The recruitment process can be challenging. Finally finding the ideal candidate with all the experience, qualifications and enthusiasm you need can be a welcome relief for employers. Weeks or potentially months’ worth of interviews can now finally come to an end and you can look forward to welcoming a new member of the team. But this doesn’t always work out the way you’d like it. What happens if your ideal candidate doesn’t accept your offer?
This can be incredibly frustrating, especially if you are trying to meet a tight recruitment deadline. The key here is to identify why your candidate isn’t accepting the offer and then take the steps to resolve the issue so you can secure the employee – and avoid repeating this in the future.
ARM are recruitment specialists, and we represent both our clients and our candidates. This helps us understand the recruitment process at each stage and identify how businesses can work more efficiently to engage the employees they need.
We have over 25 years’ success in recruiting across some of the most demanding and competitive sectors in the world. Get in touch with our team to find out more about how we can help you.
Top reasons why candidates are rejecting your job offer
There are a multitude of reasons why candidates might reject your job offer, let’s explore some of the more common ones and how we can mitigate them.
1. A long interview process
We appreciate it takes time to find a suitable candidate and sometimes multiple rounds of job interviews are needed. However, keep in mind this can be off-putting for some candidates, particularly if they need to take time away from their current role to complete the interviews or spend their evenings preparing lengthy presentations. Candidates only have so much annual leave they can take so try to be flexible where possible and make allowances to ensure these are easy to access. Start with phone and video interviews and only invite those who are being seriously considered to meet you in person.
2. Poor communication
The job interview process will often be a candidate’s first impression of how your business runs. If you are consistently slow or have poor communication, this can be a red flag for many candidates. Even if you are pushed for time, a short email or phone call can make all the difference. This is where our team at ARM come in, we follow up with candidates on your behalf and ensure they are staying engaged throughout the process.
3. Your offer is too low
As much as benefits and company culture are a huge part of a role, ultimately it often boils down to the pay being too low. To avoid this, be transparent with the pay scale and always include it when advertising the role. This helps avoid disappointment and negotiations further down the line. If you really see a future for the candidate at your organisation, providing them with the right offer or a plan that details exactly how and when they will receive a pay increase will positively support the decision making process.
4. They received a counteroffer
It’s not uncommon for candidates to have interviews at different companies, and this is often a good sign that other businesses are recognising their talent. If your candidate isn’t accepting your job offer, it may they’ve been offered a more attractive salary and better benefits package elsewhere. If they are happy to be transparent with you, this is an opportunity to discuss the details with them and potentially negotiate to secure their engagement to your business.
5. You didn’t sell your value proposition
As much as a job interview helps you find out about the candidate, it also helps them learn more about your business. This includes everything from company culture to career progression opportunities. If you haven’t sold your value proposition during the interview but your competitor has, when weighing up job offers, the candidate may look at them more favourably.
Use the interview to not only find out about candidates but also sell your company and team. Having up to date social media channels that showcase things like employee achievements, business updates and team days can also help to strengthen your business’s online identity and attract fresh, talented individuals.
6. Your benefits package is not attractive enough
Benefits are now a huge part of the employee experience and is a key part of attracting those high value candidates.
Having a good benefits package is important, and if you don’t know where to start, talk to your employees. What is it that matters to them? Maybe flexible and remote working is key for some, whereas others will value private healthcare and reward schemes. Work with your team to create a great benefits package and the job role will advertise itself.
What to do when your ideal candidate rejects your job offer
To minimise risk, in the interview process, try to determine the reasons why the candidate is looking for a new opportunity and use this to attract them to your business. For example, if they feel stagnant at their current role, highlight all the ways they can progress in your company and provide real examples to add weight to your proposition.
It can be really frustrating when your ideal candidate rejects your job offer, but there are ways to manage the situation and leverage it in your favour.
Seek constructive feedback and use this to shape your hiring process. If a lack of communication was a barrier for success, this is something that must be worked on. This is also a potential opportunity to enhance your offer, perhaps an increase in salary or flexible working will help them say yes and join your company. If you feel a candidate is the perfect fit for your business, show them all the reasons they should consider accepting the offer.
If you aren’t able to sway your candidate, always use it as a learning opportunity. Above all, remain professional and friendly as there is always an opportunity to continue the relationship and maybe even hire them in the future
Regularly review your hiring process and make adjustments as you go, a good experience will make it more likely you can recruit the top talent in your area.
Why trust our ARM?
At ARM we work hard to ensure we get to know you, so we can find perfect matches that help your business grow and employees excel.
Get in touch
Finding recruitment a challenge? Get in touch with our ARM specialists today to find out more about how we can help you attract and retain the most talented individuals in your field.
