How to make a job offer that will be accepted

Have you ever reached the end of a recruitment process only to have your chosen candidate reject your job offer? Perhaps you’ve made what you thought was a compelling offer but your candidate opted for an alternative? This is very frustrating for hiring managers. It’s time consuming and costly – particularly if you have the start the recruitment process again from scratch.

Copeland work with automotive industry employers and help guide them through the recruitment process – taking steps along the way to help achieve a successful outcome. In order to maximise the chances of a candidate accepting a job offer we recommend taking action right through the recruitment process – not just at the offer stage.

Here our our recommended steps to help ensure your job offers are accepted:

Ask the right questions

If you consistently ask your candidates the right questions you will reduce the chances of your job offers falling through. Some questions to consider are:

Why are you seeking a new job?

People seek a new role for a variety of reasons. Understanding a candidate’s drivers early on in the process allows you to determine the likelihood of them accepting your job. Keep a note of what each candidate tells you. You may need to refer to this later (see ‘Be ready for a Counter-Offer’ below).

Why our business?

You are looking to weed out time-wasters. Genuinely interested candidates will be able to give you strong and valid reasons for wanting to work for your organisation. They will have researched your buisiness and should be able to discuss your work, customers and industry.

Why this particular role?

Genuine applicants should be able to give you compelling reasons why the particular vacancy is for them – why then want the job and why are are a good fit for it.

What are your remuneration expectations?

You may feel uncomfortable asking this question but its essential you ask it early on in the process. If you are using a good recruitment agency they will cover this off for you.

What’s important to you in your job?

It is essential to understand what is important to each individual. For some, working from home or flexi-time may be far more important than salary. Equally, job security may factor highly on a candidate’s wish list. This knowledge will allow you to position your offer appropriately and negotiate on the areas that your candidate values.

What other jobs are you applying for?

Don’t be afraid to ask this question. If your candidate dosen’t want to answer it they won’t – but if they do it may help you guage their motivators. If they do tell you about other applicaitons, ask the follow up question: ‘If you receive more than one offer, how will you decide which one to accept?’

Do you have any questions?

Always ask candidates if they have any questions. People who ask few or insignificant questions may lack genuine interested in the role. Conversely, people who ask detailed questions about the role are likely to be imagining themselves in it. This is a strong sign that your job genuinely interests them.

Research the market

If you are recruiting for a new role or one you have not hired for in an while, ensure you do your research and understand current market conditions.

If the current incumbent has resigned ask them why and where they are going. This may give you an indication on whether you have been paying market value for the role
Ask your recruitment consultant. If you are using an industry expert recruitment consultant they will be able to guide you on current market conditions. Take a look at the Copeland Automotive Industry Salary Guide for automotive industry salaries and packages.
Ask your industry contacts – they may be able to advise you on current salaries and packages
Be a job seeker – get on Google and start searching for similar jobs and see what you can discover

Do not delay

A common reason for recruitment processes failing or employers loosing great candidates is when employers move too slowly with the recruitmetn process. Plan ahead and make sure you can progress with interviews swiftly once you start a process and are ready to make an offer to your chose candidate without delay. Candidates who are actively job hunting may simply accept the first good offer they receive.

Make the right offer

Numerous factors will affect the package that you offer to your chosen candidate. These include your budget and what you feel the candidate is worth. However, to increase the chances of acceptance also consider:

Does your budget match the candidate’s expectations?

If you have asked the right questions early on and confirmed what your candidate is prepared to accept you will have weeded out candidates whose expectations will never match your budget.

Be prepared to negotiate

Be prepared to move from your initial offer. Meeting your candidate in the middle can provide a win-win situation, allowing for both parties to feel contented. That being said, it is recommended to offer as strongly as you are able at the initial stage. This will make your candidate feel valued and less likely to consider a counter-offer.

Think about the entire package

If you are unable to increase your basic salary offer, there may be other things you can do to secure your candidate. What benefits can you include in your package? Can you offer flexi-time or flexi working locations? Refer to the answers your candidate gave you regarding what is important to them and then build in elements that will add value eg flexible working hours, working from home etc.

Be ready for a counter-offer

The best candidates are likely to receive a counter-offer from their current employer. It is therefore best to assume that it is likely to happen and pre-empt it. The key is to really listen hard to what your candidate is saying and take notes. If you are using a recruitment agency they will probably have negotiated many counter-offers and will be able to advise you.

Be empathetic

It is important to be empathetic with your candidate’s position at this stage. Consider how they may be feeling. If you headhunted them and they then receive a counter-offer from their current employer they may be feeling flattered and perhaps over confident. You will need to hold your nerve to achieve the desired outcome.

Remind them of their initial motives

Refer to the reasons the candidate originally gave you for wanting to move roles. Counter-offers flatter candidates and financial incentives tempt them to stay with their current employer. However, the underlying reasons for them job hunting will probably not have changed and are likely to become worrisome again in a few months time. .

Final thoughts

Your chances of securing your preferred candidate will be greatly increased if you follow this process. You will save considerable time by weeding out unsuitable candidates early on in your recruitment process. You can then focus on candidates who are genuinely interested in your vacancy and who you can afford.

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Making successful job offers