The job hunt is finally over - you have been presented with the perfect job offer. Or… is it?

Once you exhale that sigh of relief, and the initial excitement passes, you may start to experience a different, unexpected feeling. The feeling of anxiety, worry, and second guessing your decisions leading up to this point. You start to get cold feet. Is this natural? Or are you overanalyzing? Are your worries justified?

First things first – these feelings are totally normal. And now that you’re reassured of that, there are plenty of steps to take in order to make the right decision for your career, and ensure your job offer does not go south.

• Take yourself back to right after your interview. Try to remember how you felt. Were you excited for the opportunity? What initially attracted you to the position? Did you enjoy learning about the organization and meeting employees? Did you feel like it was some place you could fit in and want to be a part of? If you are experiencing positive thoughts when answering these questions, chances are you just have cold feet. Just to be sure, let’s explore a few other tactics.
• Another great way to get to the bottom of this predicament is to ask yourself if this move serves a purpose in progressing your professional goals. Is the commute better for you? Is there more of a work-life balance? Are the benefits better for you and your family? Is the work environment a good fit for your personality? Is the compensation feasible for your lifestyle? These are all questions that can help you come closer to making your final decision.
• Sometimes you can’t beat a good ol’ fashioned pros and cons list. Write down all the reasons you are doubting accepting the offer. Also write down all the reasons for accepting the offer. If most of the reasons on your cons list are centered around fear of change or of the unknown, you can probably chalk your feelings up to having cold feet. If you’ve done all your research, it may be that many of the unanswered questions cannot be resolved until you actually start your new position. On the other hand, if you are not excited about the opportunity, or do not feel you can compromise and find solutions to the items on your cons list, the opportunity may not be for you.

At the end of the day, the best thing you can do it look at the facts, make sure you have gathered as much information as possible, sort out your feelings to the best of your ability, and go with your gut.