The actual headache of a recruiter - Offer Back out

The maximum irritating aspect as a recruiter is that the potential candidate again backs out in the course of or after the selection process.

For a maximum of us, the stress that we undergo as a recruiter isn't always so much from the goals and the time limits but the uneasy feeling of not knowing the joining confirmation of your selected candidates and even you are not sure on which stage the candidate will back out.

Offer back out or offer decline is somehow the big issue because of the current market trend and practices. I believe the situation is not so bad for organizations that are of repute and are well established, but those second and third-tier organizations are the ones facing the brunt of most of the back out cases. this can be attributed particularly due to the reality that the big giants do not have a problem in attracting task candidates because of their correct logo photograph and willingness to shell out above average marketplace repayment.

Types of back out:?

Let’s look at what stages of the recruitment process back out can possibly happen.

1. Candidate backing out before the interview stage.
2. Candidate backing out after the interview stage.
3. Candidate backing out after accepting the offer.
4. Candidate backing out before joining.
5. Candidate backing out on joining day.
6. Candidate backing out just after joining.?

Probable reasons for back outs:

Varied reasons can be attributed to why candidates backing out from joining based on my past experiences below, are some of the common ones:

• The main reason for back-out is that the candidate is not comfortable with the change.
• Have in hand several offers and will decide on the one best offer
• Developing cold feet at the last moment before submitting his/her resignation letter
• HR/Line Manager convinced him/her to stay back
• Was given a very good counteroffer by the employer so decided to stay back
• Not serious about leaving a current job and attending interviews just because the opportunity was presented to him/her.
• Learnt of the project which was not to his liking/preference/expectation and is not keen on joining
• The final offer is not up to his/her expectation
• Did not agree with some of the clause(s) in the offer letter/appointment letter
• His/her friends/contacts gave negative feedback about the organization so decided not to join
• Required joining time not reasonable
• See what offer he/she can get from the market to negotiate a better salary with the existing employer
• Selection process took too long and has already accepted another offer
• Tried re-negotiating for more salary after selection
• Genuinely have personal/family issue because of which he/she cannot take up the offer

Repercussions & effects of backing out:

• Recruitment is an expensive activity. Every time a candidate backs out the recruitment process has to be initiated all over again.
• Good amount of time and effort is wasted to find a new replacement and projects can and do get delayed and all these translate to revenue lost
• But most important of all is the loss of the client’s trust. This is not tangible and will have long-term adverse effects vis-à-vis the client-vendor relationship.
• Inner?workload of the?team?member?without delay?increases.

How to avoid & reduce candidates backing out:

• If you and your candidates are in the same area it is always advisable to meet face-to-face.
• Be it on the phone or in person spent as much time as you can and dig for information – what motivates him to look for a change, what professional and personal reasons, what are his expectations in terms of money and roles.
• It is important to be in control when it comes to the recruiter-candidate relationship. To achieve that it is important that you conduct a thorough pre-qualifying.
• Get all the low-downs about his background and aspiration. Always insist on obtaining either verbally and/or in writing his/her response and commitment to the job offer. You may do this with a direct approach or with great subtlety. Which approach you resort to will depend on each individual or their level of seniority
• Pay close attention while talking to him/her and listen for those tones and expressed/unexpressed concerns and look for those signs that might indicate his intentions. If any of his/her words, expressions, or actions give you a sense of doubt and concern, then drop him/her and move on. It is better to drop him/her now than later to have a back out in your hand.
• Have a set of questionnaires that you can run through with him/her before proceeding to qualify him – a questionnaire that will test his seriousness and sincerity to look for a change. Do not hesitate to ask them if they have discussed with /her family members this plan to look for a job change. Especially for those who are married, please confirm with them if they have consulted their other half. Try and get inside your candidate’s mind and understand his needs and his aspiration.
• Proactively try to cover all areas that you possibly think will be a likely point of concern (reason for a back out) for him at a later stage and address them immediately.

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If in spite of everything this your candidate back out, it’s probably all right, after all, let us now not forget that we are only human and allow us to be given the reality that applicants are also just human, they can have many inner and external influences which change their decision at a drop of a hat. The trick here is to constantly examine one’s errors and no longer repeat the same mistake the next time around.

"A good recruiter is someone who no matter how many times he/she falters and gets knocked down will reinvent him/herself and come back again and again but stronger, better, and smatter."

Make the hiring continuous process and do a high-value addition to your organization to grow.?

"Acquiring the right talent is the most important key to growth. Hiring was – and still is – the most important thing we do"

– Marc Benioff