How to make a job offer that talented candidates cannot refuse?

Once you’ve selected the most suitable candidate for a job, there’s one crucial step left for employers to take as part of the hiring process: the job offer. How to make offer the candidate cannot refuse?

You will obviously be delighted by the prospect of picking the best from a shortlist of strong candidates, but everything now rests on how you deliver the terms of employment which you’d like your new employee to start on.

A job offer is an employer’s final incentive when it comes to attracting talent to the organisation, and, as such, a great deal rests on getting it right first time. “It is essential to realise that a good salary is important, but not the main driver for talented candidates,” says Thibaud Adès. Managing Director of Michael Page Belgium. “You need to offer them more than a job. You need to offer them the next step in their career. You can think of a tailor made training program, the opportunity to give back society by participating in volunteering projects, flexibility and a working environment where they can thrive.”

1. Get the basics right

With more than 40 years’ recruitment experience, our specialist consultants can assist you through the entire hiring process, from writing an initial job spec to sealing the deal with your preferred candidate.

It’s essential that once a candidate has accepted a job by phone or email, they are immediately informed, by way of a formal letter, of all proposed terms of employment attached to role.

The job offer should provide your chosen candidate with all the information they’ll need to satisfy themselves they’re making the right decision in joining your business. A formal job offer should include:

The new employee’s name
The job title in full
The salary being offered.
The date from when employment will start
Terms and conditions (contract/temporary/permanent) on which the job is being offered
Benefits and other compensations
Conditions of any probationary period attached
Request for any relevant documentation

Additional conditions including any legal, background checks that may be required to fill the role

2. Offer a tailor-made career path

“It´s important to come up with a personal development plan, and really commit to that,” says Thibaud Adès. “Offer the candidate a tailor-made training plan, and a high level of autonomy. You´ll just align on the results, and how candidate get´s there, is up to him or her. That way you make clear you fully trust the candidate is going to do a great job.”

3. Sealing the deal

Ideally a finalised job offer will outline exactly what a candidate will receive and what is expected of them once they take up their new job. It is also important that a job offer matches the candidate’s motivations and aspirations, so they’ll feel they can fit in and progress in their new role.

Once a job offer is made, it’s important to realise that the ball rests firmly in the candidate’s court and they may wish to negotiate certain aspects of the offer or discuss the inclusion of further incentives or conditions.

With negotiation being a two way street, any employer who has clearly defined and outlined (for themselves and the candidate) where the role fits within the organisation and what they can offer a candidate by way of compensation and benefits, will have little problem finalising any minor amendments or inclusions to suit both parties and seal the deal.