Business Basics
Should You Take The First Job You're Offered?
Tara Weiss, 01.20.09, 06:00 PM EST
There are often many good reasons not to, even now.
When have you been out of work so long that you should take the first job you're offered, even if it's mediocre?
Probably never.
Yahoo! BuzzStill, it's something many job seekers consider as their bank accounts dwindle and the rejection letters pile up.
What should you do? To begin with, try not to get yourself into this fix. Resist the urge to apply for just any job that's even remotely related to your field. If you take one that doesn't fit in with your career plans, you may find it hard to rejoin your intended specialty once the downturn passes.
So before blindly sending your résumé to a mass of employers, research each prospective firm, its products and its services. Talk to the human resources contact early on to find out what exactly the position entails. If it's not something that meshes with your professional trajectory or it's way beneath your skill level, don't apply for it.
In Pictures: Deciding Whether To Take That Imperfect Job
"I advise clients to strongly consider whether they want to compromise everything they've learned, take a lower compensation package and work their way back up in a company," says Sandy Gross, founder of Pinetum Partners LLC, an executive search firm that specializes in the financial services industry. "I encourage them to think of their next opportunity as a long-term career move, not something they'll take for six months and then relaunch their job search."