Here’s a situation that falls under the category of “a good problem to have”: You’re on the job hunt and have been conducting a serious search for your next great opportunity in the healthcare field. You’ve been focused and fully committed at every step of the process—from applying for open positions to getting your resumes and cover letters in perfect shape to absolutely nailing the interviews and making a great initial impression.
In short, you’ve been doing absolutely everything you can in your power to make sure your job hunt goes well. And you’ve been effective in your efforts: Now you’re face-to-face with multiple offers and need to choose the one that’s right for you.
Although it can be great to find yourself surrounded by possibilities, this is by no means an easy spot to be in. You’re undoubtedly aware of the importance of making a smart decision—most of us spend a significant amount of our lives at work, and our professional identities go a long way toward determining our happiness. So, you certainly want to avoid making a mistake.
If you’re feeling the pressure of multiple pending job offers and would like to make sure you’re choosing wisely, consider these strategies to make your big decision a little easier.
Gather all of the facts
This may seem obvious to some of you, but you’d be surprised by how often people act impulsively and make big decisions based on gut emotions without having all of the information needed to make an informed choice. As a healthcare professional, both your job and your connection to it are simply too important to leave to chance. If you’re going to make an informed choice between multiple job offers, you’re going to need all of the facts—and the information gathering process for any position starts from the moment you decide to apply.
What was the application process like? Were the people you were in communication with professional and enthusiastic? Did the people you interviewed with seem like folks you’d like to engage with on a regular basis? What was the work environment like—did it feel hectic and chaotic, or calmer and more conducive to you doing your best work?
Your answers to these questions could potentially go a long way to determining your happiness should you accept a pending job offer. Also important is to get all the offer details for every position that you’re considering—from salary to benefits and perks that your new potential employer may offer—so that you can weigh everything side by side and make as comprehensive a decision as possible.
Determine what’s important to you
We’re all different, and that includes the factors that matter most to us when we’re evaluating a job offer. The truth is, many folks who find themselves in a situation where they must decide between multiple job offers simply pick the one that’s offering the highest salary—and then learn the hard way that a little money boost doesn’t always lead to happiness and fulfillment. That said, step back and really think about the things that will factor most into your job satisfaction. Is it a job that offers you flexible work hours? A shorter commute? A desirable work environment? (For you, does this mean a private practice, or clinic, or hospital, or community health center, etc.?) Opportunities for building new skills and career advancement? Wherever your priorities lie, make sure they factor heavily into your decision so you can make the best choice for you and your family.
Use your network and trust your professional instincts
Don’t feel shy about using the professional connections you’ve gathered over your career. Talk to trusted mentors (whether this means old colleagues or bosses, or beloved teachers from your past) about the offers you have received. They know you well and can give you an objective perspective on each position and how it will fit into your life. They also might have inside knowledge about the people you’d be working with—a little professional gossip isn’t a bad thing if it can stop you from making a choice that will leave you unhappy.
Here’s the unfiltered truth—you’ll never truly be able to know if you’ve made a good choice regarding a job offer until you take a chance, accept an offer, and hit the ground running. Starting a brand-new profession is always going to be a leap of faith, but if you trust the instincts that you’ve honed over your education and professional life and use all of the information you’ve gathered wisely, you’re really doing everything you can to ensure that you’ll make the best choice possible for you.
