Why a Candidate Might Turn Down Your Job Offer

thinkin_superbWorrying about the finer details of hiring can sometimes seem unimportant.  You are extremely busy and have a million things to think about every day. Besides, you are the one offering a job, so candidates should impress you, not the other way around, right?

Think again. The job market is becoming more and more focused on employee engagement. If your interview process isn’t stimulating, or your benefits aren’t attractive, you might not be doing enough, especially when compared to the competition.

Going into an interview without a robust hiring & retention strategy is like a professional sports team failing to train correctly and then showing up hoping to win. Many organizations tend to think they are doing a pretty good job at engaging potential (and current) employees. They don’t see a reason to change. When it comes to professional sports, coaches try everything they can to win, including changing their game plans, and subsequently, attract the most talented stars to join them.

Top Five Reasons Superstar Candidates Turn Down Job Offers

    5. Salary is not enough

What’s the cost of paying someone $10k more than planned against: a) not attracting the right candidate and being caught with no one in the job for 3 months, or, b) someone taking the job and leaving 6 months later for the same position elsewhere that pays more — after you have incurred the cost of training?

  1. Process takes too long

If a rock star candidate is interviewed, they should be treated like a VIP. They should be constantly reminded about the next steps, and moved quickly through the process so they can start as soon as possible. If people are kept hanging, or are given no information, they lose faith in the organization’s ability to communicate and act.

  1. Not inspired by management

Candidates often remark that the manager seems disinterested or uninspiring. Are you and your HR team setting a positive tone for the interview in advance? Do candidates leave excited about the prospect of joining the organization?

  1. Objectives described at interview are unclear

People want to know how they contribute, in life and at work. Are you explaining how new hires are there to make a difference, and how they can contribute to a greater good?

  1. No genuine growth opportunity presented

Successful people always want to grow and to better themselves. Would you want your career to go into neutral, to stand still? Most likely, no, and your candidate doesn’t want to either.

Think of interviewing as preparing for the Super Bowl. Make sure you are putting together a game plan that is good enough to win.

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