⌛️ Why do hiring managers provide prospective employees with a “decision by” or “offer expires” date?
🤷 Is it because they don’t think it is fair to expect a potential employee to make such an important decision on the spot?
💸 Or are they making an offer with a view to negotiating?
In my 10+ years of agency recruitment and talent acquisition, I have experienced many successful hiring processes, but also some unsuccessful ones.
The “offer” stage for a recruiter is one of the most exciting parts of their jobs, but also the most nerve-racking!
What are the risks associated with Offer deadlines?
🤼 Candidates could receive more attractive offers from other companies during that timeframe
🙄 The candidate has a chance to lose interest in the process
🙈 The hiring team has no control over the final decision
🚀 They could receive an internal promotion
⬆️ A new exciting project comes up in their current company
👫 Their personal circumstances change
How can recruiters improve the chances of an offer being ACCEPTED?
✅ Share accurate salary and package details when first presenting candidates to clients (or as early in the process as possible)
✅ Have a solid understanding of the client’s hiring budget
✅ Update clients with the candidate’s other interview processes throughout the whole process so they have a clear picture of their situation
✅ Provide consistent pre & post interview notes outlining key questions the candidate would like to discuss
✅ Relay candidate’s REALISTIC salary and PACKAGE expectations at every interview stage
✅ Advise the client of how a candidate might respond if offered X, Y or Z amount, so they have an accurate picture of the likely response
✅ NEVER send an offer to a candidate if they still have questions unanswered, or you know they are weighing up certain points
✅ Try your best to ask clients not to send offers directly to candidates because you lose CONTROL over the situation and can no longer use your EXPERT experience to help get hires over the line
The most successful hires are the ones where both the client’s and the candidate’s expectations are aligned and ALL outstanding candidate and client questions/reservations have been addressed.
The client knows if they were to offer X amount the candidate is likely to reject or accept their offer.
Therefore in my view, NO offers should be presented to candidates unless there is certainty of acceptance.
However, I fully appreciate many hiring teams have successfully recruited for years in certain ways and if they have a preferred method or process, then it is important to respect that.
From my experience, the most SUCCESSFUL hiring processes are when clients share the PROPOSED offer amount with the recruiter first.
Then it is up to the recruiter to do their job correctly and ensure a VERBAL acceptance is made BEFORE a formal written offer is presented to the candidate by the client.
If a verbal acceptance has been made SUBJECT TO CONTRACT it significantly increases the likelihood of a successful hire and reduces 99% of the risk associated with setting offer deadlines.
If you would like to learn more about Cordell Beaumont and our Search & Recruitment business please contact info@cordellbeaumont.com.
