In today's market, candidates are more willing than ever to look for a new job and take a new offer. And great opportunities are plentiful. To land their top-choice candidates, employers need to sell the role and the company more effectively than ever.
Here's how to convince your top candidate to say YES to your offer.
Struggling to attract or land qualified candidates? Temporary or permanent, Essential Personnel can help you find the high-performing workers you need.
Know the Role
The hiring process is an exchange of information. The candidate is the expert on their skills, experience, and vision for their work. You are the expert on your company and the role you hope the candidate will fill.
Leverage this expertise by knowing the role and its context inside-out before you begin the hiring process. Distill this knowledge into key points your candidate will need to understand, including:
- What are the mission and vision of the organization?
- How does the rule contribute to the mission and vision?
- What is the organizational culture like? Where are its opportunities, and where are its pain points? How do you envision this role interacting with both opportunities and challenges?
- What are the primary things for which this role is accountable?
- What does "a day in the life" of this role look like?
- How is success measured for those in this role?
The better a hiring manager understands the role, the easier it is to form a clear image of the type of candidate who would thrive in that position. It also becomes easier to communicate with candidates and sell them on the position.
Know Your Audience
The most persuasive salespeople, public speakers, and recruiters all have one thing in common: They can stand in their audience's shoes. They can see the situation and topic from the audience's perspective and tailor their approach accordingly.
In hiring, your audience members are your candidates. This audience includes both your applicant pool and the passive candidates already working for another employer but who would happily consider a new role if it is the right fit.
Each of these audiences requires a slightly different approach, but both benefit when the hiring manager has a clear understanding of the organization and the role. When you put yourself in the candidate's shoes, you can respond to common questions and concerns from the deep knowledge you have cultivated about the role and its context.
Get to know your audience by exploring relevant questions, like:
- What does the candidate love about their current job? What was the best role they ever had, and what made it great?
- How do they describe their favorite manager or supervisor?
- What interests them about this role?
- What are their professional goals? How do they define success?
- If they could change anything about their current job, what would it be?
Asking these questions helps to build rapport with candidates. It keeps the conversation moving while you proceed with the hiring process. And it provides the information you need to understand your audience and keep them engaged until an offer is ready.
Sell One on One
As you learn about the candidate, tailor your discussion of the role to fit their priorities and vision. Match elements of the role to the candidate's stated vision, goals, and preferences. Carry this tailored, one-on-one approach through the offer: Instead of opening with boilerplate, use the first paragraph of the offer letter to talk about why you believe this candidate is the best fit for this role.
Be prepared to answer additional questions at the offer stage. Candidates may hesitate or want more information before they say yes. If you're ready with that information, it's easier for candidates to feel confident in the organization, which boosts their confidence in saying yes to an offer.
Losing too many great candidates at the offer stage? Essential Personnel can assist with offer negotiations for candidates we refer -- and help you close the deal.
When Sales Fall Through
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, a candidate will say no. It's worthwhile to ask if they will share their reasons for saying no, and to see whether the candidate will change their mind if you can address their concerns.
Beyond this point, it's rarely beneficial to continue pressing the issue. Instead, consider talking to an experienced recruiter who can help you find additional qualified candidates and explore their willingness to take on the opportunities this role represents.
You Gotta Respond Fast, Too
Prompt replies that keep the conversation moving are a must. Here's why:
- Conversation builds rapport. When candidates feel like they're in a regular conversation, they're more likely to feel comfortable taking on the job role.
- Process stalls create additional threats. Every day that passes is one more day a competitor has to swoop in and poach your candidate.
- Conversation gathers info. The more you know about the candidate, the easier it will be to demonstrate that the role offers what they want and need.
- Silence communicates lack of interest. The easiest way to tell a candidate you don't care is to say nothing. Candidates will turn at once to employers who do talk to them - demonstrating the interest that your silence lacks.
Responses don't always have to be long. A short, clear answer to a question or invitation to review materials goes a long way toward building rapport and keeping a candidate interested.
