us actually ever look for a new job? 

You need to make sure you are being paid fairly for your time and sometimes, if one job offers more than the other, it can make the decision process a lot easier. However, what are some of the other benefits that the companies are offering? Sometimes, you may be able to look past a slightly lower salary, if the work benefits are just as good.

  • Do they allow you more annual leave? 
  • Is there a better opportunity for a good work-life balance? 
  • Do they offer childcare on site? 
  • Company discounts? 

Those are just a few of the benefits that companies may offer you as an incentive to join their team. Make sure you are looking at these, especially if the salaries for the jobs are the same or very similar. It can make or break your decision. 

Can you imagine yourself in the role?

Think of the long-term and what the different employers are offering. Maybe do some extra research and try to find out how employees advance within these companies. Are you going to want to stay in one company for a while and develop? Or is it okay with you and your career plan that you move from company to company for a while? Whichever option it may be, make sure that the employer is going to be able to help you with your development. 

What is your end goal and are they able to help you reach it? One of the main reasons people change jobs is to advance their career, so when deciding between roles, it’s really good to reflect on the goals you have set for yourself and try to picture how these jobs would help you reach them. The choice you make now can help you move further towards your goals. 

  • Which job still lines up with your career goals?
  • Is there opportunity for growth?
  • Which job will challenge you and make you a better engineer?
  • Is there an opportunity to learn new skills?

Most importantly, can you picture yourself doing this role comfortably and being happy? It’s something you’re going to have to do every day, so if you picture it and you’re not 100% satisfied with what you imagine, maybe it’s a good idea to choose the other option. 

Make sure you recognise each offer

Even if you are unsure on which role you’ll choose, it’s still good practice to let the employer know you have acknowledged their offer but are taking some time to think the offer over before accepting. They should be more than happy to give you this time. Make sure to ask on a time frame that they need your answer by. Some companies may give you a week, some less. But if they are reluctant to offer any time at all, this should be seen as a red flag and may make your decision that bit easier. 

It’s good to weigh out all your options and really take the time you need in order to make a decision, but don’t wait too long. You don’t want to give off the impression you don’t want the role or even lead to it being an offensive amount of thinking time. A lot of people have a good idea on whether they want the job or not and sometimes 2 or more offers can make you feel overwhelmed. It’s okay to take time, just ensure it’s the right amount for both you and the employer. 

Your job search can feel difficult at the best of times, but when something like this happens, it can be easy to overreact and not know who to say yes to. But it is worth taking some time to really assess each of the roles and all of the above that I've mentioned. You want to make sure you are making the right decision for you and your career. Don’t rush yourself into a decision that you may regret later on. Trust in yourself and your instinct, it’s the best thing you can do.