There is nothing more gut wrenching than to obtain a job offer, which is your reward for a job well done, only to encounter problems. Even when you have established rapport and loyalty the following candidate realities exist.
Candidates will often:
- go on multiple interviews.
- consult family and friends for advice.
- increase salary demands.
- misrepresent the truth.
- not welcome your opinions.
- not listen to your advice.
- receive more than one offer.
- be enticed by their current employer not to accept another offer.
- shop your offer.
- utilize other recruiters.
- reach out to their network for job leads.
It is for these reasons that you often contend with no-shows, ghosting, no-starts, offer turndowns, counteroffers or fall offs. Rather than discuss the reasons for these problems, the following are solutions that will help you improve rapport and loyalty while you dramatically reduce these occurrences.
NO SHOWS | GHOSTING SOLUTIONS
During your recruiting calls listen more; talk less. Know and focus on the priorities and hot buttons of each candidate and they will show up. They ghost when they don’t understand how you can benefit them. Call the night before to prep your candidate, confirm the interview, and answer any questions. If red flags surface, address them or cancel the interview – which is better than a no show.
NO STARTS AND OFFER TURNDOWNS
Conduct a general interview not focused on one specific opportunity with your company. Only then will you uncover the hot buttons of this candidate and what will motivate them to make a career move. Re-interview your candidate throughout the process. The answers you received in your initial interview were the best answers this candidate would give to a stranger; someone they don’t know or trust. As your rapport with this candidate improves, they will give you more honest, candid answers which again helps you know where you must focus if you want to attract this person to your company.
COUNTEROFFERS
When you are interviewing a candidate and want to uncover their real reason for talking to you, ask them the following, “If you were your boss, give me five changes you would make.” This question uncovers the real reason they are contemplating a career move. If the only changes they list are money and advancement, they will accept a counteroffer. If the candidate insists that they will not accept a counteroffer, ask them to give you the reason why – in their own words. Write down verbatim what they say. When a counteroffer or extension is offered, read them their own words. This brings them back to the other reasons they were contemplating a change, which cannot be solved by a promotion, raise or extension of their contract or assignment.
FALL OFFS
Develop a working relationship based on trust with your new hire. A strong rapport leading to trust will encourage them to confide any issues they may be experiencing at their assignment, contract, or job. Candidates need to feel you have their best interest at heart and will negotiate on their behalf when issues arise. Often problems arise from unrealistic expectations on the part of your candidate and clients. It is important that you are clear on specific expectations, so you can share them with both parties.
When you implement these solutions, you will drastically reduce these gut-wrenching problem areas.