Even with the current down economy, opportunities for experienced technical workers, including programmers, designers, business analysts, and network engineers, remain abundant. Given that environment, sometimes it makes sense to turn down a lucrative job offer if you are confident another one will be coming down the pike.
But before making a final decision, you should weigh the pros and cons of taking the new job versus staying at your current job, or even continuing the search for that proverbial perfect IT position. There are many aspects to consider.
Does the Position Provide Growth Opportunities?
Check out the internal structure of your potential new employer. Are there sufficient opportunities for advancement, or is their corporate hierarchy flat? You don’t want to get stuck in a situation where it is difficult to earn promotion.
What training does the new company offer? Many quality technology firms allow their employees a few hours each week for self-study or to work on their own projects. Make sure you will be able to broaden and deepen your technical skill set.
Does the Position Meet My Career Goals?
Related to the previous question, you need to ensure this new position meets your career goals moving forward. If you see yourself becoming a manager someday, a job at a smaller company might not be the best spot for promotion opportunities.
On the other hand, if you want to stay in a software engineering role and love playing with new technologies, a Rails job with a firm on the cutting edge makes sense compared to one doing maintenance code on old ASP.NET websites.
Can I Wait for a Better Offer?
Do some more research on the current technical job scene in your area. Can you afford to wait a few months until a better offer or more interesting position comes along? In the meantime, consider taking a temporary IT assignment to broaden your resume.
If all of these questions seem daunting, schedule some time to talk to your technical recruiter. They know the current job market and can advise you on the best steps to take. APN Consulting is one of the top IT staffing firms in the New York metro area; they have the recruiters on hand who can answer your questions and to help you find a technical IT job opportunity in New York City and beyond.