Although the job market is drier than Steven Wright’s humor, a few companies are offering positions to college graduates. After budgeting money and passing classes for the past four(ish) years, you hold the golden ticket to pay off your college loans. Your degree has been achieved, your resume has spread throughout cyberspace, and your patience has run out. Right when you are about to dust off the lemonade stand, a potential employer contacts you with a job offer. Don’t TiVo "The Price is Right" just yet; there are a few things to consider before accepting the offer.
According to Foundation for Free Enterprise Education vice president, Karen Musante, the most important aspect to consider before saying yes to an employer is whether the job pleases you. “We stress that students choose a career that they will enjoy working in for the next fifty years,” Musante said. “If you enjoy your job, you are more likely to advance up the ladder and attain seniority.”
Although I agree that if you enjoy your job “you will never have to work a day in your life,” some people are forced into situations where working at a crummy job is vital in order to pay the bills. Therefore, the second most important aspect to consider is the paycheck. Since you have conquered higher education, you should never settle for minimum wage. Decide whether the compensation is adequate for supporting yourself or your family. Additionally, make sure you receive a benefits package that includes vacation, disability, insurance, and a retirement savings account. In order to avoid paying out of pocket for dental appointments and vaccinations, say yes to the employer offering benefits.
If you’re feeling the pain at the pump by commuting to campus, imagine how sore you will feel by traveling a far distance to work five days a week. Since you don’t want commuting expenses to eat away at your income, the third most important aspect to consider is the location of the job. While walking to work would be ideal for health and monetary reasons, the majority of Americans must rely on public transportation or driving to arrive at their occupation. In addition to waking up early and getting home late, working at a distant location sucks up the funds attained by the job. If you will spend more money getting to work than you will actually working, then it is time to put one foot in front of the other and start walking right out the door.
