We’ve all been there. You finally find the ideal candidate after weeks or even months of interviewing applicants, so you confidently extend an offer of employment. But for some reason, you’re completely blindsided with a rejection. You thought the candidate was the perfect match, so why didn’t they?
If you want your best applicants to accept your job offers, you need to win them over before asking them to commit. Here’s a few things you can do:
At the beginning of every interview, try to get a good understanding of the candidate’s personality and preferences before providing more details about your available opportunity. Figure out why the interviewee pursued the career and opportunities that they did so that you can learn what they'll love most about your available position.
When it’s your turn to talk, leverage these candidate insights to describe the available position in a way that will resonate with them most. Perhaps you learned that the candidate loves to network, and your team attends conferences often. Connect these dots and emphasize relevant job features so the applicant knows why the role is ideal for them. However, if the candidate’s behavior and values don’t align with your company whatsoever, be willing to accept that they aren’t the right fit for the position.
The most desirable job seekers have various employment options, so why not ask them what other companies they’ve been looking at during their job search? Once you know who your competitors are, you can evaluate their employee value propositions, company cultures, etc. and pinpoint what makes your company better or different. Emphasize these distinctions to candidates so that they understand why they should choose to work for you.
Learning about other companies the candidate is interested in can also reveal more about what they are looking for in an employer. For example, if all of their potential employers are small start-up companies, the candidate clearly prefers to work for a young, tight-knit organization in which they can play a major role at. You can use information like this to your advantage in your interviews and emails to the applicant.
If your company can’t afford to beat competitors based on benefits or compensation, you can still win them over by leveraging the power of emotional connections. Ensure that the recruiters and/or executives who meet with your applicants are honest, passionate and have plenty of time for the interview. Also give your candidates a tour of your workplace, introduce them to your best employee advocates, and share any powerful company stories that are positive reflection of your company. These genuine yet simple practices can make the candidate grow fond of your team and feel “at home” in your workplace.
Also maintain clear, consistent and meaningful communication with your applicants throughout the recruitment process. Today’s applicants prefer to receive frequent updates and personalized emails—and top talent expects nothing less. By keeping your candidates in the loop and being transparent about your process, your candidates will have a better experience and be more likely to accept your offers.
Once you are ready to present your offer, ask the selected candidate to meet at your workplace one final time. Then, before you present the offer, give the applicant another opportunity to ask any more questions they may have. There’s a very good chance that this qualified job seeker has contemplated the opportunity further at this point, so they might have some new inquiries about the position.
Once you’ve cleared the air, present the offer with enthusiasm and sincerity. Explain why you believe the candidate is the perfect fit for your team, and review the offer details with them in case they have any questions. By implementing these practices, you can better appeal to your most qualified candidates so that they become eager to commit to your company.
For more advice on engaging your ideal candidates, read One Simple Way to Win Over More Job Seekers.