Students who master the resume, cover letter and interview can find great success. They may even be offered more than one job or internship. So how do they decide which one to accept?
Always make sure you read the entire job offer carefully and consider all components. Make sure to get everything in writing if possible, verbal promises and understandings are not binding and hard to verify.
Make sure any counter offer you suggest is based on reality. An employer can withdraw an offer if your requests are seen as unreasonable.
The main items to consider include:
It is important to understand that your benefits may have a large impact on your overall compensation, and some jobs with a lower salary and better benefits may be the better option overall. Consider the two jobs below:
| Job 1: $40,000/yr With full benefits |
|
| Base salary: | $40,000 |
| Health insurance: | $7,800 |
| Life insurance: | $1,200 |
| Vacation (12 days/yr): | $1,846 |
| Sick (10 days/yr): | $1,528 |
| Total: | $52,374 |
|
Job 2: $50,000/yr
With Partial Benefits
|
|
| Base salary: | $50,000 |
| Health insurance: | (-$7,800) |
| Life insurance: | (-$1,200) |
| Vacation (6 days/yr): | $1,154 |
| Sick (10/yr): | $1,923 |
| Total: | $44,077 |
In this situation, the job that pays $40,000 but offers full benefits is the better option for most people. Each person has different needs so you need to evaluate what offer is best for you personally.
The following links offer free resources for you to research salaries.
If you are planning to relocate you will also need to consider the cost of living. What it costs to live the same lifestyle can vary greatly from city to city. Use the links below to compare different locations.
See where other Northwest graduates are working and salary information on our Post-graduation data page.
