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Evaluate Job Offers

Congratulations! You have been offered a job, and all the hard work has finally paid off. It is now time to decide whether this offer is right for you and how to seek clarification or negotiate on the initial offer.

Evaluate Job Offers


Understand Offer Letters and Employment Contracts

Understand Offer Letters and Employment Contracts

Learn more
Evaluate Job Offers

Evaluate Job Offers

Learn more
Manage Multiple Job Offers

Manage Multiple Job Offers

Learn more
What to Consider Before Negotiating a Job Offer

What to Consider Before Negotiating a Job Offer

Learn more
Accept or Decline a Job Offer Graciously

Accept or Decline a Job Offer Graciously

Learn more


01

Understand Offer Letters and Employment Contracts

Understand Offer Letters and Employment Contracts


The Offer Letter 

You will soon receive an offer letter after you have successfully completed the interview process. It is a formal job offer that includes most or all of the following details:

Job Information Compensation and Benefits
  • Job title
  • Probation period
  • Hours of work
  • Start date
  • Notice period
  • Salary
  • Holiday, sick pay entitlements, and insurance
  • Any bonuses, commission, additional incentive compensation
  • Any allowances, including travel, phone, and entertainment


The Contract  

The contract lays out the details of the role and includes many of the same key pieces of information as in the offer letter. Additionally, it establishes the rights and obligations of both parties, and it is a legally binding agreement between an employer and an employee. Before you start the job, your employer will usually ask you to sign the job contract to formally establish the working relationship. 

download Download this guide to understand the types of contracts



Additional Information for International Students 

If you are not a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident, and intend to look for work in Singapore, your employer will need to apply for a work pass for you. For more information, refer to the Ministry of Manpower website. 



02

Evaluate Job Offers

Evaluate Job Offers


When evaluating job offers, it is important to identify your own criteria to evaluate a job offers, based on your career goals and desired working environment and conditions. Some important considerations in evaluating a job offer are:

1

Job function: Will this type of work be challenging and allow you to gain important skills?

2

Professional Development: Will the role enable you to gain valuable experience in this industry, function or field? 

3

Advancement: Will this position help you achieve your career goals?

4

Working environment: Does the physical work environment and workplace culture fit with your work style? 



download Download this guide for a full list of questions to consider when evaluating a job offer

There is much to consider when answering these questions, and it is important to take a holistic approach. Remember, it is unlikely that any one job will tick all the boxes.


Let’s Talk Salaries

If you have your first job offer you may be wondering whether the salary is a reasonable and competitive offer. For a start, you can refer to the MOM graduate employment survey data to see the starting salaries of graduates in Singapore here. 

What about benchmarking the salary offer within the industry and determining potential salary advancement? For these insights, you can refer to Singapore Payscale to find average salaries by job function, typical salary growth by years of experience, and career paths. SGCharts also provide salary guides by industry. 

Salaries


03

Manage Multiple Job Offers

Manage Multiple Job Offers


Now that you have more than one offer, how do you proceed?

If you are fortunate enough to have multiple job offers, the decision can be even tougher! It is essential to take the time to consider each offer against your key criteria and make a decision that aligns with your personal and professional goals. To help you, we have a tool that will help you weigh up the pros and cons of each offer and identify the right one for you.

download Download this guide for the Job Decision Matrix





Three considerations when evaluating multiple job offers

Be transparent

Let each employer know you are considering several offers and be honest about your timeline for making a decision.

Be transparent 

Evaluate your priorities

Use the checklist of questions to consider or your job decision matrix.

Evaluate your priorities 

Consider the long-term

Salary is not everything. Consider the potential for advancement, professional development, and the company’s culture and values when evaluating each offer. 

Consider the long-term 


04

What to Consider Before Negotiating a Job Offer

What to Consider Before Negotiating a Job Offer

If you feel the job and the employer are a good fit but the offer is not quite what you had hoped for, you may be thinking about negotiating.

Before negotiating, ensure you have done a thorough evaluation of the offer and the role, based on what is important to you and refer here for the do’s and don’ts of salary negotiation.

download Download this guide to understand the Do’s and Don’t’s of salary negotiation

If you have decided to negotiate, spend time crafting a gracious and considerate counter-proposal email. 


What to include in a counter-proposal email

  • Open by thanking them for the offer and express your enthusiasm and interest in the role. 
  • State the elements of the offer you wish to address. 
  • If you are making a case for a higher salary, state the exact figure you are looking for. Make your case in terms of the value you would bring to the role such as work experience, research experience, personal qualities, or technical skills. 
  • End politely, e.g. ‘I hope you will consider my proposal, I look forward to hearing from you.’


05

Accept or Decline a Job Offer Graciously

Accept or Decline a Job Offer Graciously


When accepting or declining an offer you should always do so in a gracious, professional, and timely manner to maintain a positive relationship and keep doors open for the future.



Before you accept a job offer

Once you have accepted an offer in writing, you are morally obliged to take up the position. If you rescind your acceptance, it could harm your reputation with the company and also within the industry. Personnel within an industry are well-connected and will often share information about past candidates. Before accepting, make sure you have carefully considered the role and responsibilities, compensation, and benefits because once you do, you are unable to negotiate any aspects of the offer.

Before you accept a job offer


How to politely decline a job offer

If you need to decline an offer, make sure to do with gratitude and grace.

  • Be honest: The best approach is to be truthful about your specific reason for declining the offer. If you are struggling to come up with an explanation, you may say that it is not a good fit for your career goals at this point in time.
  • Thank the employer: Express your gratitude for the time and effort the recruiter took to extend the offer to you. Mention any aspects of the hiring process that stood out to you, as well as anything you like or appreciate about the company.

Need some inspiration? See these example emails to decline an offer

How to politely decline a job offer


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If you need further expert advice to decide on your current job offers, make an appointment with your CFG Career Advisor



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