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AGCAREERS.COM
AG & FOOD CAREER GUIDE
Photo by rawpixel.com on FreePik.com
HOW TO
HANDLE YOUR
JOB OFFER
FIRST
by Clara Boles, Digital Marketing Coordinator, AgCareers.com
My First Job Offer!
Now What?
Y
ou finished your education, put in
the work, got your degree, and now
you are on your way to your first full-time
career! CONGRATS! The offer comes in
after lots of hard work and researching,
trying to find the right job. Let’s be real,
you probably had to apply to more than
one position. But what if the offer isn’t
exactly what you had in mind? What do
you do now?
First off, be proud of
yourself; Celebrate!
This is really hard stuff! Be proud of
yourself that you even got an offer! Many
people are under the impression, and I
know I was, that if you go to college and
obtain a good degree, someone would
almost hand a great job right to you. I
quickly learned that was not the case
and I am sure you are going to learn that
too. This is not to discourage you, but to
hopefully prepare you.
Keep in mind that you might not find
your dream career, salary, and all the
right benefits right out of college. To be
frank, it is normal not to find it right away.
Keep the faith; you have lots of time to
locate your perfect fit if this is not the
one.
Prepare Mentally &
Do Your Research
This is something I wish I really would
have done. I was a bit naïve and didn’t do
appropriate research, so I had my mind
set on something bigger than I should
have. I don’t want to tell you to lower
your expectations, but keep in mind the
realistic picture. You have just graduated
from college, and chances are you will
start with an entry-level position.
Use the resources available to
you. There are online sites to look up a
salary in your field/industry. Check out
your college department; they may also
have resources available to give you a
better idea of what you are getting into.
You should be able to come up with a
tentative dollar range that is comfortable
for you. Don’t forget to factor in the cost
of living, your education level, and any
extra training you might have.
Make sure you
understand your offer
This is no little part-time job where
you work in the evenings for some extra
gas money—this is a big deal!
If you go through with your offer,
you are signing a legal document
for your career, which lists your
salary/wage, your retirement, your
benefits, your PTO, and more.
So, really make sure you understand
the job offer. It is a great idea to have
a parent/mentor look over your offer
as well. Make sure you are not missing
anything. Make sure you comprehend
everything in that document. How
do you do that? Google it, try to find
a YouTube video or a blog that goes
more into depth about terms in the offer
you might not understand. If you feel
comfortable with the employer who gave
you your offer, ask for clarification from
them on questions you have.
Think about what
YOU really want
Do you want to work for a huge
corporation and make a big salary? For
some people, this is a YES! They want to
be a part of this huge organization that
has lots of opportunities. That is great,
but is it for you?
Do you want to work for a smaller
company, perhaps not making as much
at the beginning? Working for a smaller
company might not give you all the glam
and big salary, but this comes with other
benefits. You might have your voice
heard and be able to use a larger variety
of your skills to your best ability, plus
learn new skills. These things are great,
but is it for you?
Sometimes it is hard to not just focus
on the dollar sign, but there is a lot to
consider.
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