Do you take that new job or not

You made the big step and applied for the job, you've had the interview and now you have been offered the job.  Wow, now you are a little nervous.  Do you really want to switch jobs?  Is your old job so bad?  If this is a contract position it's not such a big deal, you know you are going to be there for a short period of time, but if this is a permanent move to a permanent move you need to make sure you make the right decision. 

My best advice for everything is make a list. 

Make a list of why you want to leave your old job or what you would like to find in a new job.  There should be some overlapping of reasons, ie no advancement in your old position while the new one offers you some supervisory duties.

• Want more money
• No possiblility for advancement
• Working on an old system and you want to upgrade your skills
• Too long a commute
• No chance for travel
• Want a bigger company to get better benefits
• Not enough vacation time
• No ability to work remotely
• Training programs

Now you analyze, what are the most important reasons.  If you hate commuting and your new position is an hour away in rush hour bumper to bumper traffic you might want to decide whether the new position offers enough incentives to cancel out the commute.  Being able to work from home 2 days a week would make the commute not seem so bad.

The important thing is that you make the decision, not your recruiter, not your partner, YOU.  Listen to their advice but remember you are the one who will be dealing with this new position every day.

And be prepared for a counter offer when you resign, then it's back to the list.  Look at the reasons again, and try not to let the counter offer go to your head. 

Good Luck