Technical candidates are in high demand and often have multiple job offers to choose from. How can you handle this situation as a recruiter and increase your chances of hiring the best talent for your company? Here are some tips to help you navigate this challenge.
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The first step is to understand what motivates each candidate and what they are looking for in a job. Do they value salary, benefits, culture, growth, impact, or something else? How do they compare the offers they have and what are their priorities? By asking open-ended questions and listening to their needs and preferences, you can tailor your pitch and highlight the advantages of working for your company.
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It's never about the money, until it's all about the money... but what else? Do they covet remote, solid team culture, project, etc.? You have to ask these questions & candidates more often than not don't just volunteer the information.
Listening to them during the 'get to know you' phase of the initial conversation is key. Sure, we want to tell them how cool the project is, what they'll be doing, etc., but if they don't care about that as a top-motivator, you have to dig for it.
Always be transparent about compensation - for Software Engineers, that's where I start the call, as that's usually the first Q&A they have (too many Recruiters have wasted people's time in the past).
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Recently, I had the pleasure of working with an exceptional tech candidate facing a myriad of job offers. Through candid conversations and a deep dive into their aspirations, we crafted a personalized offer that perfectly aligns with their career goals and values. Excited to welcome them to our team and looking forward to the incredible journey ahead!
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When handling tech candidates with multiple offers, it's key to focus on what's most important to them personally and professionally to avoid last-minute withdrawals. This might be salary, proximity to their children's school, career growth opportunities, or the chance to work on impactful projects or products etc. Having an open and honest conversations to uncover these factors is extremely important. And emphasize how the role aligns with their priorities. By showing genuine care and going above and beyond throughout the hiring process, we can make it clear that we're not just trying to fill a requisition, but truly value them as individuals. This personal approach often makes a big difference in their final decision.
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You should understand their motivations from your first call. If your offer doesn't address their motivations you don't have a fit, and you should be prepared to have that conversation with the candidate. It's much better to have this conversation earlier in the process rather than find out when you are presenting an offer.
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Tech talent holding multiple offer is new normal, recruiter need to improve the game of report building with candidate from day one.
This wins the trust and gives a safe space to candidate to share openly and clearly about offer and motive to the recruiter.
The second step is to communicate frequently and transparently with the candidates throughout the hiring process. Keep them updated on the status of their application, the next steps, and the timeline. Be honest about the challenges and opportunities of the role and the company. Don't make promises you can't keep or pressure them to accept an offer. Instead, show them that you respect their decision and that you are there to support them.
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Role Clarity:
Clearly define role expectations and interview agendas.
Specify ideal interview timeframes.
Company Overview:
Highlight recent achievements and future vision.
Avoid commitments without certainty.
Informed Decision-Making:
Provide comprehensive information for candidate clarity.
SPOC Guidance:
Share your input but don't pressurizing for decisions they made.
Emphasize mutual decision-making.
This concise approach ensures transparency and respects candidate autonomy throughout the hiring process
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The process doesn't start when they apply it starts from when you communicate with a candidate. If you set the process on the application or on the advert then people know what to expect from it.
I always compare it to disney experiences because even before you go, your sent videos, countdowns and guides even before you land in the parks. Creating this sort of experience wins all, so start applying that to people and their journey,
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In my experience, transparent communication is key to successfully closing a technical candidate with multiple offers.
First, understand the candidates background and skillset. You want to ensure this new role is a proper fit. In doing so, you'll began to earn the trust of your candidate.
Next, be transparent about the next steps and compensation. Compensation should not be the driving factor for a career change, but it is definitely important. You want to make sure you can meet their expectations early on in the process.
Failing to communicate clearly and transparently could cost you a valuable candidate.
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Candidate management is everything. This is not only the way to keep on top of every moving part, it is also the perfect chance to build a strong, trusting relationship with that person.
Be prepared that things change (human-beings are unpredicatable!) so effectively communicating frequently and transparently with that person allows you (and them) to constantly re-validate their motivations, understand what other things they have on and assess the lay of the land to see if anything has changed.
Be a consultant; advise, be honest, give feedback, be kind, be empathetic, be informative, be consistent. You will build mutual trust and respect as a result!
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To establish transparent and frequent communication, it's important to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. This can involve setting clear expectations for communication, actively listening to feedback, and responding with empathy and respect. By prioritizing transparent communication, you can build trust and foster collaboration among team members, leading to more effective problem-solving and decision-making. Additionally, by regularly sharing updates and progress reports, you can help ensure that everyone is aligned and working towards shared goals.
The third step is to showcase your employer brand and culture to the candidates. Show them what makes your company unique and attractive. Share stories, testimonials, and feedback from current employees. Invite them to meet the team, visit the office, or attend a virtual event. Give them a glimpse of what it's like to work for your company and how they can fit in and contribute.
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This is a very important step in highlighting your company and making it stand out from others and other potential offers that candidates may have. A lot of the time, I will hear candidates saying that they value relationships with other co-workers and company benefits more than a slight difference in salary. Making sure candidates have all the information (not just monetary) when there are multiple offers involved is very important!
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Clearly define what makes your company a great place to work. Highlight unique benefits, culture, and opportunities for growth.
Leverage social media platforms to showcase company culture, employee testimonials, and achievements. Feature employee testimonials and success stories to provide genuine insights into the employee experience.
Clearly communicate the comprehensive benefits and perks your company offers.
Develop engaging and informative content for job descriptions, company blogs, and recruitment materials.
Allow potential candidates to interact with current employees and leadership.
Highlight opportunities for career growth and development.
Showcase examples of employees who have advanced within the company.
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To attract top candidates, showcasing what makes your company unique and a great workplace is essential. By sharing information about your employer's brand and culture, you can inspire candidates who share your company's vision and values. This approach creates a positive and engaging environment that attracts top talent excited about possibly joining your team. Ultimately, by highlighting what sets your company apart, you can build a culture of excellence and collaboration that benefits everyone involved.
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1. Use Social Media: Share behind-the-scenes glimpses, employee testimonials, and company events on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter to give potential candidates a sense of your workplace atmosphere.
2. Create a Compelling Careers Page: Develop a dedicated careers page on your website with engaging content, including employee stories, company values, and information about your work environment.
3. Visual Content: Use photos and videos to illustrate your workplace. Showcasing your office space, team collaborations, and company events helps convey your culture visually.
4. Promote DEI
5. Engage on Employer Review Sites: Respond to reviews on sites like Glassdoor professionally and address concerns constructively.
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A company having a specific brand is one thing, but honestly a company having a culture is actually bad because it shows a lack of being data driven. I would rather the company have the desire to be data driven and be open to new ideas and continual improvement or self education versus having a culture that they want to dogmatically stick to in Defiance of the facts or data being collected from the market, their customer, or their employees.
You can best show what the company is like by leading from the front, and show that you are data driven and lack the dogmatic problems that often lead to retention issues.
The fourth step is to offer a competitive and flexible package to the candidates. Do your research and benchmark the market rates and expectations for the role and the skills. Don't lowball or overpay them, but offer a fair and reasonable compensation that matches their value and experience. Also, be flexible and willing to negotiate on other aspects of the package, such as bonuses, equity, relocation, remote work, or vacation. Show them that you care about their satisfaction and well-being.
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When discussing about the package, understand the break up of the offer the competitors are offering. Ask questions as to why the candidate has not accepted the offer & still searching options OR why the candidate is inclined to accept the other offers. Always reinforce the point multiple times what the candidate would miss out by rejecting your offer rather than explaining why the candidate should opt for it over other offers.
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Prioritize competitive analysis before hiring to determine a competitive CTC. Offer a balanced package including salary, variable pay, bonuses, and equity. Align salaries with industry standards, ensuring fair compensation for skills. Avoid overpaying to maintain team cohesion and prevent potential cultural issues
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If you're not trying to be competitive, or you're claiming that it's competitive when you know it's not, then you're failing.
Use the publicly available websites that exist and track market data and don't trust 3rd party staffing vendors that will feed you the wrong data just to try to get you to be less competitive with their own offerings.
Don't ask the candidate what they "want to make" or "what their salary expectations are", because the new pay transparency laws require that you publicly have that information in a good faith pay range in the job description, and violating that will make your company seem far less competitive.
The fifth step is to create a sense of urgency and excitement for the candidates. Make them feel wanted and valued by your company. Express your enthusiasm and confidence in their fit and potential. Remind them of the benefits and opportunities of joining your company. Set a clear and reasonable deadline for them to accept or decline the offer. Follow up with them and address any questions or concerns they may have.
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Exploding offers with an unreasonable deadline set by companies doesn't work. In fact, it can backfire.
Unless you have a compelling reason for needing a candidate to sign in 2 days (e.g., another finalist you would make an offer to if they decline), the best candidates you want to hire will see right through exploding offers, and you'll lose trust.
The best way to create a sense of urgency and excitement is to run a tight recruiting process with a fast turnaround time.
Beyond that, it's fair and reasonable to align on a timeline for a candidate to make a decision about your offer. In fact, this is a best practice.
But rather than unilaterally setting that deadline as a company, collaborate with your candidate on that timeline.
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Prioritize candidate awareness: Communicate the significance of the product/business, emphasizing their crucial role within the company. Highlight the impact candidates can make and stress their importance in achieving future goals. Showcase learning opportunities and professional growth within the organization. Facilitate Meet & Greet calls with senior team members to unveil ongoing challenges, fostering a transparent view of the work culture and the impactful problems they will contribute to solving.
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All things constant (assuming comparable compensation & benefits, organisation brand name, product pipeline, proximity), what I have found effective in a previous case was to involve the hiring manager in the final close. Ceteris paribus, the final chat/coffee session with the hiring manager can tilt the odds in your favour :)
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The company should be working diligently to get a yes-or-no answer to the candidate within 10 business days of their initial application.
Any arbitrary injection of urgency or addition of fake deadlines is a severe negative and will actively scare candidates away.
Most well established tech companies have offers that are good for a full year, in order to make the candidate feel safe and valued.
If you must set a deadline, make sure it's clearly communicated and not something that is limited to a weekend; never expire it within 48 hours of a communication.
If your company is truly the best choice for them, then your company will grant the candidate the flexibility to look at their other options and then come back to you.
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Handling technical candidates with multiple job offers involves creating a sense of urgency and excitement. Ensure they feel highly valued and desired by your company. Express your enthusiasm about their fit and potential within your team. Highlight the unique benefits and growth opportunities your company offers. Set a clear, reasonable deadline for accepting or declining the offer. Proactively follow up, addressing any queries or concerns they might have. This approach not only underscores the attractiveness of your offer but also demonstrates your commitment to their career growth and success.
6Respect their choice and maintain the relationship
The final step is to respect their choice and maintain the relationship with the candidates. If they accept your offer, congratulate them and send them a welcome package. If they decline your offer, thank them for their time and interest and ask for feedback. Don't burn bridges or take it personally. Keep in touch with them and nurture the relationship for future opportunities.
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In my perspective recruitment is not always about 'scoring' or filling the crucial position. The candidates need to decide on what he or she believes is the best for themselves. It is important that you make them see you as a partner who can advise them regardless if they are choosing the position you want to fill. If you do this they will come back to you in the future and refer friends, family, or colleagues they used to work with, which is way more valuable than filling the position straight away.
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In my experience, filling an vacancy shouldn't be a rushed decision. It's important to find the right candidate for the role.
Communicating with candidates on an equal eye level during the recruitment process is essential. While some persuasion is acceptable, if a candidate's gut feeling is not right, hiring this candidate might not be the best choice for both sides.
Therefore, not only should the candidate's decision be respected, but it should also be welcomed. Gathering feedback from the candidate about their decision can provide valuable insights into their motivations. This can help uncover potential optimization within the recruiting process. However, sometimes it simply doesn't fit, which is also okay.
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Recruitment is all about long-lasting relationships. Never, ever, be angry at a candidate that goes for another option. Advise candidates to do what they think is best for them, if it is clear the other offer is better - advise them to take it. This will pay dividends in the long run. Added bonus = no issues with looking yourself in the mirror ;)
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Relationship first, relationship first, relationship first.
This a key person in your universe, congratulate them, be kind, wish them well. Use this as a chance to further strengthen your bond with them and they will remember that.
Too many people in our industry are far too emotional and short-sighted, it's horrid.
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Lidar com candidatos técnicos diante de várias ofertas demanda estratégias eficazes. Entender motivações, comunicar-se transparentemente, destacar a marca empregadora, oferecer pacotes competitivos, criar urgência e respeitar escolhas são passos cruciais. O foco é manter relacionamentos, parabenizar aceitações e continuar a conexão mesmo após recusas, abrindo portas para futuras oportunidades.
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Based on 8 years of practical experience communicating with candidates from all over the world, I highlight the following common aspects that are crucial to candidates while choosing between positions:
Clear definition of responsibilities and tasks for the first 3, 6, and 12 months;
Friendly and open communication among the team;
Manager's leadership style;
Clarity of bonus and salary review systems;
Opportunity for self-development: advanced training programs and certification;
The process of onboarding and mutual assistance;
Such details help candidates make choices according to their motivation and preferences.
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Create a scoring system ranked 1-5 and include some of the items as: compensation, growth opportunity, risk, brand etc.
Process of elimination, this exercise will at least filter to a Top 2 choices.
I’d then do due diligence and reach out to individuals on LinkedIn for their honest opinion on their time spent working at company X so far to pick the winner.
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As a recruiter, of course filing a position is important however what is more important is that you fill the position with the “right candidate “. This is not just defined by technical skills they possess but also understanding other motivators.
When a candidate’s growth vision is aligned with what the organisation & position offers, certainly they’ll choose the best!
Hence it’s vital for the TA professionals to spend time during interviews so as to understand these key elements.
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When a person is in-demand and has multiple offers, money usually becomes a serious driver but your job as a consultant to remind them of their motivations to help them make the right decision.
I have seen it time and time again where people have taken jobs for money and ignored their key motivators and then they're deeply unhappy and leave within a year!