5 Ways to Minimise Job Offer Rejections in a Competitive Market

It is painful when a job seeker rejects your offer of employment and then goes and works for one of your competitors :(

Here are five things you can do about it:

1. Remember you have competition.

Some job seekers are in the running for two, if not three, roles. They are comparing you against the other leaders they are interviewing with. Candidates have become consumers; it's no longer a one-sided interview.

2. Have more meaningful conversations with your candidate during the interview.

Instead of asking generic interview questions, get to the heart of what matters to them. One of my favourite interview questions to help me do this is:

"What matters to you most in your next role, and why does it matter?"

3. Make quality hires at speed.

Slow and drawn-out recruitment processes are one of the reasons your competitors are hiring top talent right out from underneath you.

Some of your competitors have reengineered their hiring processes from two weeks down to three business days. Good process design with a focus on quality and speed means they are able to outcompete almost anyone to secure top talent.

So, take a look at your hiring process, and consider how you can optimize it. Quality hires can be made at speed without compromising quality assurance and due diligence.

4. Ask questions like:

"What does great leadership look like to you?" or "What's the next challenge you'd like to take on?" and "What are deal-breaker leadership behaviours, in your view?". Also include "What gives you a deep sense of satisfaction at work and why?" and "When did you fail and what did you learn from it?"

Questions like these provoke better conversation and provide you with better data as to the candidate's suitability for your organization. Your candidate will also appreciate you asking them.

5. People can tell when you have not read their resume.

Stop showing up frazzled and late to the interview not having read their resume prior. You look bad. No one wants to work for a leader who looks like they are barely treading water.

Your candidate can tell when you have not read their resume. They are just too polite to tell you. So, take the time to review their resume before the interview and develop questions about their unique experiences. They will appreciate it. And you will get better hiring outcomes.

You can have the best strategic plan in the world, but without the best people on your team, your results will be vanilla at best. It's time to make sure your talent acquisition skills are sharp.

At Kingston Human Capital, we attract the best talent to your organisation. Working with our team of recruitment specialists, you will experience our unwavering commitment to supplying game-changing talent, every time. Discover what makes Kingston different to other recruitment agencies.

Good luck with your hiring.