How to compare job offers beyond just salary

Consider where you are in your career. Is this a time for upward mobility? If so, which option presents the better route to your ambitions over the next, say, 10 years?

Don’t just consider the role itself, but also the leadership structure and the mentorship opportunities. Will you rub elbows with the best and brightest in your chosen field?

Which job will challenge you more? Is this a time in your life for challenges?

Tip: Map out what the next 10 years of your career look like ideally and see how these jobs fit into that map.

Yes, that is a Fast and Furious reference.

What type of commute are you facing with each job? The quality of the commute can have a huge impact on your life.

In 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau found that the average one-way commute time increased to 27.6 minutes, an all-time high. And around 4.6 million Americans were commuting more than 90 minutes each way.  More than 90! That’s a lot of time to tack onto each workday.

Don’t just factor in distance, but also the quality of the commute. Have you considered all options, such as public transit, carpooling and biking? Working on a train, sitting in traffic, and cruising down back roads are not the same way to spend an hour. Which type of commute causes you the most stress?

Money wise, which commute costs you the most? There are hidden costs to commuting, such as gas, paid parking, tolls and wear on your car.

Considering a move? Use a commute estimating tool like the TomTom Traffic Index to understand the local traffic and commuting costs you might expect.

This also goes for expected travel time. Consider whether you are a reluctant flier or perfectly comfortable in hotel rooms for half the year. Be honest with yourself about your preferences.

Tip: Commuting can dramatically change the quality of your day-to-day life, so consider all of the factors.

Working from home is a fantastic perk. It means more flexibility. It means less stress. And it means saving money: childcare, doggie daycare, dry cleaning and wardrobe costs.

However, more companies appear to be requiring new hires to come into the office since the pandemic restrictions loosened. Anecdotally, some companies are being purposefully vague about their “hybrid work” policies during the hiring process.

It’s a mess, frankly. Companies are still figuring out their remote policies. And there isn’t much data yet to understand the success and long-term consequences of these policies.

Fortunately, people are noticing this challenge.  There’s a new search tool called the Flex Index that has cataloged companies’ remote and hybrid policies in crystal clear terms. It launched in February 2023, so they don’t have info on every company, but it’s a great start.

When it comes to your job offers, all you can do is state your preferences, try to negotiate for what you want and ask for clarity. If the hiring manager suggests that you are “required to come into the office one to three days per week, potentially more,” get clarity. The reality might be that you can only work remotely if you have a good reason. If you like, request to work from the office on specific days. And understand that remote work policies today might not be the policies a year from now.

Tip: If working remotely is something you value, make sure you have all the facts about the company’s expectations.  

Comparing benefits packages might be the simplest part of comparing two jobs… But it could be the most complex.

The key is to ask questions and make sure you get the full picture.

For example,

• Job Offer #1: 15 days of PTO (paid time off)
• Job Offer #2: Unlimited PTO (paid time off)

Seems easy to compare, right? Not so fast. Ask questions about how the unlimited time off works, such as:

• How many days off, on average, do employees take?
• What is the approval process for time off?

The answers might indicate that employees are pressured not to take time off. Indeed has a great article about the advantages and disadvantages of unlimited PTO.

Get more details on these benefits as well:

1. Insurance deductibles and monthly premiums
2. Individual versus family health insurance premiums
3. Dental and vision care
4. Mental health support
5. 401k (or retirement) match
6. Sick days and personal days
7. Parental leave policies

As you evaluate the benefits packages, mark down green flags and red flags.

Green flags may signal that company policies support things that matter to you, like family and mental health care. Red flags may indicate that they are inflexible and resistant to change.

If you can, talk to current employees to get a sense of benefits in action.

Tip: Ask questions to get the full picture of the benefits package.

This can’t be easily measured and scored, but it’s vital.

Simply picture how easily you would fit in at the company. In this case, gut feeling may actually be the best guide. Don’t overthink it.

Tip: Could you see yourself at this company?

Two job offers may seem like apples and oranges, but ask yourself what matters most to you at this point in your life and the answer should become clear.