How to choose between two jobs
Some members of IDA may suddenly be in a position where they have to choose between two jobs. What are your options in such a situation, and how do you make the right choice?
From uni to job
Members of IDA are in high demand on the labour market. Some have already found a job while they were studying, and others are unemployed for a shorter or longer period of time after graduation. Either way, starting a new job is overwhelming, but having to choose between two jobs can be even more overwhelming. Should you go for the salary, the location or something else completely? Not many newcomers to the labour market have been trained in dealing with such decisions.
“New graduates have been through a school system with relatively few and very clear options compared to working life. Many young people have been supported and guided by family in their choices throughout life, and this has been with the very best of intentions. Naturally, this means that many are not trained to make such major decisions,” says Sanne Mattebjerg, a career consultant at IDA.
And choosing between two jobs is in a major decision. It can have a great impact on your career and your private life, so it’s perfectly understandable that it can be nerve-racking. What if you make the wrong choice? Thoughts may be racing through your head as you’re trying to think through the different scenarios. Transport, salary, working hours, tasks and much more. Add to this expectations from outside.
“There may very well be pressure in relation to image. Your job should preferably be with a top 20 company known throughout the world. But working in a recognised brand doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll thrive in the job,” says Sanne Mattebjerg.
Helpful tips
Build a professional foundation
If you’re a new graduate and you’ve been offered two jobs, it may be a good idea to go for the position that will develop some of the professional, technical or scientific competences you learned on your studies. It’s a good idea to build a strong professional foundation from the start and gain experience in what you were actually trained to do at university.
Match your competences
You can also choose your next job based on what you’re good at and what you like doing. If you only choose jobs based on what is strategically wise, you may end up working with something that bores you, making it difficult to keep up your motivation. If you need help to identify your strengths, watch our video “Identify, prioritise and target your competences”.
The most important here and now
Make a list of what’s important to you now – both in your private life and working life. Perhaps you’d like to work abroad or it’s important that you have a flexible job. Then look at the two different job offers and compare them with your list. It may be a good idea to rate your different wishes from 1-5 to gain a overview of “nice to have” and “need to have”.
Trust your gut instinct
Once you’ve made a decision, listen to what your gut instinct is telling you about the decision – it often means more than you might think.
What if I regret my choice?
Making decisions that feel wrong later is part of life. The only thing to do in such situations is to look forward and find out what to do next. If you regret an employment immediately after you’ve signed the contract, you still have some options, even though these may come with financial consequences.
“We sometimes come across a situation like this. If you’ve signed an agreement, it’s binding, because a start date has been agreed. If you’re offered another job in the meantime, the employer can legally claim half a month’s salary if you back out of the agreement. However, we rarely encounter such a situation,” says Nicole Sander Jensen, legal adviser at IDA.
It all comes down to being completely honest with your new manager if you’ve regretted your employment. You may also be offered a better job immediately after you’ve started on a new job. You’ll then have to go back to the original agreement. Say that you’re very sorry and then try to agree with your employer to cancel the contract early and start in your new job faster. At the end of the day, it’s all about one thing.
“Be honest and clear. Dialogue is the way forward, and it’s rare that you can’t come to an agreement,” says Nicole Sander Jensen.
