Once upon a time, hiring managers conducted most of their
interviews confident in the belief that an offer of employment, if extended,
would likely be accepted. Today, however, this once-bedrock assumption is no
longer universally true. According to a recent study conducted by a leading
recruitment firm, as many as 35 to 50 percent of all job offers are now
routinely rejected.
What happened? Well, the race for talented employees has
heated up considerably over the past several decades. The hospitality
industry’s growth has exceeded all expectations, so that the demand for
qualified workers often outpaces the supply of willing applicants. Perhaps most
importantly, today’s employees place much more focus on finding meaningful and
fulfilling work.
Make the Right Offer at the Right Time
It’s still possible to attract and recruit the right
candidates – it just takes a bit more forethought and planning than it might
have in the past. According to career coach and recruitment consultant John
O’Connor, the challenge lies in figuring out what’s most important to your new
hire – and then devising a comprehensive offer that meets those needs.
The old “one-size-fits-all” approach to job offers just
doesn’t work in today’s hyper-competitive labor market. To win the talent wars,
you’ve got to take a long, hard look at your organization from the outside in
and figure out exactly what you’ve got to offer to today’s up-and-comers. Here
are some guidelines to help you get started.
Don’t
make an offer too soon.
Overly-eager hiring managers who offer a
position too early in the process can scare off candidates who want to take
their time and fully consider all of their options. Even if you’ve got a strong
gut feeling that you’re looking at “the one,” take your time and really
showcase all of your organization’s features and benefits before you extend a
formal offer.
Money’s
not everything.
There’s long been a mindset among many hiring
managers that upping compensation is the best way to ensure that a job offer
will be accepted. Salary is a significant part of the equation, to be sure, but
increasingly – especially among younger workers – it’s only one part of a
bigger picture. Try to avoid focusing so much on salary issues that you
overlook other factors.
Position
the job as part of their path to career success
During the
interview process, you had the opportunity to learn a lot about what the
candidate is looking for in a long-term career. Now’s your chance to emphasize
the way that this role will fit in perfectly with their plans. Don’t forget to
mention the potential for future growth and career development opportunities,
as well.
Play
up organizational “extras” that hold appeal for the candidate.
There are some benefits that can’t be quantified in terms of salary or status,
but still hold enormous appeal for some candidates. Is your organizational
culture tightly-knit and informal? Does the company’s charity work or corporate
citizenship initiatives dovetail with their interests? Look for points of
overlap and confluence that will resonate with your candidate and emphasize
them when you’re extending a formal offer.
It may not be as easy to find qualified, willing applicants
as it used to be -- but with just a little thought and preparation, it’s simple
to devise a smart, targeted job offer that even the most selective candidate
will find it hard to turn down.