Considering your expat job offer versus your needs

So you’ve made it through the selection process and been offered the coveted job – but should you actually take it?

You’ve survived the usual almost unending selection process to the short list and finally received the job offer itself but, before you sign on the dotted line, it’s important to step back and carefully consider what you’re taking on. There are a host of factors needing full examination before you commit yourself, and it’s not always about the money. Even if the salary you’ve been offered is almost beyond your wildest dreams, there are many other considerations that have the potential to turn your life into a nightmare. Once you’ve signed on, you’re committed to your compensation package as part of the rate for your new job.

When moving internationally, it’s essential to know how your spending power will correspond with your present salary in your current job. The internet is your best mate as regards the cost of living in your proposed destination, but it’s essential to remember that prices in expatriate destinations are on the rise and unlikely to fall back in these troubled times. If you’re moving with your career-minded spouse, you should check on work visa requirements and the chance of him or her getting a job at all.

Your benefits package is as important, and maybe more so, than your actual salary, as it relates to necessities such as housing, schooling if you’re moving with your family and much more. All these and similar costs should be covered by your new employer and calculated to your satisfaction. Other extras should involve private healthcare coverage, a retirement plan, vacations, life and disability insurance, and accommodation arrangements should be made by your new employer.

Also important are the exact requirements of your offered job, the hours worked, the amount of travel required and the impact of the job on your work-life balance. One way to ensure all the above is met is to feel comfortable with the management style of your employer. If you and your boss don't gel, this isn’t the job for you. Should you feel you’ve no option but to reject the offer, it pays to do so without setting all your bridges on fire, as your prospective employer just might come up with another offer which better fits your requirements.