You have gone through the interview process and narrowed your search down to one FANTASTIC candidate. You offer them the position and they do not immediately respond. What if they are considering other positions? What do you do? First of all, don’t panic. Below are 3 ways to entice a top candidate to accept a job offer.

Don’t Over-Promise

Over promising always leads to under delivering which can not only turn off your new employee but cause them to doubt your company long-term. If you have a top candidate that is considering your position, definitely let them know the level of growth they may experience in their career at your company, but be sure you are realistic with the information you give. Do not exaggerate benefits, pay increase opportunities or how quickly one can climb the professional ladder. Building up unrealistic expectations may get them in the door initially, but they will likely not stay for long after they realize you were not fully honest with the opportunities you offered before they accepted the position. One way to give them an idea of what to expect is to tell them success stories of people within the company. This will not only be motivational, but give a realistic idea of what they can expect.

Show How Your Goals Align

Keep in mind when interviewing candidates that one thing they will be considering is whether a role at your company will move them closer to their long-term goals. Be proactive during the interview process by asking what their personal and professional goals are. This information will be beneficial when you offer a top candidate the job because it opens the door for a conversation about how your company will help them achieve their professional and personal long-term goals

Remain Professional  

Regardless of the situation, remember you are the manager and this is a professional setting. If the candidate you are trying to bring on board cannot respect you as a leader, they will not join your team. We all know the appropriate ways to act professional; keep your emotions in check, be on time for interviews, return phone calls and emails. One thing that is sometimes overlooked is treating certain people differently than others when trying to entice them to join your team. Letting them know you want them is one thing but be sure you do not offer anything that can be misconstrued as inappropriate. Special reservations, tickets to events or extra bonus money are examples of things that can be taken the wrong way when offered to someone in return for something else you want. Keep this in mind when attempting to bring on new talent onto your team.

Filling your team with the right talent can be a hard thing to do when there is so much competition for top candidates. Be confident in who you are as a manager and the amazing team you have built. Showing confidence in your company and your team, not over promising, aligning goals and remaining professional will show your top candidates that not only are you a great manager to work for, but they are lucky to be on your team.