"The recruitment process can falter at the offer stage. Even top roles can be lost if the salary, benefits, or overall package don’t meet market expectations, so careful management is essential."
Landing Your Preferred Candidate: Offer Stage Guidance
After weeks of searching, shortlisting, screening, and interviewing, the final step is making an offer. Unfortunately, this stage can derail if the offer isn’t structured correctly. Follow these principles to secure your ideal candidate:
Understand salary expectations
Gather information on a candidate’s current and expected salary early, ideally during the shortlist stage. This ensures realistic expectations on both sides and avoids surprises later in the process.
Be prepared to invest in top talent
Sometimes the best candidates fall slightly outside the approved salary range. Paying a small premium to secure the right person is often more cost-effective than settling for someone less qualified who may struggle to deliver the desired results.
Pitch the offer strategically
Make the initial offer attractive and reflective of market expectations. While some room for negotiation is normal, a low or overly cautious offer can reduce enthusiasm and increase the risk of the candidate exploring alternative opportunities. Sharing a clear minimum and maximum salary range with your recruitment partner can help align expectations and prevent mismatches.
Communicate the final terms clearly
If your policy doesn’t allow further negotiation, ensure the candidate is fully aware. Transparency at this stage helps manage expectations and fosters trust.
Balance budget and quality
The key is to strike a balance between your recruitment budget and securing a high-calibre candidate. A well-considered offer not only increases the likelihood of acceptance but also positions the candidate positively for their first day and long-term engagement.
Back: How to secure your ideal candidate
