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As a conclusion to my 3-part series on the six steps for extending a job offer, here are some tips for the negotiations and acceptance/rejection stages.

Negotiation Stage – With any job offer, you should anticipate some negotiating. You need to keep two factors in mind during negotiations: how badly you want to hire that specific individual and the policies/procedures of your company. Consider asking yourself these questions:

1. Do you have other equally qualified candidates available? If so, you have all the leverage in negotiations.
2. Was this a difficult position to fill or was it difficult to find candidates? If so, the candidate has the leverage.
3. Is the offer in-line with other comparable positions at your company?

Acceptance Stage – Congratulations! You hired a candidate and this entire process is coming to a close. Once the candidate has agreed to your offer, there are still some steps you should do to make sure everything goes smoothly. Keep in touch with the candidate. Don’t just send them an offer and expect them to show up on the agreed upon day. Do you require a drug screen? If so, have them complete it before their first day on the job. Have your HR team get in touch with the candidate so they can fill out all of the new hire paperwork before they show up for day one so you can be a step ahead.

Rejection Stage – You found your ideal candidate but need to let the other candidates know they were not selected. This is very important and many hiring managers forget this step. If you phone screen or meet with a candidate in person, you should have some common courtesy and let them know. Even though this is bad news for a candidate, it’s nice to have closure. Keep it short but be sure to cover three steps:

1. Thank them for applying and going through the interview process.
2. Try to provide an explanation. Tell them why the other candidate was more qualified. It’ll be easier for the candidate to accept this rejection if you help them understand your company’s needs and the type of candidate you hired.
3. Identify a strength. Even though you didn’t hire them, you should be able to find at least one strength of theirs. Don’t be generic! Acknowledge something specific and end on a high note. Even though they weren’t the right fit, they may refer a superstar to you in the future.

After all the time you’ve spent on the interview and hiring process, you probably have a new understanding of the importance of a smooth negotiation and closing process. By following the tips in my last three blogs, hopefully you can drastically reduce the risks/headaches.

Click here to read Extending A Job Offer In Six Easy Steps, Part 1.
Click here to read Extending A Job Offer In Six Eaxy Steps, Part 2.