Getting down to the wire and losing a top candidate happens more times than it should. As recruiters and hiring managers, we’ve all had that happen from time to time. And we understand how challenging it can be to go through the recruiting process only to be left empty handed in the end. To help avoid last minute let downs, take note of these three tactics that can easily turn off a top candidate:
1. Offering below the salary expectation: I know not all hiring managers use the low balling method, but still there are some that do. If you want to lose a quality candidate fast, give them less than expected, or less than was originally mentioned. It happens every day when hiring managers pay more attention to staying under budget, than what the applicant should be paid. Decide upon a salary range up front, pay fairly and stick to the expectation.
2. Poor Communication: If a recruiter or hiring manager doesn’t effectively communicate to a candidate during and after the interview, it can cause problems. For example, top talent, in most cases, have exceptional work experience, exemplary follow up themselves and are not on the market long. Poor communication can lose a candidate to another offer in an instant if not properly handled.
3. Job Interview Process: Okay, so you want to test a candidate beforehand, the bottom line is you want to see what they can bring to the table. Am I right? Right. It’s okay to test a candidate to see if they know how to perform a job function, but bogging them down with multiple tasks (ask them to provide work product, job shadow, working interview, Skype interviews with many Managers, temperament testing, etc…) all take time and you won’t only lose applicants with the time constraint, but many will become disenchanted with the length of your process. It may even have a candidate questioning, “Is this how long every decision takes?” When you find a top candidate, they know the value of their work and many will lose interest if handled this way.
Without a doubt there are many factors as to why a candidate might decline an offer. Remember, you’ve put too much effort into finding the right person to lose them in the end. Do you have any other foolproof ways you’ve come across that can be a deal breaker in the end?
What are your thoughts?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, Ingrid Moore
Ingrid Moore is the President and Owner of Corporate Resources of Illinois, an employment & staffing agency located in Schaumburg, IL who assists employers with finding the right hire. For more info, follow us on our LinkedIn Company Page, or follow us Corporate Resources of Illinois‘s Google+ page.
