According to CareerBuilder’s latest quarterly survey of 400 staffing industry professionals, the most common reasons for a declined job offer are:
- Candidate received another offer (39 percent).
- Compensation and benefits are not in line with the candidate’s expectations (29 percent).
- Candidate received a counteroffer from his or her current company (10 percent).
When an offer is declined, what should HR do? “It’s difficult to be on the rejection side of a job offer, but the reality is that job offers are like any other business transaction,” said Erin Engstrom, content marketing strategist for recruitment software company Recruiterbox, based in San Francisco.
Elaine Orler, CEO and founder of talent acquisition consultancy Talent Function, based in San Diego, describes the offer process as “the point of extending the ring in an engagement. It’s sensitive, personal and much like putting your heart on the line—nail-biting.”
But it doesn’t have to be, she added. “There are many cues that happen throughout the recruiting process that can prompt and educate the employer on the potential for rejection at this stage, and ensure that you’re extending the ring the candidate wants, or one that they will accept,” Orler said.
Another employer may have offered the candidate a shorter commute, higher pay or better benefits. “Regardless, when a candidate turns you down, it’s not a reflection on the caliber of your company,” Engstrom said. “And the good news is that since candidates decline offers only about 10 percent of the time, chances are you won’t run into this situation too often. But you should always examine where your hiring process could be stronger.”
Rejected for a Competitor
Organizations that find themselves losing candidates to a competitor’s offer should do everything they can to determine why this is happening, said Aly Funk, human resources manager at Bratney Companies, based in Des Moines, Iowa. “HR should consider compensation and benefits offerings as well as the interview process itself. Were there too many steps or too many people in the process?” she asked.
Countless studies have shown that candidates are vetting employers as much as companies are interviewing candidates. “Candidates want to understand the hiring process and know their status in the process,” said Sharlyn Lauby, president of ITM Group Inc., a South Florida-based training and human resources consulting firm and author of the popular HR Bartender blog. “If a candidate doesn’t know their status, I believe on some level the candidate will assume the worst and look for other opportunities. It’s all about keeping candidates engaged.” Click here to read full article.
Image from – hyrell.com