HR expert reveals 3 important things to do before accepting a job offer and people are taking notes

It's always good news when you find out you've landed a job with a company. In situations like this, it can be tempting to just accept the position without asking any questions. While that can work in some cases, it's always best to take a calm and collected approach before accepting a job offer. TikTok influencer Amy (@hackyourhr) shared a useful video where she shares three key tips to follow before accepting a new job offer. The video has garnered 2.1 million views and 687 comments on the social media platform.

Amy starts the video by asking people to save her video if they're currently applying for a job. She says, “If you get a job offer, don't accept it.” The creator points out three important things to keep in mind, whether you learned about the job offer over the phone or in person. Her first tip is to respond to the job offer with a positive statement.

She gives some examples, saying, “I'm so excited about this offer!” Amy continues, “And then if it's lower than you expected, you should say what's true for you.” Individuals could be honest and tell the employer that the salary offered was lower than they expected. Even then, they should follow up with how much they would like to see the fully written offer letter. Once they receive the offer letter, they could ask the employer, “Can you explain to me how you came up with that number?”

Amy calls this method “PTQ: positive, true, ask.” She points out the importance of taking these steps when dealing with a potential employer. The woman explains how individuals can conduct negotiations about their salary and position via email. All of this would result in the employer having a largely positive impression of the candidate. She emphasizes how candidates should communicate what is true for them and ends the video.

People found the woman's advice helpful and shared their own insights in the comments section. @mae.russell said, “This happened to me. They offered 10k more than I said. I came back and asked for more and got it.” @roya_bee noted, “It's crazy that we have to play these games to get what we're worth. It feels like it's a huge hassle to 'negotiate' with people who belittle the work we do.” @smc387 shared, “Got an offer that was 37% less than my current job. I was stunned. Didn't even know where to turn. I ended up saying, 'I think we're too far apart.' Bizarre.”

Employers also seem to see through such tactics. @nellie_suto commented, “The last time I got a phone offer, I wasn't allowed to read the written offer until after I verbally accepted it over the phone.” Another person, @kotaterrace, pointed out, “As a recruiter, I agree with all of this. 'Can you help me understand how you arrived at that number?' is such a great phrase and opens up a great dialogue.” @lindsayfromphilly13 shared, “I got a verbal offer and when I asked them to send me the written offer, they said they don't do that. I declined. A city with red flags.”

You can follow @hackyourhr for more insightful videos on HR and workplace.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on February 5, 2024. It has since been updated.