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&lt;p&gt;Here’s the situation – you’ve been working at a company for several years and at some point you realize it is time to go.&#160; There can be a multitude of reasons why you came to this conclusion – you simply hate your job, you haven’t had a significant raise in some time, there is no room for movement, you just want to try something new – either way, you have decided that it is time to look elsewhere.&#160; You go through the interview process and you are finally given an offer, but is it one you should take?&#160; It&#39;s not as easy a decision as you might think.&#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Just because you are looking for a job and exploring your options doesn’t mean you should take the first job offer that comes your way.&#160; There are a number of different points to consider before making that jump to a new job. After considering them, you might end up deciding that sticking with your current position is the best option.&#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How different is the salary?&#160; &lt;/strong&gt;You are getting paid $50,000 a year, but have been stuck on that figure for some time.&#160; The job offer you have received comes attached with an offer of $53,000 a year to start.&#160; That seems great.&#160; You are making $3,000 more a year and can probably make more after a year.&#160; You might be tempted to take the job, but maybe you should think twice.&#160; What if you hate the job?&#160; What if you don’t get a significant raise in a year?&#160; And here is the big question – what if you kept looking and could find a job that pays $60,000 a year?&#160; Wouldn’t that be better?&#160; Remember, if you take a job, proper etiquette suggests you should stick around for a little bit – at least a year.&#160; It might make more sense to look for a more significant raise in salary rather than take the first job that comes along that will keep you stuck in the same bracket for another year.&#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How are the work hours? &lt;/strong&gt;&#160;Let’s take the salary scenario above and move it into this scenario.&#160; Maybe at your current position, you get to enjoy a 9 to 5 schedule.&#160; You’re getting paid $50,000 a year to work 9 to 5.&#160; You want more, but if you take the current job, paying $3,000 a year more, you might actually be making less money.&#160; What if the job calls for you to work until 7 p.m. each day and some weekends?&#160; The average money you are making per hour shrinks significantly in this scenario.&#160; Time is money and your time is valuable.&#160; Your current job affords you the opportunity to go home and relax, enjoy a night out with some friends, spend time with your family or even pursue some freelance options.&#160; The new job might eliminate some of these important factors in your life and if you have to forego freelancing, that actually means more money out of your pocket.&#160; So, think carefully.&#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is the commute like?&#160; &lt;/strong&gt;Making a little extra money a year might not be as beneficial to you if you have to spend an additional 30 minutes to an hour on the train or even deal with transfers.&#160; Again, this is a time factor, but it is also deals with your comfort.&#160; Do you want to deal with the stresses of the additional commute time?&#160; Do you have to travel through a bad neighborhood at night?&#160; And do you remember how tiring it is to deal with a lengthy commute each day?&#160; Starting or ending your day off on a bad note is not conducive to a healthy lifestyle.&#160; The new job might not be worth the additional hassle.&#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What about your friends?&#160; &lt;/strong&gt;If you got to your job interviews early enough, you should spend a lot of time getting an idea about the work environment.&#160; Do people seem friendly?&#160; Is it a work, work, work attitude or is there some lightheartedness involved?&#160; Can you see yourself being friends with the people you come into contact with or see walking about as you waited for the interview to begin?&#160; Yes, this is not indicative of all the people working there, but it’s a good first impression and if that first impression doesn’t compare favorably to your current work culture, you might want to stick around a bit longer at your current job.&#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You don’t want to get too comfortable in one place, but you shouldn’t leave for the sake of leaving either.&#160; Remember, your decisions affect your future and you need to determine if taking a new job is the right step along your career path or if there is a better move coming your way.&#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;--Jon Minners, Vault.com&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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