It’s a talent war out there, and you have the battle scars to prove it.
Fighting tooth and nail to find, engage and now finally make your offer to the right talent. But, plot twist - now your offer has been gazumped, and your previously accepted job offer is on the brink of collapse.
Top talent is scarce, with fewer people to choose from, and talent currently having their pick of the bunch. It’s hard to attract and engage with talent but, until day one, all your hard work could be undone by a single email.
So what can you do to minimise the risk of gazumping during the hiring process? Take a look at our tips below.
1. Take the whole candidate experience seriously…
Don’t foolishly think that once you’ve interviewed and offered that it’s a done deal. The last communication piece between you and your new hire should never be ‘thank you for accepting the offer’.
Keep in touch! Invest time to touch-base with them once a week. Update them on anything potentially relevant to them and their role or team. Be sure to include them in any staff social events prior to their official start date too. Protect your investment– don’t let the relationship go cold, leaving your hire prime for a competitor to turn their head.
2. Leave a positive lasting impression
Put yourself in the shoes of the talent. You’re in high demand, feeling great. A hiring manager has slid into your DMs and headhunted you (passive recruitment for the win!) The job seems great, so you figure a call can’t hurt. You book time off work, or use up the lunch break to take the call. All that mental and physical energy, but worth it, right?
Then the hiring manager turns up late, or perhaps gets your name wrong, or even asks you questions that they’d know the answer to if they had actually just read your CV. You choose to give them a second chance– it is a great job after all. So you continue along the hiring process, you’re offered the job and you accept.
A little while later, as you’re working your notice period, another recruiter pops into your inbox. They comment on your experience, pay you some lip service and offer to call you outside of working hours to avoid any disruption to your workload. The job sounds great and you feel as if the hiring manager has personally selected you for the role. Most of the ‘interview’ is spent selling themselves, the business and the role to you. You’re flattered. Your head is well and truly turned, and you don’t mind burning bridges (that never existed in the first place!) It’s easier to let someone down you’ve never had a relationship with, isn’t it?
The moral of the story: ensure you get the candidate experience right, and remember that just because you managed to correct an initial bad first impression, it’s not over till it’s over. Respect their work schedule, show up on time, connect on a human level, sell to them and don’t ask questions that you should know the answers to. Do your homework.
3. Get the offer right from the get-go
Don’t leave the candidate wishing they’d asked for a better salary, job title or benefits package. Do your research (we can help with talent insights reports) to truly understand the worth of the role in the market. Be competitive and offer as much as you can to secure talent, because even if they don’t know their worth, someone else does. And they’ll steal them right out from under you. You can’t cut corners when it comes to hiring the right talent for your business.
Finally, remember it’s not just about salary - a variety of factors come into play when it comes to selecting an employer. Do you offer flexible and varied working? Do you use the latest tech, or invest in the learning and development of your employees? This goes back to defining and creating an EVP (employee value proposition) and using this to attract talent into your business.
Still need help? Let's talk recruitment.
About the Author
Stephanie Birch-Foster
Brand and Engagement Marketing