Comparing Job Offers Side by Side

When comparing multiple job offers, start by focusing in on your career priorities, then compare pay rates and benefit packages for each position.

1. Evaluate your career priorities. Consider which job offer best matches your values and career goals. Do you want to live in a particular city? Do you want a more flexible work schedule that allows you to travel or pursue other interests? Consider which job fits best with your career aspirations.

To decide what's most valuable to you in a job offer:

• Begin with the LifeValues quiz and determine your priorities.
• Rank your career priorities using the Job Priorities Worksheet.
• Review each job with your career priorities in mind.
• Make a list of the pros and cons of each job.

2. Compare pay rates. Salary is a key component of any job offer. To evaluate a salary offered by an employer, you’ll need to compare it to salary offers for similar positions in your field. You also will want to factor in cost-of-living expenses for the city where each job is based.

To research salary:

• Investigate salary and pay rate information on websites such as Glassdoor, PayScale, and Salary.com.
• Consult family members, friends, and alumni who work in the industry, as well as career counselors at your college.



When comparing pay rates associated with multiple job offers, you will want to consider:

• The specific job responsibilities tied to the pay rate
• The number of hours an employer expects you to work each week, and whether the job pays overtime, grants comp time, or provides some other compensation for extra hours worked
• The salary review process of each employer

3. Compare benefit packages. Pay is not the only thing to consider in a job offer. Some employers may try to compensate for a lower base salary with a rich benefits package.



When reviewing job offers, consider each company’s employee health plan, retirement plan, vacation and sick-day policies, and other benefits.

Some employers also may offer flexible hours, telecommuting, employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, or other perks.

For a satisfying career path, choose a job offer that matches your career priorities and provides you with a good salary and benefits.

[Any reference to a specific company, commercial product, process, or service does not constitute or imply an endorsement or recommendation by CashCourse or the National Endowment for Financial Education. These courses and related resources may be used only for nonprofit, noncommercial educational purposes. CashCourse makes every effort to keep the information in these courses current, but, over time, new developments as well as legislative and regulatory changes may date this material. If you discover inaccurate information, please contact us.]