By Chelsea Babin

So, you have a job offer on the table, but you’re unsure whether or not you want to accept the position. It’s understandable to be hesitant about making such a big decision. But, rather than outright accepting or rejecting the job offer right away, ask yourself these 6 questions first.

1. Can you picture yourself in this position? One of the reasons you may be hesitant to accept a job offer is, despite the time you’ve spent interviewing, you haven’t taken the time to really picture yourself in this position. Factor in everything you know about the company culture, the team dynamic, the responsibilities on your plate, the benefits you’ll receive, and anything else that seems relevant and take a few minutes to really picture yourself in this position. A lot of times, this exercise will result in the clarity you’ve been looking for and you’ll be able to accept or reject the offer easily.

2. Do you know why you’re hesitant to accept the offer? If you’re still hesitant to accept the job offer, do you know why? Get to the root cause of your hesitation. Maybe the job is a little farther away than you wanted or maybe the position doesn’t have the growth potential you were looking for. Decide if these points of hesitation are true deal breakers or just mental blocks that you need to break down.

3. Do you have other job offers on the table? One reason a lot of professionals hesitate to accept a job offer is because they’re in the interview process for another position. But, unless you have another job offer on the table, you should try to block those hypothetical offers from your evaluation. Figure out whether or not you want to accept this position while ignoring all other positions you’ve interviewed for that haven’t extended a job offer. If you have multiple job offers on the table, don’t underestimate the power of a classic pro con list or speaking to a trusted person in your professional network, like a recruiter, to help you weigh the pros and cons.

4. Would you be happy in this position for at least two years? If the job offer is for a permanent position, you’re probably going to want to stay at the company for at least two years. If there are no fast tracks for promotion, you’re probably going to want to stay in this position for these two years. Assuming you had to stay in this position for two years, would you be happy? This is an important question to ask and, while you can’t predict the future, it’s a good mental exercise to take yourself through before rejecting or accepting a job offer.

5. Are you excited by the projects you’ll get to work on? Hopefully you’ve been given at least a general idea, if not a detailed description, of the projects you’ll get to work on in this position. Does the work excite you? Do you feel like you’ll be proud of the work you contribute to these projects? Will you be happy to put these projects on your resume in the future? Factoring in what you’ll be working on is just as important as where you’ll be working and who you’ll be working for.

6. Are you trying to hold out for a job that may never come? A lot of people are hesitant to accept a job offer because it isn’t exactly what they pictured or it isn’t their dream job. But, are you holding out for a job that may never come your way? Whether you’re not yet qualified for the position you have in mind or you’re not likely to find such a perfect position anytime soon, you should pop the dream bubble fantasy and try to evaluate the good and the bad of this position without factoring in fantasy.

You’re hesitant to accept the job offer you’ve received but not sure if you should turn it down. Keep these 6 questions handy and ask yourself these questions to determine whether or not you should accept or reject the job offer.