Making A Job Offer
Once you've made the decision to take someone on you can begin
the offer process. It is best to try and conclude this stage as
quickly as possible, whilst both parties are at their most
interested. This allows you to begin the important process of
bringing your new employee into the business and putting them to
work.
Sometimes you might interview a candidate you're so impressed by
that you will want to make them an offer there and then, be careful
when doing so, make sure that they are prepared to accept before
making the offer. If you choose to offer after the interview,
liaise with us as we will have built relationships with both
yourself and the candidate and are thus best placed to help reach a
mutually agreeable offer. Always remember that an offer should be
both written and verbal.
In our experience job offers are usually declined for a limited
number of reasons:
- Pushing for a decision during interview
- The job not being as described in the job specification
- A lower salary/ package is offered than the interviewee would
like
Pushing for a decision during interview
Pushing for a decision during the interview can sometimes be a
good decision, particularly if a candidate is very enthusiastic
about the position, however, this can make people nervous and they
may jump back rather than jump forward.
We would also recommend not going into too much detail about the
candidate's salary expectations during the interview. Get a rough
idea but don't probe for all the specifics, this can be
unsettling.
Try to confirm with the candidate that they are still interested
in the job and that they would accept the job if the right package
can be found. Don't push them on it, but try to create forward
momentum that will make them positive about accepting a formal
offer later on.
Remember that if you are working with a recruitment agency, they
will have already built up a relationship with the candidate and
are thus best placed to negotiate a final package to satisfy all
parties.
The job not being as described in the job specification
Be sure that you are clear of the role and responsibilities of
the position you are hiring for, there should be as little
deviation from the original job specification as possible. If the
specification changes too much then candidates will become
concerned that they are not being offered the job they applied for
which can lead to unease and possible rejection of the offer.
If changes have been made, be sure to discuss these with the
candidate at interview. Be clear why the changes have been made and
reinforce what has remained the same. Having a clear idea of your
expectations will make a candidate far more comfortable in their
understanding of the situation.
Lower salary/package offered
Whatever you choose as your initial offer, do not offer less
than has been put forward in the job specification. The candidate
will likely feel insulted and this may end the process before it
even begins.
Sometimes it's best to offer the candidate exactly what they
have asked for, especially if they are attending other interviews
or have other offers available. Remember how much it will cost you
if you're forced to start the process over for the sake of £1000
salary or a fuel card.
If you're dealing with an agency then they should only be
putting forward candidates who they believe have realistic salary
expectations. If a candidate is asking for an unreasonable package
we will seek to work with them to identify their core requirements
to tailor a package that is acceptable to all.
If you would like to speak to us about any of the points raised
in our Employer Advice please call us.