Accepting a Job Offer

1. Congratulations on getting the new job! Before you start popping the Champagne and celebrating, there are a few steps you need to take to ensure everything is confirmed.
2. Always ask how many days you have to make your decision. Often there is at least a 24-hour period in which to consider an offer.
3. Ask for a copy of the offer and ensure base salary and all benefits including superannuation are clearly laid out before you contemplate handing in your notice. Ask any follow up questions you may have and feel confident in asking about anything you are uncertain of before accepting. Remember to confirm your start date and have this written on the offer.
4. If there are any issues regarding the salary, now is the time to negotiate so make sure you are happy with what is on offer.
5. Ensure the core hours for the role are set out clearly and what the expectations are around overtime so as not to cause any confusion later.
6. Know exactly who you will be reporting to.
7. Get the offer or any changes in writing prior to accepting.
8. Confirm the starting date and have this confirmed in writing.
9. Once you have confirmation of the new role in writing and you are happy with the offer, give notice to your current employer.
10. Read your letter of offer or contract from your current employer so you know exactly how much notice you are required to give.

How to cope if you don't get the job

1. No one likes being rejected and this is what it can feel like if you don't get the job you want.  Not only can this affect your confidence but make you question what you ''did wrong''.
2. It is important that you look at this another way and look at the bigger picture; rejection, although not nice can sometimes be a blessing and a chance for you to use the experience to build on your strengths, address any issues and move on to finding a role that is perhaps better suited.
3. The interview process should be seen as a learning experience; we learn from our experiences in life and that is especially true of interviews.
4. If you believe you did the best you possibly could, displayed all the knowledge for the role and possessed all the relevant skills, you can always get in touch with the company to gain some constructive feedback.
5. Sometimes however, it can be as simple as you not being the right cultural fit or, although you 'ticked all the boxes' for them, along came another candidate who ticked those same boxes but also had industry experience, more longevity in a similar role, less job changes or experience with a software package the employer is considering introducing.
6. Don't take it personally: there could be hundreds of reasons why you didn't get the job and most are totally out of your control.
7. Be professional and don't let your emotions take over - you never know what the future holds. The person they offer the role to may not accept it or not work out for whatever reason, or the company expands and, if you handled yourself well, they are more likely to come back to you with an offer at a later date or recommend you to someone else.