How often have you or your hiring team put together a job offer for a well-qualified candidate only to have the offer rejected? This can be quite frustrating, and can increase how long it takes to fill a vacancy.
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There are a few things that employers can do to minimize how often this happens. These tips generally fall into one of two categories: (1) tips on how and when to present the offer and (2) tips on how to personalize the offer to improve the chance it will be accepted.
Tips on How and When to Present the Job Offer
There are a lot of simple things an employer can do to help ensure the job offer is accepted:
- Frame the initial offer conversation as a discussion rather than jumping into offer details. We’ll talk about this more below, but this tactic can be used to garner more information to effectively tailor the official offer.
- Make the offer in a timely fashion. Keeping the applicant waiting for news is a surefire way to give him or her enough time to find employment somewhere else. Stay in communication, and make the decision as quickly as is practical.
- Communicate about the offer in person or over the phone, so you can gauge the response. It’s also much more personal than e-mail. (Of course, following up in writing is perfectly acceptable!)
- Be clear about the pay and benefits upon offer and the expectations of the role. The conversation shouldn’t end with major lingering questions about the big-picture expectations. It also shouldn’t have major surprises about the expectations.
- Give a reasonable time frame for the candidate to review the offer details before he or she responds. When making the offer, note how long the candidate has to review it, and give a reasonable time for him or her to consider (or to negotiate) the details.
- During the offer conversation, ask directly if the individual has reservations and what they are. You may be able to address them right away or clear up any misunderstanding.
Tips to Personalize the Job Offer
To improve the likelihood that a job offer will be accepted, one of the simplest things you can do is to personalize that offer. You can find out a lot of information during the recruitment process to help to customize the offer as needed. During your conversations with the candidate, be sure to ask about things like career goals, schedule/availability, and the individual’s priorities and needs.
As noted in the bullet points above, these types of queries may be easiest to discuss during the earliest stages of making the offer. As such, it may be best to keep the early discussion flexible rather than making concrete offers that may seem nonnegotiable. (An offer that seems nonnegotiable may make some good candidates feel their needs cannot be met when, in fact, there may be room to negotiate or change specifics.) To take this route, consider opening the conversation by using questions before making a firm offer. For example, you could open the discussion by noting that the company is still finalizing its decision, but you’d like to know if a salary range between $X and $Y would be in alignment with the candidate’s expectations if you are able to offer him or her the role. Other similarly phrased questions can help you understand where the person stands in terms of compensation and the benefits he or she most values. You can choose how in depth to go with this.
In the end, the goal is to craft an offer that takes the individual’s needs into account wherever possible. Consider where customization can be done in areas like:
- Flexible scheduling or telecommuting
- Career development opportunities
- Start date
- Relocation expense coverage
- Start date of benefits like health insurance
- Other insurance options
Obviously, this list is not comprehensive, but the key is to hone in on any areas where the organization may be able to tailor the offer without creating a situation where similarly situated individuals are compensated or treated differently. There may be a lot of leeway on little things that can make a big difference on a personal level. And, this type of customization can be offered to anyone.