After months of going through unqualified resumes, you finally found it: the perfect candidate. Her resume is stacked with experience and accolades, she has exactly the right education, she interviews flawlessly... and she doesn’t accept the job; a disappointing scenario that has happened to many hiring managers. Losing good candidates is not a new phenomenon, but why does it happen? We explore 5 ways to be sure to lose that amazing candidate, and 5 tips on how to get them to stay. 

#1: Going Too Slowly 

The job market is overflowing with available opportunities, and there aren’t enough candidates to fill them. That means that you can’t dilly-dally waiting for a purple squirrel. If you wait too long before supplying an offer, your candidate may very well just accept another opportunity that got back to him sooner. You should absolutely take the necessary amount of time to check references, perform the appropriate screenings, and talk to all the key people involved, but if you are prepared for the hiring process, those steps shouldn’t take long.  

How to fix it: Keep in touch with the candidate, even if you aren’t finished with the process yet. A quick email that says “I haven’t forgotten about you!” and explains where you are at in the process goes a long way.  

A clear and concise job description for the open position will also help with turnaround time. You can’t hire the right candidate for the job if the job isn’t clearly outlined from the very beginning.  

#2: Your Company Has A Bad Reputation 

According to HR Dive, “69% of job seekers say they won't apply to a company with a bad reputation, even if they're currently unemployed.” It only takes one employee with an axe to grind to start causing trouble with poor reviews on Glassdoor, Indeed, Facebook, or Google, and whether or not they choose to do so is largely out of your control.  

How to fix it: Whether the claims are substantiated or not, knowledge, transparency and communication are important factors in cleaning up the mess and fixing your org’s reputation. You can’t address a poor reputation if you don’t know you have one, so monitoring your company across the internet is extremely important.  

If the claim was true, then tell the candidate how your company learned from the experience and implemented changes to address the situation. If the claim is false, there should be many more positive reviews to balance it out. Overall, be transparent about the possible flaws in your culture, how you’ve learned from them, and how the company has decided to move forward with better plans in place. Show the candidate that the good things about working at your organization far outweigh any potential negative issues of the past. 

#3: You Aren’t Competitive 

There are way more jobs today than there are applicants, so if you want the best of the best, you have to offer them benefits worth accepting over their other offers (which they are sure to have!) Offering the lowest salary in a range, a low 401(k) match, or little to no flexibility in hours and location won’t get you very far. 

How to fix it: Do your research! What are similar companies in your area offering for this position? What do their employees love about their culture and benefits, and why do they choose to work there? If you want to attract top talent, you have to offer benefits and a culture that are more enticing to potential candidates. That doesn’t just mean a big salary and a fancy title – flexibility, positive culture, and solid health insurance are huge draws to high performers.  

#4: You’re Waiting For Candidates To Come To You 

If you just put out a job ad and wait for candidates to flock to it, you are missing out on some of the highest-performing potential employees! Candidates who are actively applying to positions are likely to have multiple interviews, which could lead to multiple competing offers.   

How to fix it: Your best bet is to recruit passive candidates. Passive candidates are already gainfully employed and are not actively searching for a new job. These candidates aren’t likely to have multiple interviews going on at the same time they are interviewing with you, and while your offer will have to be competitive to pull them away from their current job, you have a good chance of being the only company doing the offering. Recruiting passive candidates can be tough, an RPO partner is a great solution to have in your back pocket if you get stuck. 

#5: No Room To Grow 

As part of a clear, robust job description, there should also be mention of what comes next. What does the future of this role look like for a top performer? Is there a clear path of career progression? Great employees don’t expect to stay at their current position forever, and showing them that you do have a tentative plan in mind for progression is wonderfully tempting. 

How to fix it: Make a plan on how the role could potentially progress into more responsibility, and how achievements will be tracked and rewarded. Show the candidate that you take their time seriously and aren’t just looking to plug an open hole in your organization. You have to see a future with them if you want them to see a future with you. 

When hiring there are a lot of ways you can go wrong, but most can all be fixed one way or another. If you see yourself or your company engaging in any of these habits, now is a great time to start fixing those behaviors and really upgrade your recruiting game. If you need a little assistance, Skywalk Group is always here to help with HR, recruiting, and training and development needs. Contact us today to learn more. 

By Jessica Palmer