How to Compare Job Offers Beyond the Salary Number

Compare the work you would do, the conditions you would work under, and the compensation you can actually verify. Keep unknowns visible. A larger headline package does not answer whether the job fits your priorities.

UC Berkeley's offer guidance recommends evaluating written terms against your values and priorities. The worksheet below is an original decision aid, not a formula that identifies the right job for everyone.

Start with non-negotiables

Write down what would make an offer unworkable before assigning scores. Examples might include a location you cannot reach, required hours you cannot cover, or compensation below your minimum needs.

Separate a genuine constraint from a preference. "I cannot relocate this year" is different from "I prefer a shorter commute." If an offer fails a constraint, more points for its brand name will not solve that problem.

Put comparable facts next to each other

Illustrative comparison, not real offers:

Item	Offer A	Offer B	Question to resolve
Annual base pay	$78,000	$82,000	Are both full-time roles on the same pay basis?
Bonus	Target described, conditions missing	No bonus stated	What is guaranteed, if anything?
Office attendance	Two specified days	Described as flexible	What is the actual expectation?
Main work	Reporting and process improvement	Client implementation	Which experience do you want next?
Manager support	Weekly check-ins discussed	Not discussed	How are priorities and feedback handled?

The $4,000 base-pay difference is clear. The total value of the offers is not. Do not add a target bonus or uncertain equity value to salary as though it were guaranteed cash. Compare benefits, eligibility, costs and conditions from the actual documents; seek qualified advice if the terms are complex.

Turn impressions into questions

"The team seemed supportive" is an impression. Ask for an example of how a new hire receives feedback or how priorities are changed when workload is high. "The role offers growth" becomes more useful when you know what responsibilities you could develop and who supports that development.

Record the source of each answer: written offer, benefit document, recruiter, or hiring manager. If two sources disagree, resolve the conflict rather than choosing the answer you prefer. The questions-to-ask-a-hiring-manager guide can help with work and team questions.

Make the trade-off explicit

Choose a small number of priorities and explain the decision in plain language. For example: "I prefer A because the work matches my next career step and its location is confirmed, even though B has higher base pay."

If you use a weighted score, treat it as a way to expose your preferences, not scientific proof. A tiny score difference may simply reflect arbitrary weights. Revisit the largest uncertainty and ask whether a different answer would change your choice.

Finally, check both response deadlines. Comparing offers is useful only if you leave time to clarify the terms and communicate a considered decision.