The Job Offer (dun, dun, dun, duuun)

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business woman biting her nails due to nerves The finish line is your sight. The calls, interviews, sourcing and scouting have resulted in this one great candidate and now it’s time to reel in the person. Making the job offer is a lot more than the offer of benefits and a salary. A real job offer should give the candidate a full outline of what he or she can expect from the company if the individual wishes to accept. This is the point where negotiations can begin.

The job offer is the first in a series of vollies between the candidate and the recruiter. Meeting in the middle and getting the candidate placed is the ultimate goal. Therefore, this initial job offer should be the ideal starting-off point of negotiations. If the recruiter gets it wrong, it can result in an immediate turn down by the candidate, and the whole shebang starts over.

Gather your Information Throughout the Hiring Process

Creating the right job offer means learning about the candidate’s needs and expectations. It should take into consideration where the person came from, as far as their professional career, and why he or she left. It should be clear throughout the interview process where the candidate wants to go professionally, and if this company can get him or her there.

By gathering this information, you can create a tailored job offer that includes what the candidate has made clear is important. From the candidate’s perspective, it’s hard to turn down a job that he or she has defined as ideal. When you know what is important to the candidate, you know what to seek from the employer.

Get on the Same Page

At this point the recruiter should have a detailed profile of the candidate and be clear about the individual’s expectations. This should then turn into a dialogue between the recruiter and the employer. In this dance of negotiations it is vital to be on the same page as the employer.

Before the recruiter creates the job offer, he/she should know what the employer is flexible on and what it’s rock solid on. Pay, start dates, bonuses, benefits, vacation days and paid leave should all be crystal clear when the job offer is made. If the employer won’t bend here, see if it’ll add on something there. This is your ace up the sleeve when things get hairy in negotiations.

The Devil is in the Details

Although this is a detailed process, the job offer should be made in a timely manner. This person is looking for a job after all, and if you thought he or she was great, someone else probably does too. Keeping a candidate waiting can give a negative perception of the company and ultimately cause a great candidate to walk away.

Although recruiters are always compelled to showcase the selling points of a position, the job offer should include every relevant detail, giving the candidate an accurate and complete picture of the position. Fibbing or stretching the truth about placement can result in quick turnover, and that helps no one.

Discuss where this job can take the candidate in the future. If there is room for advancement, use that as a selling point. Where does the candidate wish to be in five or 10 years? Retention talk leads to retention walk.

Creating a thoughtful job offer can be a detailed process, but it’s a whole lot easier than starting from scratch. Refined and tailored processes aimed at a positive candidate experience can ultimately save time and resources. Additionally, a candidate knows a well-thought out job offer when he or she sees one. Tailoring the hiring experience is never a wasted effort.

By Maren Hogan