Can you do it?
A big question to start with - do you actually have the skills and knowledge to do the job? It's very tempting to jump up to a role that pays well and sounds great on your CV, but if you haven't got the expertise needed, then you could find yourself registering with recruitment agencies again in six months' time.
If you're not a fast learner, then you could just end up giving your confidence a massive knock.
Is it what you want to do?
So does it fit in with your career plans? If it's only intended to be a short-term fix, then move straight ahead to the next question, otherwise it's definitely worth considering whether you can see yourself at the company in a few years' time.
There's usually three main reasons for taking a new job: more money; a shorter commute; or a better chance of progressing your career. The final point isn't solely about having the chance to move your way up at the company (although that's obviously a big plus), but it could just mean being given good training opportunities to make yourself more employable in future. Try to make sure at least one of these points can be ticked off before switching jobs.
Can you afford it?
For the right role most have us would get up at a daft hour and commute for miles. But as well as eating up hours of your day, it will also take a big chunk of the money out of your pocket, so it's hugely important to work out the door-to-door length of your journey and how much it will cost you.
Secondly, we all like to think we'll be a hit in our new role and a pay rise will soon follow, but don't rely on it happening. If you're not happy with your basic salary, holiday entitlement, bonuses and pension now, are you likely to be in the future?
Will you fit in?
Everyone thinks about the location and salary when considering a job offer, but one thing that's often overlooked is the actual company - if you take the job, you'll be spending a fair amount of your time in their office, so make sure it's right for you.
Obviously, unless you were interviewed by your future boss, it's hard to know whether you'll get on with your colleagues, but you should have been able to gain at least a vague idea of the firm's working culture and whether you're likely to feel at home.
Is it stable?
Not the most obvious question to ask yourself perhaps, but possibly the most important - is the job secure? Do your research on the company, find out why the job's available and see if the business is in a good financial position. There's no point switching jobs to further your career if the company's going to be downsizing before the end of the year.
Of course, every role needs to be assessed on an individual basis, so don't automatically turn it down just because you answered ‘no' to most of these questions.
At C&M, the only thing we love more than finding someone a new job is finding them their perfect job! So, take time to think about it and make sure the role's the right one for you.