Tips for Closing Candidates Who Have Other Job Offers

Hiring can be a time-consuming, costly, and stressful process. Just when you think you’ve found the perfect hire, you may be faced with the harsh reality of closing candidates who have other job offers.

The hiring process involves getting to know as much as possible about a candidate in a short period of time. It’s important to know the candidate professionally, but also take the time to understand what the candidate is looking to get out of the role and where they want to take their career. By knowing this upfront, you can adjust your job offer to provide them with what they’re looking for.

Closing candidates who are considering other offers can be difficult. This article explores tips to help recruiters and hiring managers close offers in a competitive job market.

Closing Techniques

Often, closing the right candidate starts well before making an offer. Here are some tactics to help you close candidates who may be considering other job offers.

Shorten the hiring process

A prolonged hiring process can hurt your chances of closing candidates. The longer a candidate waits to hear from you, the more time the candidate has to explore other options. There are often many employees involved in the hiring process, so consider ways to make the process more efficient from the very beginning.

Listen to what they want

You’ve likely already gotten an understanding of the candidate’s decision-making process. Now, it’s important to remain curious. Keep checking in with the candidate and asking additional questions to find out how they’ll make a final decision or what would hold them back from accepting a job offer.

Make the offer as soon as you know

Once the hiring team has made the final decision, call the candidate right away to extend the formal offer. Give them a little time to consider the offer by providing a deadline for a response.

Consider the big picture

Any company can increase the salary offer, so make your employment pitch about other opportunities like career pathing or professional development. It’s important to tailor opportunities so they align with the candidate’s personal goals.

Know what you’re up against

You’ll likely know at this point what is important to the candidate, so use that insight to help close the candidate. If possible, get the details of the other offers including salary and the reasons why they like or dislike the offers. It’s important to not grill the candidate, so consider respectfully asking them.

No matter the situation, it’s important to treat candidates fairly, be responsive, and be direct about why you want them to work for your organization. People want to work at a company where they are wanted and will be valued.

Other Considerations

Invest your time and energy into candidates who are interested in joining your team. Those are the right candidates. If candidates don’t seem excited to join your team after initial screening conversations, they likely are not the right fit for the role or may quickly move on from your organization when a better offer comes their way. And unfortunately, that leads you back to square one.

Effective closing is about helping the candidate clearly see which path is right for them, and removing obstacles from the right path. You are making an offer because this opportunity is the best possible fit for both the candidate and the organization. Closing techniques help you help them see that.

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