First Offer: Take It or Keep Waiting

Anyone who has searched for a job fresh out of college knows how difficult it is to get that first job. And if you’re very lucky, eventually there’s a job offer on the table. Should you grasp it, or wait for something better to come along the way?

It depends on whether you are a “maximizer” or a “satisficer”. Simply put, satisficers are more likely to cut their job search short and take the first job offer. Maximizers are more likely to continue searching until a better job offer comes along. Which type of approach yields the better payoff? A maximizer. Specifically, quoting the results of a study of the job search of 548 members of a school, the maximizers put themselves through more difficulties in the job hunt. They applied to twenty jobs, on average, while satisficers applied to only ten, and they were significantly more likely to make use of outside sources of information and support. But it turned out to be worth it: the job offers they got were significantly better, in terms of salary, than what the satisficers got.

Satisficers were offered jobs with an average starting salary of $37, 085; the average starting salary offered to maximizers was $44, 515, more than 20 percent higher. The trouble is, however, that higher pay doesn’t make maximizers a happier group than satisficers. In fact, maximizers were significantly more likely than satisficers to be unhappy with the offers they accepted.

Evidently, being a maximizer can help you earn more income, but that income doesn’t buy more happiness, as the maximizer’s likely to worry about the prospect of a better job offer out there he or she missed. Maximizers may have objectively superior outcomes, but they’re so busy obsessing about all the things that they could have had, so they tend to be less happy with the outcomes they do get.

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I was a writer, but yesterday the boss told me he decided to fire me. That was wrong, because I created many great articles for our company. I didn't want to let the news upset my children, so I invited my wife to a restaurant we often went to.

I walked into the restaurant, surprised by how empty it was. Not too long after, I saw Carrie walk in. “Where are the kids?” I asked. "At Mother's." Carrie said. "So what did you want to tell me?" she asked curiously. "Well when I tell you, you can't break down." I said. She nodded hesitantly.

“Well, ... my boss said ...he would fire me if I couldn't come up with a good story.” "What! You've been working there for 5 years since your best friend Jack left there. Although later Jack tried to invite you to work with him, you refused. You could basically run the place!” She shouted. "I know, I know.” "How can he just fire you like Jack?” She looked at me with worry in her eyes. "What about the kids? How will we pay for the house? How will we ..." I cut her words off and promised. "I'll find a new job. Any job will do as long as it pays." Suddenly a man across the diner said, "My friend is looking for a new writer ... someone that can really tell and show the story.” "Where can I find him?” I asked. "He's got a shop down the street with a big yellow sign on the top." he says. "Thank you so much!" Carrie said thankfully as we left the restaurant.

“There!” Carrie pointed to a big yellow sign reading, "The Daily Dispatch". "I've heard about this place!” I said turning to Carrie. ^t4This is the worst newspaper company here!” I complained. “Well I guess I should go in for an interview. A bad job is better than none." I sighed. "George, I don't want you to do something you hate." “Well at least I can make some money if I have a job."   said.

As I stepped in the door, the strong smell of ink hit me right in the face.

As I sat down in a shabby （破旧的）chair, I heard a breaking sound.